Pantone is a global authority on colour, best known for its Pantone Matching System (PMS), which standardises colour reproduction across industries such as fashion, design, and printing. Founded in 1963, the company revolutionised colour communication and consistency, providing a universal language that creatives and manufacturers use to ensure accuracy. Beyond its technical utility, Pantone has become a cultural authority, particularly through its annual Color of the Year announcement.

The Pantone Color of the Year is a reflection of emotions and aspirations within the cultural landscape. Selected by the Pantone Colour Institute, the choice is grounded in extensive research across design, art, technology, and social movements. The colour captures the mood of the moment and offers a taste of inspiration to industries worldwide.

Pantone’s Colour of the Year for 2025 has been announced as Mocha Mousse, which builds on the soft, ethereal tones of 2024’s Peach Fuzz while continuing the theme of edible inspiration. A rich, warm hue evocative of chocolate and coffee, Mocha Mousse resonates deeply with today’s complex world. The choice aligns with a global longing for comfort and stability amidst what Pantone refers to as a “permacrisis,” a state of ongoing uncertainty and turbulence. Brown is truly my favourite hue and tone, so to see it celebrate in all its earthy richness is exciting; and it speaks to something we discussed quite a bit in 2024 — namely, the growing overlap between fashion and food, and the way brands are harnessing food and taste to broaden intuitive associations between their offerings and our senses. 

As Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute, explained “for Pantone Colour of the Year 2025, we look to a colour that reaches into our desire for comfort and wellness, and the indulgence of simple pleasures that we can gift and share with others.” In an era in which people are seeking small moments of pleasure as antidotes to larger anxieties, this hue serves as a visual reminder of the soothing power of the shared experience. 

The Colour of the Year has far-reaching implications across multiple industries. For brands and consumers alike, it sets the tone for the products, designs, and campaigns that will dominate the year. As reported, 202 sees Pantone partnering with companies like Motorola (yes, flip phones are back, baby) and iconic stationery brand Post-It to integrate Mocha Mousse into their offerings, ensuring the colour’s visibility in daily life.

The choice of Mocha Mousse speaks to a broader pivot toward warmth and tactility. Earthy hues like this one echo our need to ground ourselves in the face of a fast-moving, unpredictable world and Mocha Mousse appears to be inviting us to pause, savour, and connect—perhaps as a symbol of how we can collectively seek to live in the years ahead? We’re very, very into it. 

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