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Colors can affect moods, spark creativity and serve as a reflection of the cultural zeitgeist. You’ve been choosing your Color of the Year since 2000, a shade that reflects the spirit and mood of the times. Let’s take a look at the latest palette from 2020 to 2025 and how each shade tells the story of its era.
A timeless and tranquil color, Classic Blue ushered in a new decade with a feeling of dependability and stability. Chosen just before the world was thrown into disarray, it signaled a craving for reassurance and calm amid a gathering storm. In digital design it also inspired trust and professionalism, making it a preferred choice for tech branding and corporate aesthetics.
In a historic first, Pantone chose a pair of colors to represent resilience and optimism. Ultimate Gray and Illuminating, a bright yellow, represented strength and hope, respectively. Combined, they echoed the global spirit of facing down adversity and anticipation of better days ahead. That said, there was an exquisite balance between these polar moods in areas that ranged from web design to fashion collections, demonstrating the message of unity through diversity.
Very Peri, an animated periwinkle with a violet-red undertone, represented transformation and innovation. As in the world that adjusted to hybrid realities of physical and digital spaces, this color inspired creativity and adaptability. And Very Peri was especially welcomed in digital art and the metaverse, where its futuristic energy struck a chord with subjects of progress and reinvention.
Described by Pantone as “a brave and fearless red,” Viva Magenta celebrated strength, resilience and boundless creativity. Its electric tone resonated with the world’s hunger for bold expression amid change. The vibrancy of Viva Magenta made its way into immersive experiences, digital branding and experimental designs, earning a favorite place among the daring.
Peach Fuzz presented a soft, peachy tone with earthy warmth and understated optimism. This is a hue that brought a sense of balance and nourishment, in part as a reflection of a growing emphasis on self-care and well-being. Within digital realms, its comfort became an option for worksafe apps, mindfulness platforms and lifestyle branding.
The color of the year for 2025, according to Pantone, Mocha Mousse is an earthy, rich brown that conveys warmth, comfort and timeless elegance. This down-to-earth hue speaks to a collective yearning for a closer connection to nature, simple priorities and lasting steadiness. Blended in with muted tones, Mocha Mousse can add a touch of sophistication to digital applications and more stylish sets within the interior and fashion realms. It’s a hue that encourages calm contemplation while establishing a mood of quiet power for the year to come.
Each Color of the Year is a hue with a meaning; a reflection of the world’s collective emotion and desire. From 2020’s reliable Classic Blue to 2025’s sustainability-minded Mocha Mousse, these colors offer a glimpse of how design keeps pace with the watchwords of the day. Looking ahead, they challenge us to reflect on how color will continue to define our (domestic) realities — material and digital.
