Mocha Mousse feeds into the global need for connection, comfort, and harmony.
We are living in a time rife with political and geopolitical conflicts, economic instability, societal ills, and the increasing threat of climate change. The Global Peace Index 2024 reported that there are currently 56 conflicts worldwide—the highest since World War II. The recent UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) ended in a huge disappointment.
We are rightfully anxious. And we rightfully deserve the joys of simple pleasures.
Enter Mocha Mousse, Pantone’s Color of the Year 2025. This “evocative soft brown” is infused with a “sensorial and comforting warmth,” said a statement from the global color specialist released yesterday, Dec. 6.
Read More: Amid a tumultuous time, a shade that conveys ‘compassion and empathy’ is Pantone’s color for 2024
Pantone Color Institute executive director Leatrice Eiseman describes Mocha Mousse as evoking “thoughtful indulgence” and a color that reflects the need for harmony—exactly what the world is in dire need of.
“Sophisticated and lush, yet at the same time an unpretentious classic, Pantone 17-1230 Mocha Mousse extends our perceptions of the browns from being humble and grounded to embrace the aspirational and luxe,” she says in the statement. The “warming, rich brown hue” nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort.
Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, echoes Eiseman’s statement, explaining that Mocha Mousse feeds into a desire for harmony.
“With that in mind, for Pantone Color of the Year 2025, we look to a color that reaches into our desire for comfort and wellness, and the indulgence of simple pleasures that we can gift and share with others,” she adds.
Mocha Mousse is also an expansion of neutral shades that are “genderless” and “practical,” explains Pressman. “Browns fall into this. And this is a foundational shade, a versatile shade,” she adds. “This is a color that’s honest. It’s authentic. We believe in this. It’s a color we see in nature. We know it’s real.”
A 26-year-old tradition
Every year as December comes around, Pantone names its Color of the Year for the following year. The tradition goes all the way back to 1999 with the aim of engaging the design community and color enthusiasts around the world in a conversation around color. This year sees the 26th time the American company is doing so.
The inaugural Color of the Year was Cerulean Blue (Pantone 15-4020), a serene shade of blue that was chosen to reflect the anticipation for a new millennium and the desire for serenity in a fast-changing world.
Recent choices include the bright and bold pink-red shade called Viva Magenta (Pantone 18-1750) for 2023, described as an “unconventional shade for an unconventional time,” and Very Peri (Pantone 17-3938) for 2022, which is a periwinkle blue color with violet-red undertones, chosen to express joy, optimism, and a sense of “reset” after the pandemic.
Last year, the honor went to Peach Fuzz (Pantone 13-1023), described as “a light, fruity tone that conjures peace and serenity.” Much like this year, last year’s choice was influenced by the chaos enveloping the world.
To come up with their choice, experts at the Pantone Color Institute observe high-fashion runways, interior design trends, pop culture moments, new technologies, travel destinations and even delve into human psychology. They also assess the overall mood or feelings designers and consumers were feeling throughout the year, per a report on Time.
“There’s reasons why people gravitate to certain color families when they do. For us, it really is zeroing in on a color family that we see bubbling up across all areas of design, and then from there, drilling it down into the color that we see,” said Pressman. “I always liken this team to almost like color anthropologists.”
To know more about Mocha Mousse, click on this link.
