2025 Color of the Year

For more than two decades, the Pantone Color Institute has been selecting and promoting a color of the year. For 2025, they selected PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse, a warm brown hue imbued with richness. According to them, it nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort. It evokes understated elegance, thoughtful indulgence, and quiet restoration, creating a sense of harmony and worth. It is not a bright primary color.

I’m later than usual this year with my thoughts on Pantone’s Color of the Year. I think that’s because I wanted to see where it would pop up in my life before I decided how to respond to it. However, on reflection, I think that was a flawed strategy (or maybe just procrastination). The reality is that Mocha Mousse is far too elegant and subtle to “pop.” This is the kind of color that’s already a comfortable part of your life and requires no special effort to appreciate.

So, what do I like best about this subtle and warm color? It’s closely associated with food, and that’s always a very good thing. Every time I see it, I think of Italian coffee, chocolate desserts, or even the in moda chocolate martini! There can be nothing wrong with a color that reminds us of food.

This marks the second year that Pantone has chosen a subtle and warm color. I wonder if this is the beginning of a longer trend or if next year they’ll shock us with a bright primary hue. Who knows? It’s always a pleasure to be surprised when Pantone announces its pick.

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