Updated on 13 Dec, 2024
Design News • Jayshree Ochwani • 4 Mins reading time
Pantone has distinguished Mocha Mousse (Pantone 17-1230) as its Color of the Year 2025, characterizing it as “a unique, evocative soft brown that transports our senses into the pleasure and deliciousness it inspires.”
With its quiet luxury and tasteful indulgence, this shade promises to influence fashion, interiors, and beyond.
The Pantone Color Institute announced Mocha Mousse on Thursday. The shade reflects a growing desire for “everyday pleasures.”
According to Eiseman, it represents “thoughtful indulgence,” offering a subtle sense of glamour while connecting us to earthy comforts.
Described as a “flavorful brown shade,” Mocha Mousse evokes luscious desserts, rich coffee, and cacao.
Its sensorial warmth creates a feeling of connection, turning brown into an aspirational color that embraces quiet luxury rather than loud statements.
For the first time, Pantone is taking its Color of the Year on a worldwide tour. The launch began at the London Eye, which was lit up in Mocha Mousse during the unveiling.
Events in New York, Mumbai, Shanghai, and other cities will follow, marking the shade’s global debut.
Pantone’s annual colors have a long history of influence. From Met Gala gowns to film art direction, makeup, and furniture, the Color of the Year often sets a tone that ripples across industries.
With its representation of quiet luxury, Mocha Mousse is set to shift the narrative around brown tones.
It’s a shade that whispers, not shouts, and its unique qualities are sure to be appreciated by design enthusiasts.
Brown’s connection to earthiness adds to its appeal, lending a sense of rootedness that complements its indulgent charm.
However, its understated nature raises the question: Will Mocha Mousse stand out enough to dominate design trends?
Pantone’s 2024 Color of the Year, Peach Fuzz, was a soft peach that symbolized warmth, compassion, and empathy.
Laurie Pressman, Pantone’s Vice President, described it as “a color of compassion” that brought succor to a world recovering from pandemic hardships, war, and mass shootings.
Peach Fuzz’s message of joy and self-care resonated deeply, while Mocha Mousse builds on this foundation, embracing indulgence and rootedness.
The two shades complement each other, offering a natural progression in Pantone’s yearly picks.
While Pantone’s choice often leads trends, other brands have announced their 2025 colors:
The competition highlights the diversity in color trends, but Mocha Mousse’s soft indulgence sets it apart.
In late 2022, Pantone added 224 new colors to its Pantone Matching System, reformulating its base mixing inks for the first time since 1963.
These new shades addressed the need for colors that bridge gaps between existing ones, covering groups like earthy blues, warm grays, bold reds, and delicate pinks.
Pantone continues expanding its influence across industries with nearly 25,000 colors in its libraries.
Mocha Mousse enters a world eager for quiet luxury and connection. Its understated glamour and earthy tones align with current design trends, but its success depends on how fashion, tech, and interiors embrace it—or choose to defy it.
As Pantone boldly names Mocha Mousse the color of 2025, the industry’s collective gaze turns to this flavorful shade.
Will it dominate runways and living rooms, or will louder contenders overshadow it? Only time will tell.
Source: Forbes
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Jayshree Ochwani, a content strategist has an keen eye for detail. She excels at developing content that resonates with audience & drive meaningful engagement.
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