Pantone has chosen a new color for 2025, and it’s not what you might expect. Instead of bright, bold colors, they went for something softer: Mocha Mousse. After years of flashy colors like neon greens and watermelon pinks, Pantone is taking a calmer approach with a warm, cozy brown.
That’s right, it’s time to say goodbye to the bright greens and pinks of 2024. Pantone’s official color for 2025 is called Mocha Mousse, and it’s all about comfort and warmth.
PANTONE 17-1230, or Mocha Mousse, is described as “a mellow brown with a comforting warmth.” Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute, says this color is meant to appeal to our senses and make us think of something tasty, like a dessert. Inspired by the trend of “little treat culture”—where people enjoy small treats throughout the day—Mocha Mousse is about finding those cozy moments.
Why Mocha Mousse?
Mocha Mousse isn’t just a nice shade of brown. It was picked because it makes people feel calm, comfortable, and warm. Laurie Pressman and Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, explained that Mocha Mousse is all about finding peace in a busy world.
In 2023 and 2024, Pantone chose bright colors like magenta and peach to reflect the excitement of coming out of pandemic lockdowns. Now that COVID is behind us, the focus is on softer, quieter happiness. Mocha Mousse is about comfort, balance, and enjoying the simple things in life.
Pressman said, “The main theme for this year’s color was harmony.” As our lives get more complicated, people want to find balance. Mocha Mousse is a light brown that feels both elegant and connected to nature—it’s a great mix of luxury and the natural world.
“There’s enough going on around us; we want things that are softer and lighter,” says Pressman. While bright colors like Barbie pink and Brat green still have their place, Mocha Mousse represents a deeper, longer-lasting feeling.
How Does Pantone Decide on the Color of the Year?
Choosing Pantone’s Color of the Year isn’t just about looking at color swatches. It’s a careful process led by an international team of experts. They look at trends in fashion, design, food, cars, and more to decide which color fits the mood of the year.
“It’s actually a very careful process,” Pressman says. But how we react to the color can be very personal.
Part of what makes the Color of the Year special is the conversation it starts. Eiseman shares that each color gets people talking about color in general. It makes us think about the year we’ve had, the mood we want for the future, and how colors affect our lives.
“Our reaction to color is very personal,” Eiseman adds. “It brings back memories—like our first bike or eating too much cotton candy.” Whether people agree with the choice or not, Pantone’s color always starts a discussion and makes us think about how colors shape our world.
Bringing Mocha Mousse to Life
For 2025, Pantone is going beyond just picking a color—they’re bringing Mocha Mousse into the real world with installations in cities like New York, Shanghai, and Mumbai. One of the first installations will be at the iconic London Eye, which will be lit up in the warm Mocha Mousse shade, illuminating the city skyline.
Pantone is also working with partners to bring Mocha Mousse to everyday products. Post-it will release sticky notes in Mocha Mousse colors, and Society6 will offer art pieces inspired by the color. This way, Mocha Mousse will become part of our daily lives.
Whether it reminds you of chocolate or a creamy cup of coffee, Mocha Mousse invites us all to enjoy a softer, more peaceful year—one that’s full of small moments of joy.