Pantone is betting that Mocha Mousse will reflect next year's trends. Pantone Color InstituteAs 2025 fast approaches, Pantone has officially selected its latest color of the year: While 2024 was all about Peach Fuzz, a soft pinkish-orange hue, next years color is Mocha Mousse, a warm and indulgent brown.This is the first time in the 25-year history of Pantones color of the year that theyve chosen a shade of brown, which is kind of a big deal, says the New York Times Vanessa Friedman in a conversation with fellow reporters and editors. I admit, my mind went immediately to comfort eating.Colors are often associated with particular emotions or sensations, and Pantone is betting that the new hue will be a predictor of next years trends. In a statement, the company describes Mocha Mousse as an evocative soft brown that transports our senses into the pleasure and deliciousness it inspires. A swatch of Mocha Mousse Pantone Color InstituteIts a beautiful color to look at. We think of tasting it, and know its going to be wonderful on the tongue. We think of the smell of chocolate in the oven, Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, tellsArchitectural DigestsMocha Mousse is a far cry from punchy stand-out tones that have proliferated in recent years, such as Barbie Pink or Brat Green (though neither was named color of the year). Instead, Pantone says the new color evokes buttery leathers or rich flavors.The overriding theme as we went into looking for this years color was this whole idea of harmony, Laurie Pressman, the Pantone Color Institutes vice president, tellsUSA Todays Anna Kaufman. We have enough going on outside of us. Were looking for things that are softer and things that are lighter.Pressman adds that Mocha Mousse is inspired by little treat culture, which involves prioritizing small joys throughout the daysuch as a cup of coffee or a piece of chocolate.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. Pantone says that the color "nurtures with its suggestion of the delectable quality of cacao, chocolate and coffee, appealing to our desire for comfort." Pantone Color InstituteThis year, Pantone is already working with a variety of international partners to bring Mocha Mousse to life: Companies like Motorola, Post-it and Joybird are releasing products designed using the color. Pantone will also be hosting events connected to the color in cities like New York, Shanghai and Mumbai.Still, only time will tell whether Pantones selection will accurately match the zeitgeist. The Times Stella Bugbee has doubts, asking: Does the Pantone color of the year actually reflect any reality? After all, how much did Peach Fuzz truly mirror the trends of 2024?For her part, Pressman thinks the color of the year can also respond to the present moment, in addition to reflecting it.Its emblematic of a snapshot in time, and its giving people what they feel they needthat that color can hope to answer, she tellsNPRs Emma Bowman. Its us taking the temperature: Whats taking place in the world around us, and how does that get expressed into the language of color?Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Art, Arts, Coffee, Designers, Food, Graphic Design, Pop culture, Trending Today, Visual Arts