Capturing the cultural zeitgeist and trends for the year ahead is a tricky business. But every year, the Pantone Color Institute chooses a color to do precisely that. And it has settled on a shade of white, “Cloud Dancer,” as its Color of the Year for 2026. The institute, which is considered a leading authority on color, forecasting trends and advising brands, described the shade as “a billowy, balanced white imbued with a feeling of serenity.” As technology’s grip on daily life tightens, Cloud Dancer represents a “calming influence in a frenetic society, rediscovering the value of measured consideration and...