Cloud dancer: Fashion’s most enduring shade
As white becomes Colour of the Year for the first time ever, here are some iconic looks that showcase its timeless legacy
The Pantone Colour Institute has announced its new Colour of the Year: Cloud Dancer. This marks the first time since the programme began in 1999 that a white hue has been selected. Pantone describes the shade as a symbol of space to think, breathe, reset, and exist without urgency in an era shaped by constant digital stimulus, 24/7 connectivity, and emotional fatigue.
In a shift from last year’s Mocha Mouse, this billowy white nods to timeless style and several memorable fashion moments. From Princess Diana’s Elvis dress to Sridevi’s romantic white suit, here are some iconic looks in the chosen hue that have defined generations.
The psychology of white
According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer is described as ‘white imbued with serenity’. It reflects a cultural shift away from noise (literal and metaphorical) toward clarity. “As we reimagine our future and our place within it, Cloud Dancer offers a promise of clarity,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Colour Institute.
“This is what we need: harmony, love and generosity, not war and hatred,” opines fashion designer Pawan Sachdeva, adding, “White is my personal favourite. 99% of my collection is white since its aura brings peace and calmness to me.”
Meanwhile, fashion designer Rina Dhaka described it as “the colour of peace and the colour of doves”, adding that its power lies in its universal energy. “Black absorbs all colour, but white reflects them, making it a mirror rather than a shield,” she explains.
Dhaka also notes the significance of the West elevating a shade that has long been associated with bridal and ceremonial purity: “For them to now choose white as the Pantone Colour of the Year and call it Cloud Dancer gives the colour a new distinction. It brings freshness and a poetic softness to a classic staple — one I hope remains, because white is timeless.”
Regally ivory
Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh’s debut at the 2025 Met Gala was one for the books. The Prabal Gurung creation, inspired by the Maharaja of Patiala, featured an ivory sherwani, bejewelled turban, and floor-length cape embroidered with Gurmukhi script and the map of Punjab.
Cloud rebel
Madonna’s white tulle mini-dress and lace corset in her 1984 music video Like a Virgin is one of pop culture’s most memorable white-on-white looks. Styled with rebellious edge, the monochrome outfit was accessorised with layered bracelets, pendants, and a belt reading ‘Boy Toy’.
White royalty
In 1989, Princess Diana stepped out in a white silk dress paired with a structured pearl jacket. Designed by Catherine Walker and dubbed the ‘Elvis dress’ by Diana herself, the all-white palette with shimmery embellishments transformed her from the people’s princess to an indisputable fashion icon.
O meri Chandni...
Actor Sridevi’s all-white salwar kameez in the 1989 film Chandni became one of Bollywood’s most enduring fashion legacies. The flowing dupatta, soft fabrics, and monochrome palette defined romance for an entire generation and till date, remains a reference point for Indian fashion and pop culture.
Subway dress
One of the defining images of the 20th century is Marilyn Monroe’s white dress flying in the subway breeze in the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch. Created by costume designer William Travilla, the outfit highlighted the colour’s power to blend purity with sensuality.
