PANTONE Makes Chocolate-Coffee Hue Colour of the Year For 2025

PANTONE names “Mocha Mousse 17-1230” Colour of the Year for 2025. Thanks. But honey, you’re late with this one.

“I do think brown is a fashion neutral that’s often overlooked — but one that’s especially popular with Italian brands, and their focus on leather, cashmeres and other plush materials.”

- Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Director, The New York Times

We weren’t interested in a Pantone trend report, but reading the NYT’s style desk debate about Pantone's colour of the year, mocha mousse, sparked an important discussion. According to the team, this is the first time that Pantone, a company famous for its Pantone Matching System, has chosen brown as the lead hue for the year. (Slate did a piece about the company's so-called "Colour of the Year" callout, which began as a rouse in 2000.)

Suppose you’re working in fashion, media, design, or something that puts you at the forefront of what’s fresh and new; placing yourself at the receiving end of a trend seems counterproductive.

We were unfazed when the mocha mouse drink (er, hue) got a shoutout. Given the black celebrities alone rockin’ all shades of brown on red carpets, music videos, album covers, and photoshoots, we’d say Pantone’s been asleep all along.

We’ve been on. 

Friedman's observation about brown (above) is not new. Though she’s commenting on the hue’s position from a fashion standpoint, what she says is symbolic in all facets of life. Then, of course, you’ve got the Vogue editions and WWD writing reports about how to wear the colour and whether it’ll sell. 

Whatchu mean?

You can pair brown with anything from pink to red to orange to blue (editors also report a cyclical denim trend), since we don’t always want to default to our usual greys and blacks.

Another factor is that the hue represents dirt, nature, and earth. That’s obvs. Considering the current state of our planet (and humanity), the hue strikes us as a neutralizer. Well, we’ll just have to find out if it works.

Seems like a shoo-in, though.

Ciao Edie!

No, Streetwear's Still Not Dead. It Won't Die Anytime Soon.

Since people, especially in the fashion industry, constantly discuss the death or end of streetwear, I thought I'd put things into perspective. 

Married To The Mob Bitch Tee

No. Streetwear is not dead, nor has it lost popularity. Despite the watering down of the rebellious ethos, depending on which brand we're talking about, the overall aesthetic, from Supreme to Uniqlo, lives on. When browsing the aisles at Marshalls for my son, the first item that catches my eye is a hoodie adorned with the Spidey mask. The average shopper may think, "Oh, great.” But I recognize a clear influence from streetwear brands that blew up during the aughts. Then, reality sets in: my child is, well, a kid. That could be the crux of the issue: commercializing an underground industry that spoke for the “yout.”

I remember when Married To The Mob did an ad in '08, and a friend expressed concerns. When I asked Leah McSweeney about it (yes, I used to chat briefly with the streetwear designer turned reality TV star), she didn’t see what the speculation was about. Her clothes were about to be seen by millions of people all over the world. Years later, the brand's still hot. If anything, her foray into reality TV may have tarnished MTTM—if that's even a concern.

Streetwear is about youth. I'll assume those talking about it being “time for streetwear to die” are past their glory days. So, if you're going to lament about streetwear's slow, gruesome death, perhaps it's time to pass the torch to a fresh set of eyes who know what’s up.

New Balance Teams Up with Luxury Brand GANNI A/S To Release The Fresh Foam Sneaker

New Balance has launched another brand collaboration, teaming up with Danish fashion brand GANNI A/S. "The long-standing collaborative relationship between GANNI and New Balance reflects our shared commitment to creativity and a passion for pushing boundaries." Chris Davis, New Balance's President and CMO, said on LinkedIn. The brands have collaborated on three capsules in the past. Davis states that the new drop "promises to embody the essence of both brands while introducing a fresh performance tech perspective incorporating GANNI's signature bold, discovery details." The limited edition Fresh Foam Trainer, dropping today, features the Danish brand's butterfly logo detailing and comes in two distinct colourways: silver/pastel pink and red/black/white. The drop retails at roughly 150 USD and is available on GANNI’s website as well as select stores.

New Balance brought in cartoonist and illustrator Suerynn Lee for the campaign visuals, which feature the "GANNI" girl and her "four-legged best friend." 

Within minutes of posting, Davis' comment section gained heavy traction. "This collaboration is a fantastic example of blending innovation with purpose," said one commenter. “A dog mom and a little dog... 'It's my favourite. 'What a perfect use of cultural relevance!" Said another enthusiast. Despite the childless cat lady craze during the US elections, dog moms still dominate from a cultural standpoint. Cute stuff aside, the primary concern is the potential setback of the president-elect's tariffs on cross-country brand collaborations in the coming months or years.

The American brand New Balance has its headquarters in Boston. President-elect Donald Trump plans to impose tariffs anywhere from 10 to 20 percent on imports from countries outside the US (except China, which will pay a whopping “60 percent or more”). GANNI A/S is based in Copenhagen, Denmark, so unless the dealings are solely on one side of the pond, this could hinder future collaborations.

What do you think of the New Balance x GANNI Fresh Foam Trainer? We want to know.

Move over, Hypefest—ComplexCon is returning to Hong Kong for a second time.

ComplexCon Hong Kong is back for 2025. The event presents significant opportunities for Gen-Z-focused brands.

We just received news that ComplexCon has confirmed another round in Hong Kong. The festival will return in March 2025, weeks before Art Basel Hong Kong's second appearance.

Reports claim the Hong Kong edition made a successful debut, drawing over 30,000 local and international attendees, including some from the US—a noteworthy development given that ComplexCon is American. The US arm wields significant internet clout, drawing in some of the biggest hip-hop celebrities, some of whom are known for bringing the mess (but then again, the US always brings the mess). For instance, Lil Yachty threw emo shade at Bimma Williams despite liking the content creator's IG critique of the rapper's Nike Air Force 1 collab.

The festival, a glorified trade show, offers brands a huge retail opportunity. Over two days, the event showcases over 200 brands. Hypefest, on the other hand, takes place in November, so there isn't really any competition per se. While it appears to be more of a music and art installation (Hypebeast calls it a "cultural experience"), Hypefest does include “limited-time branded pop-ups with exclusive product showcases.” Both festivals tap the same demo and brands (I’m sure) and draw audiences in the thousands. Ironically, Hypefest originally launched in Brooklyn before heading overseas, whereas ComplexCon is launching an extension of its brand.

With all the excitement around ComplexCon Hong Kong and specifics yet to be confirmed, it's surprising that the chatter around Art Basel is dismal. Perhaps the art world, as I recall it, is more demure and focused on its business. If I harbour any apprehensions about these events, particularly ones like ComplexCon, they often get lost in their own hype. I remember the Bread & Butter Barcelona days all too well.

My instincts say they'll have to make room for Highsnobiety next.

Shout out to Time Out Hong Kong for the update.

Ciao Edie!

Lee and Alpha Industries Celebrate Workwear and Americana with Capsule Collection

Images courtesy of Alpha Industries

I learned from WWD this morning that Alpha Industries and Lee have teamed up on a capsule collection. According to the report, the collaboration celebrates their "shared history in workwear and Americana."

The first thing that came to mind was, 'Who's Lee?' Yeah, sometimes I'm not that up-to-date. It turns out that Lee has been around forever. I would not have known about Lee had it not been for Alpha Industries, a brand I buy often.

The thing is, brands like Lee tend to stay in the vault. Is it under the Levis umbrella? What is it known for? Well, Lee, a multipurpose apparel brand from 1889, is part of Kontoor Brands, which owns Wrangle and Rock & Republic, both of whom I’m familiar with.

I believe this collaboration intends to reintroduce Lee to a fresh, younger audience, given that avant-garde retailers such as SSENSE and END. carry Alpha Industries anyway. I'm well past the days of rocking coveralls; however, the quilted jackets are cute. The cargo pants aren't for me, but they can be useful for someone who wants to look on-trend without appearing to be trying too hard. Perhaps the purpose of workwear lies in its practicality since it is essentially for people holding down blue-collar jobs and those who appreciate the blue-collar aesthetic (yes, there is a blue-collar aesthetic. Think Carhartt)

Again, the pieces are accessibly priced, which I’m all for. While the collection is available on both brands' e-commerce sites, unfortunately, it can only be found in select US stores, which is my point.

But alas, happy shopping!

Is Nike Falling Apart?

I went to Girl Guides as a kid. I don’t think I dressed up (I was about 8), but one of my fashion staples was a pair of white Air Jordans with black and red accents. If I remember correctly, the kicks featured an iridescent midfoot swoosh. I believe they were kid boy sizes. During one event, two girls stared in my direction, whispering to each other. A few moments later, one of the girls approached me, admitting they were chatting about my Jordans. The thing is, rocking fresh kicks wasn't a big deal. That was just the story of my life.

I grew up on Nike.

Seeing powerful black celebrities wearing Jordans mesmerized me. Two, in particular—Spike Lee and Michael Jordan—were everything I wanted to be. All my influences at the time, from Monie Love and MC Lyte to Kid'N'Play and Kris Kross, rocked Jordans. 

It wasn’t surprising, at least to me, that I'd want to work for the big SWOOSH as an adult. I'm not an athlete, nor have I tried to be, but the brand's ethos made me feel there'd be a place for me within its content team to help shape Nike's narrative for younger generations, particularly young black girls like me. 

Working at Nike's HQ has been on my wishlist for some time, so much so that I added several employees on LinkedIn and even arranged informal Zoom chats. However, I received rejections for every position I applied for. Is it disheartening? Yes and no.

A lot is alluding to Nike’s internal culture, but knowing me, this revelation didn't sway my opinion of the brand. When I learned that John Donahoe was stepping down as CEO, coincidentally ahead of the US election, I thought, 'Maybe this is a positive thing!' given that his tenure at the brand wasn’t a fit. However, after reading Forbes’s piece about the brand’s failing reputation, especially over the past four years, I’ve started to wonder about this brand I admired and its hazy future.

I am a journalist covering streetwear and youth culture beats. So, I need to report on things as they land on my desk. However, I sincerely hope that the brand transforms.

Nike needs to redefine what diversity means as a global brand known for pushing boundaries. Instead of the cool kid, Nike should broaden its teams to include individuals who don’t align with traditional norms yet possess innovative, fresh ideas and concepts. The new minds' contributions to the brand should stem from their passion; Nike's approach should be genuine, not just a tick on the box. Customers know what’s up.

Does this mean that I'll never work for Nike again? I mean, never say never. Even though many activists have said, "Don't buy Nike," I'd be lying if I didn't admit to being a Nike stan. As I've gotten older, I still find Nike's shoes and brand messaging aspirational. However, there's a glaring disconnect between Nike's public perception and reality. As the adage goes, nothing is as it seems, but what's going on at Nike, an all-American emblem, feels symbolic, almost like the implosion of the West.

As I said, I'm keeping it light for this post, but I'm committed to seeing where this journey takes me.