As B2B editors, we don’t pay much attention to trend forecasts like the Pantone Color of the Year. We’ve already been to the shows, previewed product, and downloaded many a linesheet by the time December hits. However this year’s pick, Mocha Mousse, gave us pause. While we won’t call brown shoes breaking news, we’re keeping a keen eye on fashion’s retreat from color.
The internet was quick to love or hate on this year’s choice, with many comparing Pantone’s branding to the poop emoji and others calling it quiet luxury. Tiktoker @atlantawithoutthetea pointed out the reference to mousse, a food trend from the 1980s, declaring a return to the decade.
Comedian Hayley DeRoche has been taking jabs at the “sad beige parenting” trend for years, calling out this neutral phenomenon when it comes to muted clothing for children and aesthetically pleasing toys. Of course, she promptly reacted to this “sad beige Pantone,” re-dubbing the Mocha Mousse marketing video with, “fall into the beige abyss,” and more colorless commentary.
@sadbeige oh pantone you shouldn’t have 🥹 #pantone #sadbeige #funny ♬ Lucifer’s Waltz – Secession Studios
This week, The North Face dropped a collaboration with Skims in the Kardashian-famed neutral color palette, and it couldn’t align more with Pantone’s branding.
If this year’s election is proof enough, America is taking a turn for the conservative. And in uncertain times, fashion looks for uniformity. Get ready to see hemlines get longer and boot shafts get higher. Of course, there will always be those who go against the grain, and we’ll be looking for the pops of color among the beige-clad masses.
