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

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

Celebrities and runways looks in brown over the years.

“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!

Trendspotting: The Korean Streetwear Craze is Just Around the Corner

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Everyone’s jumping on the Korean streetwear trend lately. But will it last?

polyteru sold at rinostore

Cult brand Polyteru has completely sold out. But not integrity, just in stock.

While fashion insiders mourn streetwear’s death in the West, a new market is emerging in the Far East. "Similar to many other popular Korean culture exports, Korean streetwear is not reinventing the wheel or creating anything groundbreaking – it just takes current clothing/fashion trends to the next level." Wrote San Francisco-based tech consultant Noah Chung in an article for Best of Korea. "And while the actual clothing has helped Korean streetwear to achieve a quick rise in popularity, the combination of visual aesthetics, customer service, and amenities in the shopping experience is what sets Seoul apart from the rest." Chung added that the stores he visited weren't your average; the spaces were like art exhibits, with the staff there to meet you at almost every corner. It's no wonder Palace founder Lev Tanju opened a flagship store in Seoul.

Sure, the appeal of this new wave of streetwear is creating a buzz—that's understandable. Streetwear has been dull, so it's plausible that consumers—and fashion insiders—are thirsting for a refreshing take on what has now become a predictable offering. However, if you're looking for wearable staples, look elsewhere. Korean streetwear is extra, literally. Some brands have absurd names, such as Thug Club (inspired by 50 Cent?) and GRAFFITIONMIND (let's go do some tagging! But not in South Korea). The silhouettes are about three to four times larger than average. They remind us of when our parents grasped at our oversized jeans in the nineties; maybe they'd praise our bold sense of style if we wore Ader Error now?

We won't be jumping on the trend here, but we'll watch closely from the sidelines to see how it plays out. Though we might pull up in some Ader Error, that brand’s kinda ill, still.

Shout out to Best of Korea for the lead.

Ciao Edie!

Trendspotting: Basketball and Fashion Collabs Score Big Points

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Fashion and basketball collaborations are quickly becoming a growing trend. Will some key players sit back and ride the wave or use it to their advantage?

Photo Credit: Gaffer Magazine

When news broke about Nike's Jordan brand signing Atlanta Hawks' Rayford Trae Young, we knew something was up. The young NBA all-star, who previously worked with Adidas, isn't the type of person you'd see front-row at Milan Fashion Week, at least not yet. He recently took to his IG to announce the partnership decked out in Jordan gear. What is noticeable is the fact that this is the beginning of fashion's next big star. It won't be long before you see him on a billboard in a Louis Vuitton or Balenciaga campaign. How he plays his position in the fashion world when that time inevitably comes remains to be seen.

The word is out about the growing bond between basketball and high fashion. Over the years, we've seen Russell Westbrook and LeBron James pop up on best-dressed lists, but lately, legit fashion brands have chimed in. Jerry Lorenzo's Fear of God inked a multiyear partnership with the NBA and WNBA. Bristol Studio and New Era also co-created a fashion and accessories collection that, according to them, celebrates the NBA. The hype doesn't stop there; KidSuper launched a collection with the Brooklyn Nets.

New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson launched a capsule collection with the all-American "surf hippie" brand Faherty (Surfing? Hippie?), and the list continues.

So, what's with the big push towards fashion brands linking up with basketball players? Basketball players love to floss just as much as their rapper counterparts. However, they aren't known for their stylish sense of dress. But there is feverish hype around their sneaker releases, proving ball players to be cash cows. Then there's that NBA tunnel. We thought it was an event, but no. It's simply the players going from the locker room to the court until it morphed into a runway show.

Golden State Warriors point guard and two-time MVP Steph Curry intends to use his tunnel moments to showcase Black and Brown designers. “My whole mission across every opportunity I have is to elevate people that deserve an opportunity and to drive awareness toward some very talented individuals, especially in this fashion industry where Black and Brown communities don’t necessarily get the same resources or opportunities,” Curry told WWD. “Leveraging our tunnel walks that have become a really big part of the NBA experience with cameras everywhere behind the scenes, you have that moment where you’re walking in and it’s a great opportunity for self-expression through the clothes that you’re wearing.”  Curry's plans could be a turning point for fashion players, heavy hitters, and the league.

This is big business.

More to come.

Ciao, Edie!