5 Ways to Wear Pantone’s 2026 Colour of the Year “Cloud Dancer” with Gothic Energy
From Victorian to Vampire and Castlecore, here’s how to turn fashion’s palest shade into something deliciously dark
By: The Lace Ledger Staff
Cloud Dancer may look innocent at first glance, but the shade carries a haunted softness that feels pulled from marble statues and Victorian night gowns. In the hands of those who adopt a darker aesthetic, the Pantone becomes operatic. The colour of myth, memory and moonlit stone.
The runways of SS26 laid out a blueprint. Designers leaned into palest neutrals with a gothic undertow, which means the shade is not only wearable for the alt-inclined—it is inevitable. Our Pantone edit moves through five distinct themes, each inspired by 2025 + 2026 couture designer collections and timely cultural moments in film.
Phantom of the Opera — Inspired by Maison Margiela SS26 RTW
Maison Margiela SS26 RTW
Opera-house whites appear through veiling, spectral tailoring and candlelit sheers. Maison Margiela treats Cloud Dancer as a haunted stage direction, which aligns with the tension humming around Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming Phantom of the Opera remake. This path leans into cloaks, masks and fragile glamour.
Style Edit Highlights:
Lively Ghosts Phantom Blouse — a printed layer that brings a subtle narrative beat to an otherwise pared-back silhouette.
Amazon Satin Cigarette Pants — A clean silver-white column that grounds the look without disrupting the spectral palette.
VRStorybook Embroidered Phantom of the Opera Purse (via Etsy) — A miniature prop-like clutch that reads as an artifact lifted from backstage.
Charles & Keith Sadria Satin Bow Slingback — a satin glide with a soft, stage-worthy pointe that echoes grand old theatres.
Olive & Piper Alessandra Drops — Luminous drops that catches light with the polish of a chandelier ornament.
Castlecore — Inspired by Elie Saab Bridal SS26
Elie Saab Bridal SS26
Saab’s Cloud Dancer reads like candlelight on carved stone. The gowns fall with the gothic stillness of a forgotten castle, which pairs beautifully with the renewed cultural fascination sparked by the Frankenstein remake. Castlecore in white wants softness with structure. It wants courtly sleeves and unapologetic ornament.
Style Edit Highlights:
Maria Elena Headpiece Erika Feather Purse: A feathered relic that moves like a courtly whisper carried through a stone corridor.
Selkie The Ivory Waltz Gown: A voluminous silhouette that reads like a ballroom apparition revived from a forgotten tale.
Revolve Fur Shawl: A pale, plush layer that falls over the shoulders like a winter mantle worn in a drafty turret.
Serpenti The Maiden Dress: A soft-boned ivory dress that carries the gentle drama of a castle-bound heroine.
Regal Rose Ophelia Medieval Cross Choker: A sculpted collar that crowns the throat with gothic nobility and alchemical romance.
Petals and Poison Annabel Lee Heirloom Ring: A darkly ornate dinner ring that glows with the mood of a tragic poem carved into metal.
Romantic Goth — Inspired by Simone Rocha SS26
Simone Rocha SS26
Rocha builds tragedy into her whites. The silhouettes bloom with corsetry, wilted florals and moonlit tulle. The look pairs seamlessly with the upcoming Wuthering Heights remake. Romantic Goth in Cloud Dancer wants heartbreak stitched into every seam; fragility sharpened into something divine.
Style Edit Highlights:
Wild Rose & Sparrow The Juliette Dress: A lace-soft silhouette that carries the spectral tenderness of a heroine walking alone across the moors.
Vixen by Micheline Pitt Tulle Opera Gloves: A sheer extension of the hand that drifts with the bruised romanticism of storm-swept tulle.
Santinni 'Marlene' 100% Cashmere & Wool Coat With Faux Fur (via Wolf & Badger): A long ivory sweep that echoes the silhouette of a ghost disappearing into fog.
Maria Black “Swift” Earrings: A slim golden curve that grazes the jaw with the faint shimmer of a remembered touch.
Jennifer Behr Addie Comb: A scatter of cream petals that nestles into the hair like rain caught in a bridal veil.
Bésame Cosmetics “Blood Red” Lipstick: A bruised burgundy that sits on the lip with the intensity of a vow spoken in the dark.
Victorian — Inspired by Rodarte FW25 RTW
Rodarte FW25 RTW
Rodarte’s cool-toned looks capture the chill of a Victorian portrait. The silhouettes tilt toward high collars, tapered sleeves and sculptural lace, which aligns with the gothic anticipation around the film The Bride. This direction turns Cloud Dancer into something ceremonial. It moves like ghost-lit etiquette.
Style Edit Highlights:
La Femme En Noir Crimson Peak Edith Victorian Gown: A sculptural high-neck gown that channels the severity of ghost-lit portraits.
Katacomb Angela Blouse: A high-panel blouse that frames the neck with museum-quiet authority.
House of CB Luette Corset: A rigid ivory corset that sharpens the waist with ceremonial discipline.
Reformation Mason Pant: A clean high-waist trouser that translates Victorian tailoring into modern severity.
American Duchess Cleo Edwardian Boots: A lace-up boot that echoes the restrained elegance of early-century bridalwear.
The Blackened Teeth Memento Mori Tin Candle + Oval Twin Frames: Miniature ossuary-inspired accessories that deepens the Victorian gothic narrative.
NoirWilde Satin Baroque Kiss Lock Clutch (via Etsy): A structured frame purse that snaps shut with the crisp etiquette of a Victorian lady.
Vampire — Inspired by Rick Owens SS26
Rick Owens SS26
Owens approaches white like sun-bleached bone. The silhouettes carve shadows into pale fabric, which mirrors the hungry theatricality rising around Dracula: A Love Tale and the latest iteration of Nosferatu. The Vampire pathway uses Cloud Dancer as an omen. It brings menace to purity.
Style Edit Highlights:
House of CB Mara Ivory Metallic Jacquard Maxi Skirt: The metallic jacquard turns ivory into something opulent, using reflective texture and sculptural flare to give the Pantone an otherworldly silhouette.
Makeup a Murder Kiss of Death Lip Stain: A blood-rich stain that settles like a fresh kill, sharpening Cloud Dancer’s softness with a flush of hunger with fangs.
Etsy Bloody Pearl Necklace: Pearls decorated with “blood” details reinforce the theme of purity corrupted. This piece adds delicate violence to an otherwise angelic colour story.
Lespecs Outta Love Sunglasses: White outfits need something predatory to cut through the softness. Angular frames sharpen the look and add cold, modern menace.
Lively Ghost Banshee Corset: Its exaggerated structure and mythic naming bring supernatural energy to pale fabric. Ideal for making Cloud Dancer feel dangerous.
Cursed Fragrances: Kill Me for Me: A dark, self-aware scent that injects theatricality into the styling. The title itself deepens the narrative of white as a haunted medium.
Cloud Dancer becomes a gothic language when we translate it correctly. The surface looks soft, but the meaning changes the moment we claim it.
Tell us in the comments which theme you’re stepping into first.
