Just a few months ago, when Pantone named “mocha mousse” the official color of 2025, social media had a field day with jokes and memes. But the fashion world has proven that brown isn’t just a passing shade — it’s the defining color of the moment.
Leading fashion voices have all confirmed it: InStyle crowned chocolate brown as the “it” shade of fall 2025, and Vogue listed it as one of the season’s six biggest color trends. On the streets of Paris and Milan during the Spring 2026 shows, shades like chestnut, bourbon, and topaz dominated everything from soft suede jackets to buttery leather pants and cozy cashmere layers.
At the Loewe show, Chloe Malle stepped out in a rich brown wide-wale pantsuit from Dries Van Noten, while Karla Martínez paired a knit jacket, top, and skirt in a warm earthy tone. Over at Bergdorf Goodman, fashion director Linda Fargo packed espresso-brown mules and mock croc kitten heels, calling brown her “can’t-survive-fashion-season-without” shade.
“Brown feels grounding,” Fargo explained. “It’s tied to nature and a sense of calm.”
This isn’t just talk. Brown is showing up across luxury retail floors, from belts at Prada to chic polka-dot dresses by Dries Van Noten, like the one worn by Chloe King at the Gabriela Hearst show. Even accessories are embracing the comeback. Inès de la Fressange pointed out a new brown-and-black version of Roger Vivier’s Belle du Jour pumps, calling them “very cool.”
For those who still associate brown with the retro 1970s, the trick is to ease into the trend. Start with a belt, a sleek pair of shoes, or a soft knit sweater. Brown is just as versatile as black — only warmer and more approachable.
And if you think this is just a seasonal fling, think again. Fargo revealed that brown is part of Bergdorf’s core color forecast heading into 2026. In short: the brown takeover is only getting started.
