Pantone's 2025 Color of the Year is "Mocha Mousse"
“Simple and Comforting: A Soft, Warming Brown”
Pantone has announced its highly-anticipated color of the year for 2025, a “simple” and “comforting” brown hue dubbed “Mocha Mousse.”
The widely used color matching system utilized by designers across the globe selects an annual color reflecting on signals from design innovators and cultural references. Variations of “Mocha Mousse” for 2025 was omnipresent in top SS25 presentations from Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, Miu Miu, and many more. Famously known as the “Tan Suit,” VP Kamala Harris also wore a version of the color in a matching two-piece number at the 2024 DNC ahead of the US presidential elections.
The “soft, warming brown” strikes a conscious balance between neutral minimalism and decadent luxury. Recalling the familiar hues of earthen clay and the diversity of human skin tones, the color evokes a sense of naturalistic humility. And of course, one can’t ignore the gastronomical connotations of the title, conjuring images of a decadent coffee-infused chocolate dessert. All around, the color inspires a feeling of cozy comfort, demonstrated fittingly by the image of ERL’s California Shearling Coat in “Natural Brown” above.
As 2025 inches closer, one can expect “Mocha Mousse” to continue showing up strongly in apparel collections, interior spaces, and other color-focussed industries– while also evolving in its usage across new palettes and product applications.