Every December, while the rest of the internet quietly implodes under the weight of micro-trends and discourse fatigue, one report lands with startling clarity. 

Pinterest Predicts – the platform’s annual data-driven window into the future – has become something of an oracle for the digital world. And based on the 2026 edition, unveiled over dinner at Raffles London at The OWO (where The Modems was invited, naturally), the year ahead promises three things: comfort, curation and optimism, all fuelled by tech-powered imagination.

With over 600 million monthly users and a reputation for being eerily accurate (Pinterest says their forecast has been 88% accurate over the last six years), Pinterest Predicts sits at the intersection of taste, technology and behavioural insight. As Pinterest put it:

“Pinterest is a uniquely visual platform, so our trend analysis goes beyond search queries. We look at the complete picture-the colours, aesthetics, and styles people are drawn to.”

This is a trends report built not on guesswork or vibes but on two years of search data, aesthetic signalling and behavioural patterns. The platform even notes: “Trends are growing 4.4x faster than they were seven years ago,” an astonishing indicator of how rapidly culture now moves – and how desperately users are seeking meaning, not noise.

And according to Sydney Stanback, Pinterest’s Global Head of Trends and Insights, who delivered a warm, witty commencement speech to a room of editors, founders and creators, the cultural shift is clear. “Consumers are not using trends to try to fit in. They’re using trends to find what fits for them… with more personal alignment. And they’re grounding themselves in optimism.” 

“the way that they’re doing this is through escapism so you’ll see a lot of otherworldly trends in this year’s trend report,” Teased Stanback.

This framework forms the backbone of Pinterest Predicts 2026. Unlike TikTok, where trends explode and expire within 72 hours, Pinterest’s ecosystem is deliberately slower and more intentional. It’s a platform built on planning, aspiration and personal identity – not performance. 

“From Glitchy Glam to Pen Pals, Pinterest is the perfect place for people to escape overstimulation through trends that don’t create social comparison or FOMO. Instead, these Pinterest trends preserve individualism and personal identities,” said Stanback in an official statement. “In 2026, people will make these trends their own, put unique spins on each, and ensure that what’s trending never comes at the cost of personal expression.” 

Below, we break down the full report – all 21 trends across fashion, beauty, travel, celebrations, food, home and tech-driven aesthetics…

THE THREE CULTURAL SHIFTS SHAPING 2026

Pinterest found that consumers are evolving in three major directions:

1. Emotional Comfort & Belonging

With 55% of global respondents saying comfort is their primary emotional need, people are seeking safe havens – both physical and digital. It’s nostalgia with a purpose.

2. Curating, Not Copying

67% of the 2026 trends are driven by Gen Z, and they are not interested in trend mandates. Instead, 42% of global respondents say they only participate in trends that suit them personally. It’s self-knowledge as style.

3. Grounded Optimism

The five-year plan is obsolete. Pinterest’s research shows most consumers can’t envision a future beyond 24 months – so they’re grounding themselves in the present, dreaming through escapism and crafting reality through creativity.

EMOTIONAL COMFORT & BELONGING

Comfort is no longer a luxury – it’s a survival strategy. Pinterest’s dataset shows a renewed obsession with nostalgic rituals, sensory delights and childhood throwbacks. People are creating micro-worlds of softness and whimsy to buffer against the overstimulation of digital life.

1. Gimme Gummy

The year’s most tactile trend: squishy phone cases, jelly blush, rubberised nails and stretchy probiotic snacks. Searches are soaring, from “jelly blush” (+130%) to “jelly candy aesthetic” (+100%). A reminder that in the age of AI, people crave texture, tangibility and ASMR-adjacent joy.

2. FunHaus

Circus-inspired interiors – bold stripes, sculptural furniture, a wink of clownish charm – are rising fast. With “circus interior” searches up +130%, this trend taps into maximalist escapism, but through a curated, elevated lens.

3. Throwback Kid

Vintage children’s toys, crochet play mats and upcycled babywear are huge trends, driven not by parents alone but by nostalgic adults. Searches for “1970s childhood toys” are up +125%, while “nostalgia toys” jumped +225%.

4. Pen Pals

Letter-writing is back. In an era of instantaneous messaging, slowing down becomes a luxury. Stanback highlighted how menus at the Pinterest dinner arrived in personalised envelopes, noting: “This is all about how Gen Z millennials are really reviving this nostalgic ritual of connection.” Searches for “snail mail gifts” (+110%) show the craving for analogue intimacy in a digital world.

5. Cabbage Crush

Cabbage is the new cauliflower – a culinary micro-trend so big Pinterest designed the event menu around it. Stanback teased: “The ingredient here for 2026 is going to be cabbage; from cabbage cocktails to cabbage alfredo and cabbage dumplings.” This is comfort meets creativity, with “cabbage dumplings” searches up +110%.

CURATING, NOT COPYING

In an era of algorithmic sameness, Pinterest users are opting out – choosing aesthetics that reflect who they are, not who the internet tells them to be. This is a powerful shift: identity curation driven by personal taste, not virality.

Identity Curation Trends

6. Afrohemian Decor

A fusion of African and bohemian design, blending Nigerian textiles, Ethiopian art and natural fibre decor. Searches for “afrobohemian home decor” are up +220% – a move toward globally inspired, culturally rooted interiors.

7. Glamoratti

Maximalist luxury returns: sculpted shoulders, statement cuffs, oversized tailoring and ’80s decadence. With “80s luxury” soaring +225%, this trend rejects quiet luxury for loud self-expression.

8. Poetcore

Vintage blazers, fountain pens, messenger satchels and oversized knits. Pinterest notes huge jumps in “the poet aesthetic” (+175%) and “cape outfit” (+65%) – academia meets indie sleaze, but crisper, more cinematic.

9. Khaki Coded

The desert explorer reimagined – utility shirts, field jackets and pocket-heavy vests. Searches for “brown linen shirt” jumped +100%.

10. Neo Deco

Art Deco meets modern chrome. After years of minimalism, users want bold geometric shapes, marbles and metallic accents – “red marble bathroom” is up +80%.

Personal Expression (aka Remix Culture)

Pinterest’s research found that nearly a quarter of Gen Z and Millennials avoid trend fatigue by remixing – personalising, hybriding and adding flair.

11. Glitchy Glam

Asymmetry is provocative, imperfect, intentional. Think two-toned makeup, mismatched nails, bold colour blocking. With “avant garde makeup editorial” up +270%, it’s rebellion through beauty.

12. Brooched

Men wearing brooches – heirloom, vintage, crystal, maximalist. Stanback noted, “Brooches are really making its way into menswear next year.” Searches for “brooch aesthetic” are up +110%.

13. Laced Up

Delicate lace used in unexpected ways: bomber jackets, phone cases, shoes, makeup. “lace nails” surged +215%.

14. Scent Stacking

The techification of fragrance: custom combinations, personalised accords and niche perfume collecting. With “niche perfume collection” searches up +500%, this trend reflects a broader movement toward individuality.

15. Vamp Romantic

Gothic glamour – glossy black nails, smudged kohl, dark red lips. “gothic coffin nails” jumped +180%.

GROUNDED OPTIMISM

Stanback emphasised escapism repeatedly in her speech, noting that Pinterest users are turning toward “otherworldly trends” to cope with uncertainty. Aesthetic exploration becomes a way of prototyping reality.

16. Cool Blue

The colour of 2026: icy, glacial, deeply serene. It appeared in cocktails at the Pinterest dinner, in gowns, in makeup. Searches for “frosted makeup” (+150%) and “ice blue wedding dress” (+55%) reveal a craving for calm, cleansing simplicity.

17. Wilderkind

Softly animal-inspired aesthetics: fawn freckles, butterfly-wing nails, fox-like silhouettes. “dragonfly nails” are up +145%.

18. Extra Celestial

Sci-fi meets glamour – holographic surfaces, opalescent finishes, silver silhouettes. With “alien inspired makeup” up +140%, it’s a cosmic escape hatch from reality.

19. Opera Aesthetic

Dramatic drapery, cabaret glamour, lush red fabrics. Searches for “midnight masquerade” jumped +95%.

20. Mystic Outlands

Moody forests, misty ruins, ethereal landscapes – the rise of dark, romantic travel. “Scotland Highlands aesthetic” is up a staggering +465%.

21. Darecations

Adventure travel’s big comeback. Millennials and Gen Z crave adrenaline: rafting, canyoning, extreme sports. “Adventure tourism” surged +75%.

WHY PINTEREST’S TRENDS MATTER MORE THAN EVER

Unlike social platforms driven by performance (TikTok), aesthetics (Instagram) or conflict (X), Pinterest operates as a search engine for the future. Its predictions reflect intention, not endless scrolling.

1. Pinterest Predicts has become a cultural barometer

Its accuracy stems from analysing millions of early-adopter signals before they hit mainstream. It is, in effect, an algorithmic crystal ball.

2. Search behaviour reveals desire – not display

Pinterest isn’t about clout; it’s about planning. From cabbage cocktails to glacier-toned wardrobes, these trends reflect what people genuinely want, not what they perform online.

3. Gen Z and Millennials are using tech to curate identity

Whether scent-stacking, glitch-glamming or cosmic-coding their bedrooms, young consumers aren’t following trends – they’re building micro-identities through aesthetic experimentation.

4. Escapism is the new wellness

Pinterest’s prediction aligns with broader data: younger generations are seeking digital experiences that feel imaginative, not competitive. AI imagery, mood boarding, digital scrapbooks – these tools allow users to prototype who they could become.

THE MODEMS VERDICT: 2026 WILL BE BEAUTIFULLY STRANGE, COMFORTINGLY SOFT, AND UNAPOLOGETICALLY PERSONAL

Pinterest Predicts 2026 points to a future where trends are less about conformity and more about connection – to the self, to nostalgia, to nature, to fantasy. A glimpse into a cultural mood shift powered by imagination, individuality and a beautifully curated sense of optimism.

The report is a reminder that in a noisy world, taste is an algorithm of its own.