16 Dec Mocha Mousse: Color Of The Year 2025

Overview

• On December 5, 2024, Pantone officially bid farewell to the soft Peach Fuzz of 2024 and welcomed a new, indulgent shade inspired by the irresistible flavor of mocha mousse desserts.
• This marks the fourth consecutive year that Pantone has selected a color meant to nourish inner strength — a cultural response to lingering turbulence and post-pandemic fatigue.

A simple, sophisticated shade of brown

• PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse is a warm, rich, and velvety brown. Like a spoonful of dark chocolate mousse, this hue evokes small moments of sweetness — reminding us to pause, savor joy, and reconnect with others, even amidst ongoing global tension.

Source: Pantone

• Whether used as a standout statement or a versatile neutral base, Mocha Mousse elevates color palettes across minimalist and intricate designs alike — from fashion to interiors and product applications.

Color that celebrates “little treat culture”

• More than an aesthetic choice, the Color of the Year always reflects a cultural undercurrent. Mocha Mousse champions the emerging “Little Treat Culture” – the gentle act of indulging oneself in simple pleasures.
• In 2025, Mocha Mousse is expected to inspire not only the rise of brown tones, but also new conversations around mental wellness and restorative self-care.

Source: Pantone

The renaissance of earthy neutrals

• As a warm-toned neutral, Mocha Mousse works effortlessly across both womenswear and menswear. It dominated the Spring–Summer 2025 runways of global fashion houses such as Zegna, Loro Piana, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Versace — interpreted through the lens of quiet elegance.

Loro Piana Spring 2025

Zegna Spring Summer 2025

• In fashion, Mocha Mousse radiates soft sophistication – especially when rendered in leather or silk. As a grounding hue, it serves equally well as a backdrop to vibrant accents or as part of a tonal minimalist ensemble.
• As consumers shift toward buying less but better, Pantone Vice President Laurie Pressman emphasized the color’s “practicality and authenticity”, noting its alignment with the growing call for sustainable, long-term design thinking.

Source: The Business of Fashion