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Fashion

Pantone's Colour Of The Year 2026 Has Long Been An Indian Designer Staple

Pantone's 2026 pick finds echoes in the many ways Indian designers have already used white to tell stories in texture, craft and silhouette.

| Taronish Batty
Feature - Publive (8)

Every year, Pantone announces its Colour of the Year to signal the mood it believes will shape the year ahead. For 2026, the chosen shade is “Cloud Dancer” — a soft, understated white intended to represent peace and clarity in a noisy world. The announcement has already ignited chatter, largely because white is both familiar and infinitely interpretable.

In India, though, white has never been a blank slate. Designers have explored it for years across couture, craft, and even character-building in cinema. Here, the colour carries a striking range, shaped by the many cultural roles it has lived through.

Here’s a look at some of them.

Anamika Khanna

An intricately embroidered ivory lehenga paired with an asymmetric appliqué blouse. Finished with a fluid drape edged in a subtle metallic border. 

Rimzim Dadu 

A dimensional baroque bodice sits atop a liquid silk column skirt, creating a sharp contrast of texture and flow.

Gaurav Gupta

A sculpted silhouette adorned with abstract pearl embroidery, layered with crystal and sequin detailing. The gown’s swirled mermaid bottom enhances depth and shimmer with refined fluidity.

Anita Dongre

A soft ivory saree scattered with subtle motifs and finished with an innate border.

Tarun Tahiliani

 An ivory sherwani and kurta ensemble elevated with intricate threadwork and subtle shimmer.

Kunal Rawal

An ivory bandhgala elevated by mother-of-pearl accents and meticulous knotwork.

A Reflection

While Pantone’s announcement inevitably shapes the year’s visual mood, its ripple effect looks different in a landscape where the colour has long been part of the design vocabulary. For Indian designers, white hasn’t been a revelation so much as a material to continually reinterpret — through fabric, texture, silhouette, and craft. As “Cloud Dancer” enters the global spotlight, what becomes interesting is how designers here might use this moment to explore the shade with fresh intent. In the months ahead, white can become a space for experimentation: subtler contrasts, new surface techniques, and a wider emotional register. 

Also read: 

Here's How You Can Add Transformative Teal 2026's Colour Of The Year In Your Wardrobe

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