Posted on 9th December 2024
by Sarah Lawrence
As we look ahead to 2025, Pantone has unveiled its much-anticipated Colour of the Year, Mocha Mousse.
Just to bring you up to speed here, the Pantone Color Institute™ is the international authority on colour. More than 10 million designers and producers around the world rely on Pantone products and services to consistently define, communicate and control colour. Our oodlers are amongst them!
With its rich, warm hue, this deep, chocolatey brown is more than just a colour trend, it’s a full-on cultural moment. Drawing on influences from the 1990s love affair with browns and the current obsession with minimalist luxury, Mocha Mousse is as much about nostalgia as it is about modern elegance. If Kim Kardashian’s Skims brand could be distilled into a colour, it would likely be Mocha Mousse – a neutral that’s both cozy and sleek, timeless yet totally on-trend.
In the world of design and fashion, trends have a funny way of recycling themselves. The 1990s, known for its grunge aesthetic and obsession with earthy tones, are having a major resurgence in recent years. One of the most iconic hues of that decade? Chocolate brown. Think of the deep, decadent brown tones that ruled the fashion scene – from oversized leather jackets to thick, woollen sweaters and even matte lipsticks. It was a time when neutrals had depth, warmth, and complexity, as opposed to the cooler, more sterile tones of the 2000s.
Pantone’s Mocha Mousse feels like a tribute to that period. It’s a rich, inviting shade that evokes the same nostalgic warmth as those late 1990s trends. The colour feels both retro and refreshingly modern – a familiar yet updated take on the browns of yesteryear. This hue isn’t just a colour, it’s a mood, one that takes us back to a time when we weren’t afraid to embrace the darker, richer side of neutrals.
Pantone’s Colour of the Year often acts as a barometer for the cultural climate – reflecting the emotions, concerns, and aesthetics that are shaping our world. Mocha Mousse suggests a return to comfort, sensuality, and warmth. In a world that feels increasingly fast-paced and digital, Mocha Mousse invites us to slow down, embrace softness, and find beauty in simplicity.
There’s a distinct sense of cosiness that comes with this shade – it’s the colour of your favourite cup of hot chocolate, the warmth of a cashmere sweater, or the indulgence of dark chocolate melting in your mouth. Mocha Mousse makes us feel safe, nurtured, and at ease. It’s a colour that allows for subtle expression without overwhelming the senses.
Mocha Mousse isn’t just a colour for fashion and interiors, it also offers a wealth of creative potential in your brand marketing projects. This rich, warm hue can add depth, sophistication, and a sense of grounded luxury. Here’s how you can incorporate Mocha Mousse into your design work, across both physical and digital mediums.
Branding and logos: Mocha Mouse can convey luxury, warmth and reliability. It pairs beautifully with metallic accents like gold or copper for a high-end look, or with softer neutrals like beige and cream for a more minimalist feel. The colour will be especially effective for brands focused on wellness, fashion, beauty and food.
Packaging design: The colour can again convey a premium, sophisticated first impression. Paired with natural materials like kraft paper or matte finishes it offers a rustic, organic feel, or with the use of spot UV varnish it will convey a modern, polished aesthetic.
Print collateral: Mocha Mouse is versatile in printed materials. It will add depth to a design, without being overwhelming. When used as a background colour, it creates an inviting and grounded tone, making text or images pop. To keep it from feeling too heavy, it can be balanced with white or off-white assets.
Editorial and magazine layouts: If you’re designing editorial spreads or magazine layouts, Mocha Mousse makes an excellent background colour for spreads and headers. Its rich, chocolatey tone complements both muted photography and high-contrast images. To make the colour pop, it can be paired with more vibrant hues like an earthy green, dusty rose, or even a sky blue. These colours can act as accent tones that inject energy into designs, while keeping the overall palette grounded in warmth.
Digital design: On screen the colour also evokes feelings of warmth and sophistication without being too bright or overwhelming. It works wonderfully as a primary background colour or an accent colour, within website design and social media graphics. Subtle gradients or drop shadows can add depth and dimension to the colour, making it feel more dynamic.
The Pantone Color Institute™ has made an inspired choice with Mocha Mousse, a colour that’s sure to catch your eye in the months ahead. Its versatility makes it an exciting option to explore for your creative assets in 2025. Of course, brand consistency should always take precedence over trends. However, if you’re looking to push creative boundaries or add a fresh edge to your brand’s positioning in the new year, this warm, sophisticated hue could be the perfect way to do it. Let’s dine on all the inspiration Mocha Mousse has to offer!
