Pantone’s Colour of the Year is being talked about and for all of the wrong reasons. At best, it’s a lazy curation of AI-generated minimalist neutrals. At worst, it’s an indication of rising fascism and a push for conformity.
But is it really that bad? Of course, there is pushback because of the claims that they used AI-assisted lifestyle imagery to promote it. This is heavily frowned upon in design communities. With good reason; its environmental impact is huge and it takes us further away from human creativity.
Aside from potential AI slop, is there good reason to despise it? I admit, Cloud Dancer is pretty close to the landlord special (Brilliant White); it’s not exactly groundbreaking. Which is why I’m so surprised there’s anything but indifference to it.
Why Did Pantone Choose Cloud Dancer?
A better question that people might ask is, why did Pantone choose Cloud Dancer over other prevalent colours in culture? 2025 was dominated by shades of orange. Zendaya revealed her engagement in a rust orange gown, Papaya rules ruled when McLaren took the constructors and drivers championships in Formula 1, and Apple’s latest iPhone donned a bright orange coat.
Their justification?
“At this time of transformation, when we are reimagining our future and our place in the world, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer is a discrete white hue offering a promise of clarity,” says Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Colour Institute. “The cacophony that surrounds us has become overwhelming, making it harder to hear the voices of our inner selves. A conscious statement of simplification, Cloud Dancer enhances our focus, providing release from the distraction of external influences.”
“We are living in a transitional time where people are seeking truth, possibility, and a new way of living,” Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Colour Institute, said. “PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer is an airy white hue that exemplifies our search for balance between our digital future and our primal need for human connection—a liminal space that is a launchpad for creative expression—as individuals and communities are experimenting beyond traditional boundaries, opening the door to increased imagination and innovation.”
Normal Is Not Enough. But It Should Be.
Stepping back and looking at culture, we are the generation that refuses to be average. We are the fitness class attending, t-totaling, looksmaxxing, DIYing, creative crowd. So a meh trend forecast is an insult to the trajectory of the Gen-Z life.
Lucy Pascall, Co-Founder of Pushka Home, said: “Cloud Dancer is all about softness and subtlety. It’s not a cold or clinical white – it has warmth to it, which makes it incredibly easy to live with. We see it as the perfect canvas for interiors that focus on pieces that have real character.”
To me, warm white isn’t giving “padded room” like online hecklers retort. It’s a Parisian apartment adorned with all the bells and whistles in terms of trimwork and modern accents. People also forget that colour isn’t the only way to add visual interest. Putting all emphasis on colour leaves little room for texture, lighting, smell and sound. Warm white is the pedestal of a statement piece and, most importantly, it’s calm. Something that has so far evaded me in my adult years.
Although people don’t like to admit it, there are benefits to neutrals. In an opinion article I published last year, I talked about the psychological benefits of neutrals and how minimalism serves second generation immigrants like myself who have experienced the stresses of hoarding parents and the scarcity mindset. For some, minimalism is cathartic. We shouldn’t do away with it because the design community calls it boring or orthodox.
The visceral reaction we’ve seen to Cloud Dancer suggests that our expressive and eclectic design is actually quite narrow. So many parrot buzzwords like “timeless”, “chic” and “personal style” while shaming those who carry the same words in a different colour and font. I propose that we view Cloud Dancer as another door in the corridor of design that we can choose to open but never bolt shut.
Although I love colour, colour-drenching and ornate design, warm white has and will forever have a place in my home and my heart. If that be bland, I am boldly bland with it.
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