The new wife of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and I have something in common. Jodie Haydon and I have both worn Pantone’s Colour of 2026 in the past few days and probably didn’t realise we were at the pointy end of a trend tsunami.

You have most likely nailed this fashion moment too, since the self-appointed judges at colour management company Pantone have made white the colour of the year for the first time in the award’s 26-year history. Rather than call it white, it is officially Cloud Dancer, Pantone 11-4201.

“An ethereal white hue, Pantone 11-4201 Cloud Dancer serves as a symbol of calming influence in a frenetic society rediscovering the value of measured consideration and quiet reflection,” the Pantone press release says.

“Similar to a blank canvas, Cloud Dancer signifies our desire for a fresh start.”

Or does it signal giving up? Following on the heels of 2025’s Mocha Mousse and 2024’s Peach Fuzz, Cloud Dancer seems like a swing and a miss. It’s guaranteed to show up on the runway on wedding dresses to rival Haydon’s exquisite Romance Was Born creation, plain T-shirts, like those in Demna’s new collection for Gucci and the shirts of nearly every suited businessperson.

Unlike Mocha Mousse, which was an accurate depiction of runway trends, with brown seeping into most people’s wardrobe’s during the year, making it to the Oscars red carpet on the suits of Andrew Garfield and Succession’s Jeremy Strong, and trickling down as far as the Brownlow red carpet, white hasn’t packed the same punch.

The international runways have been filled with optimistic colours with more drive than the neutral appeal of Cloud Dancer. Naming cerulean blue as the colour of 2026 would have been perfect timing for the upcoming release of the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada.

Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly has fresh material for a new monologue dedicated to the colour following sightings at the spring/summer 2026 collections on the runways at Valentino, Fendi, Dior and Miu Miu.