The Color of the Year: Hidden Gem

... and how we make it wearable.

Each year, the paint company Behr grants the title of “Color of the Year” to a hue that truly stands out throughout each and every season. For 2025, the honor goes to “Hidden Gem”, a smoky jade that feels both grounding and quietly powerful.

Subtle Yet Striking

“Hidden Gem” lives somewhere between nature and refinement. The color conjures moss-covered stone, sea glass, and weathered copper patina—the subtle yet striking liminality between the natural world and its encounters with the manmade. The two entwine into artful outcomes reflected in “Hidden Gem” and all its associations.

At XCVI, we’re often partial to shades that evoke earth and texture, so it feels only natural that pieces in our collection echo this moment in color history.

This season, two colorways especially mirror the feeling of Hidden Gem…Distress Wash Tideworn and Silken Pine.

Vintage-inspired, lived-in look

“Tideworn” has that vintage-inspired, lived-in look that makes the green approachable and unique, softened with a wash that hints at both sea and sky.

● The Lenka Pant and The Preto Bermuda bring ease to daily dressing. Relaxed yet intentional, these are the kind of clothes you reach for when you want comfort that doesn’t sacrifice style - a philosophy XCVI lives and breathes.
● The Darwin Jacket adds that lightweight, transitional layer we always need between seasons.
● The Maurise Snap-Up Top balances structure with softness, a feeling reflected in the very essence of “Hidden Gem” and ensures that a foundational wardrobe item has character.

Sleek, refined, and versatile  

“Silken Pine” leans into the polish of Behr’s chosen jade. Sleek, refined, and versatile in a way that makes it an anchor shade in your closet, “Silken Pine” has the rich opulence of velvet with grounding elements of the natural world.

Throughout many of the latest Fall styles, Silken Pine often shows up across XCVI silhouettes that lean a little more tailored.

● The Yukio Cargo Pant brings this jade-green tone into an athletic, street-wise space.
● The Rizal Wide-Leg softens the hue into flowing, fluid movement.
● The Naveen Jumpsuit is a one-and-done look that takes the shade in a more utilitarian direction, proving how versatile the color really is across a variety of materials and silhouettes.

Texture & An Artful Touch

In crochet textures like the unmissable Centre Top or Grazie Tank, Silken Pine offers an artisanal, hand-touched interpretation, demonstrating that a smoky green doesn’t have to be solid or severe. In fact, the hue can feel earthy, airy, and organic too.

In Silken Pine, the Pheodora Embroidered Pant takes the grounding quality of the color and layers it with intricate, hand-designed embroidery. Pheodora feels almost ceremonial in its detailing—a reminder that clothes carry the potential to express one's own creativity, artistry, and personality. Pheodora’s embroidery catches the light just enough to contrast the smoky green base of the fabric, transforming a versatile, verdant shade into something truly extraordinary.

The Lasting Power of Smoky Jade

What strikes me most about Hidden Gem and XCVI’s kindred shades is how they work as both statement and neutral.

● Wear with white, denim, or black and they’ll hold their own without overwhelming.
● You can lean into the richness of these hues by pairing them with earthy browns, golden yellows, or even unexpected pops of red for that gorgeously classic autumnal feel.
● Add some edge with leather or metallic accessories.
● Layer textures like gauze, crochet, and embroidered detail for added depth.

Timeless Color, Timeless Style

These complex greens invite play and grounding all at once. Trends may come and go, but this recently-anointed smoky jade feels perennial and—as we often describe our Core Collection—evergreen. Behr’s crowned color of 2025 serves as a reminder of our connection to the natural world—of patina and stone, of the resilient symbiosis between nature and design that only continues to deepen in this dreamy, smoky jade green that is first, foremost, and unfailingly, a color made for living.

Takeaway: Smoky jade is more than just a trend—it’s perennial, versatile, and deeply wearable. XCVI’s Tideworn and Silken Pine prove that timeless greens don’t just echo nature; they become wardrobe essentials.