In December, Pantone named ‘Mocha Mousse’ its colour of the year—a velvety shade of brown that evokes warmth, richness, and comfort. It’s not quite brown, not quite beige, but a creamy in-between that speaks of a quiet opulence. The announcement was immediately followed by a slew of spring/summer 2025 looks that leaned into the milky palette—everyone from Isabel Marant to Saint Laurent and Coach offered luxe cashmere sweaters, buttery leather coats, and slinky silk dresses.
Now, the colour is sliding seamlessly from high-fashion runways straight into the world of saris. Browns have always been a little tricky when it comes to Indian wear—too light and you risk looking like a vintage sepia photograph, too dark and it’s giving ’70s upholstery. But mocha mousse? It’s a flattering shade that doesn’t wash you out and carries embroidery like a dream. Case in point: Nita Mukesh Ambani last week at the opening night of The Phantom of The Opera at the NMACC. For the event, the businesswoman-philanthropist wore a custom mocha mousse sari by Manish Malhotra that whispered luxury.
The sari featured a slim, thread-work border that caught the light with every movement and was paired with a full-sleeved blouse decorated with hand-embroidered sequins and pearls. She chose to accessorise the look simply with a pair of floral diamond earrings. The real flex was the colour: a creamy mocha that felt impossibly modern while nodding to classic Indian craftsmanship.
However, the founder of Reliance Foundation isn’t the only one who’s taken the shade for a spin with an Indian twist recently. At the Oscars, Academy Award-winning producer Guneet Monga wore a handwoven tissue saree, styled with a matching corset and trench coat, also designed by Malhotra. “For me, the colour symbolises tranquility. From my World collection to the Oscars and now on Mrs Ambani, our monochromatic sari epitomises elegant sophistication,” says the designer.
