From the beginning of time, the color brown was connected to a readily available source of sustenance: the color of earth itself, where seeds could germinate and grow into edible food. 
Brown was also the color of our intrinsic need for protection from the elements; the hides and furs of animals provided coverings for the body and shelter from the elements. And when humans decided to embellish their clothing and caves, there were plentiful and available sources of minerals, bird feathers, seeds, leather, herbs, dyes, and other natural elements in shades of brown to satisfy that creative urge.
Even millennia later, brown is still associated with dependability and is always considered “down to earth”—a steadfast, reliable, grounded, “country color” seen mostly in tweeds, plaids, and sturdy fabrics. After the deluge of the blinding psychedelic shades of the 1960s, the 1970s brought about a deeper recognition of the earth and environmental awareness. 
Animal prints, such as leopard, became more polished, and by the 1980s, when conspicuous consumption came into play, the wealthy donned their minks and sables, carried their shiny patina-ed leather designer handbags, and wore their high-heeled boots… mostly in some variation of brown.
This new appreciation for high fashion brown continued into the 1990s, when Michael Knors defied the rule of “no brown after 5” and sent a sequined coat and long satin skirt down the runway, both in delectable browns. Levian further pushed the glamour button with brown diamonds—brown diamonds that Gucci then paired with amethyst in spectacular jeweled rings. 
Ellie Tahari, Tracy Reese, and Prada all featured variations of brown. And, to add fire to this new love for brown, this era also saw the beginning of the Starbuck’s phenomenon of rich, robust coffee delights, the film Chocolat became a designer cult favorite, and Godiva chocolates invaded the market. Even Martha Stewart extolled the virtues of brown in the color of the soil where she elegantly planted her heritage seeds and waxed poetic over her hens who spawned brown eggs!
As a result of this new attention to brown, variations of the shade became staples in the 2000s. African safaris became aspirational travel destinations, and greater attention was paid to the African influence in fashion and home, featuring the many brown tones of the African tundra and animal species, such as leopard patterning and camel colors. Although camel has been a classic since the 1940s, it was in the 2000s that the warm, toasty shade had a major resurgence that continues on to this day. The Italian design company Max Mara, a trend leader in the more classic range, re-energized camel during that period of time, and the hue has been featured in almost every collection throughout the 2000s.
As a sister shade to Mocha Mousse, the popularity of Camel will continue along with other blending browns. Of note is that the Pantone Fall/Winter designer collections report for 2024/2025 reports that the brown family remains an important player in future fashion.
Indeed, today, brown is everywhere. All ends of the marketplace are now featuring brown, from fashion and interiors to industrial design and packaging. The beauty industry is trending to glossy brown lipsticks, elegant nail polishes, and healthy, shining brown hair. This trend made its way onto Pantone’s Color of the Year—Mocha Mousse—which will continue on its delectable way down fashion runways and other design applications.
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