It’s official! Pantone has named Mocha Mousse the Colour of the Year for 2025! This rich, inviting hue is intended to set the tone for a year ahead of warmth, comfort, and sophistication.
Mocha Mousse is a far cry from punchy stand-out tones that have dominated in recent years… think “Barbie Pink” or “Brat Green” (though neither was officially named colour of the year). Instead, Pantone says the demure new colour that they have selected for 2025 evokes buttery leathers and rich flavours.
Mocha Mousse (officially known as Pantone 17-1230) is a serene, lightly pigmented colour. It’s “a mellow brown infused with a sensorial and comforting warmth,” according to Pantone Color Institute vice president Laurie Pressman.
Meant to engage multiple senses, the colour should evoke a desire to dip your spoon into it, Pressman says. Inspired in part by “little treat culture” − a growing trend in which people punctuate their day with small pleasures like a store-bought coffee − Pressman encourages fans to “find your mocha moment.”
“Little treat culture really goes back to boosting our sense of personal comfort and wellness,” she says. That the colour reflects a cup of coffee with one-too-many dashes of cream or a smooth milk chocolate is intentional. The name too is meant to tickle your tastebuds.
In 2023 and 2024 Pantone selected shades of magenta and peach, respectively, reflecting a desire to be celebratory after prolonged COVID lockdowns. Now, with the pandemic firmly in the collective rearview, the world is ready to embrace a softer, quieter joy Pressman says.
Pantone has been announcing colors of the year since 1999. To determine which hue will be chosen, an international team examines trends connected to fashion, design, travel, technology, the art world and the entertainment industry.