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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This time around, the influential color company has designated white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

It signifies the first time a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers contend that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid continuing societal discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the backlash transcends surface appeal, noting that white holds societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality denotes virtue".

The designer cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade seems soft and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury