What is mocha mousse, the very first shade of brown chosen as Pantone’s color of the year?

With 2025 quickly approaching, Pantone has officially done so chosen the newest color of the year: While 2024 was all about ‘Peach Fuzz’, a soft pink-orange shade, next year’s color is ‘Mocha Mousse’, a warm and indulgent brown.

“This is the first time in the 25 year history of Pantone’s color of the year they chose a shade of brown, which is quite important,” says the New York TimesVanessa Friedman in conversation with fellow reporters and editors. “I admit my thoughts immediately went to comfort food.”

Colors are often associated with certain emotions or sensations, and Pantone is betting that the new hue will be a predictor of next year’s trends. In one statementthe company describes Mocha Mousse as “an evocative soft brown that transports our senses to the pleasure and deliciousness it inspires.”

“It’s a beautiful color to look at. We think about tasting it and know that it will be delicious on the tongue. We think of the smell of chocolate in the oven,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute Architectural summary‘S Tim Nelson. “Underpinned by our desire for everyday pleasures, Mocha Mousse expresses a level of thoughtful indulgence.”

Mocha Mousse is a far cry from the spicy, bold notes that have become popular in recent years, such as ‘Barbie Pink’ or ‘Brat Green” (although neither was named color of the year). Instead, Pantone says the new color evokes buttery leather or rich flavors.

“The overriding theme when we started looking for this year’s color was this whole idea of ​​harmony,” says Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute. USA todayby Anna Kaufman. ‘There’s enough going on outside of us. We look for things that are softer and things that are lighter.”

Pressman adds that Mocha Mousse is inspired by the “small treat culture,” which prioritizes small pleasures throughout the day, like a cup of coffee or a piece of chocolate.

Pantone has been announcing the colors of the year since 1999. To determine which shade will be chosen, an international team examines trends related to fashion, design, travel, technology, the art world and the entertainment industry.

This year, Pantone is already working with several international partners to bring Mocha Mousse to life: companies like Motorola, Post-it and Joybird are releasing products designed using the color. Pantone will also host events related to the color in cities such as New York, Shanghai and Mumbai.

However, only time will tell whether Pantone’s selection will accurately reflect the spirit of the times. The Times‘Stella Bugbee hesitates, to ask: “Is the Pantone color of the year actually a reflection of reality?” After all, how much did ‘Peach Fuzz’ really reflect the trends of 2024?

For her part, Pressman thinks the color of the year can also respond to the current moment, in addition to reflecting it.

“It’s emblematic of a snapshot and it gives people what they think they need – that color can hope to answer,” she says NPRIt’s Emma Bowman. “We take the temperature: what is happening in the world around us, and how is that expressed in the language of color?”