Pinterest Predicts Emerging Trends Among Young Consumers

Pinterest has long been touted as an early indicator of emerging trends among young consumers. The platform, which allows users to save and share ideas on digital pinboards, has spent years gathering data on consumer interests in various categories.

The company's annual trend forecast is eagerly anticipated by marketers who rely on Pinterest's insights to inform their business decisions. In December 2025, Pinterest released its yearly report, "Pinterest Predicts 2026, which highlighted 21 trends expected to gain traction over the next 12 months.

According to Pinterest, its predictions are remarkably accurate, with an impressive success rate of 88% over the past six years. This year's forecast drew on billions of searches and saves from September 2024 to August 2025, providing a snapshot of emerging consumer interests.

The report identified trends in fashion, beauty, home decor, food, and travel, including Brooched, which predicted that men would start accessorizing with heirloom brooches and vintage pins. Another trend, Funhaus, forecasted the rise of vintage circus-inspired home decor, while Gimme Gummy highlighted a craving for squishy textures in various products.

As the year draws to a close, it's time to check how these predictions are faring. One trend that appears to be holding up well is Brooches, with searches for brooch for men suit" and "heirloom jewelry showing significant increases since last year.

Data from Pinterest Trends shows that interest in brooches has continued to build, with the search term brooch outfit ideas" peaking at an interest score of 92 out of 100 in early October. Meanwhile, Google Trends recorded a peak score of 100 for searches related to brooches in February 2026.

Designers have taken notice of Pinterest's trend forecasts, which are reportedly 88% accurate. Brooches were a standout jewelry story on fall/winter 2026 runways, appearing at several high-profile shows including Giorgio Armani's in Milan and Ralph Lauren's in New York.

The designer's use of brooches was not coincidental, as they were meant to nod to the star signs of the late Giorgio Armani and his niece Silvana Armani. This attention to detail is a hallmark of the fashion industry, where trends are often carefully crafted to reflect current tastes.

Meanwhile, Pinterest's trend forecasts have also predicted a resurgence in circus-inspired design. The platform reported a 130% rise in searches for "circus interior during its measurement period, as well as a 70% increase in vintage circus aesthetic" and a 50% jump in "circus nursery.

Marketers are taking notice of Pinterest's trend forecasts, which carry significant weight due to the platform's large young audience. According to the company, Gen Z is driving 67% of its 2026 trends, making them central to Pinterest's strategy.

Pinterest has made a concerted effort to appeal to this demographic, with CEO Bill Ready crediting a past decision that tanked the stock as helping to make the platform a winner among Gen Z users. The generation's global spending power is projected to reach $12 trillion by 2030.

Actor Richard E. Grant has also taken notice of Pinterest's trend forecasts, incorporating circus-inspired design into his home decor. He recently hosted a dinner party at his home, which featured oversized circus masks, bunting, garlands, and colorful lights.

The influence of online trends on physical product sales is undeniable. Brands are racing to meet the demand created by viral aesthetics, and Pinterest's trend forecasts have been surprisingly accurate.

One notable example is the clean girl aesthetic that dominated social media in 2022. This look, characterized by sleek hair, radiant skin, and minimal makeup, was popularized by celebrities like Hailey Bieber around the same time she launched her skincare brand Rhode. The brand quickly gained traction among Gen Z consumers, who flocked to it for its minimalist beauty products.

Rhode's success caught the attention of e.l.f. Beauty, which acquired the company in May 2025 for up to $1 billion. At the time, Rhode had generated $212 million in net sales over the previous 12 months. The acquisition was seen as a strategic move by e.l.f.'s CEO, who framed it as a bet on Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers.

Another trend that Pinterest accurately predicted is the rise of bow and ribbon motifs across various product categories. In its Predicts 2024 report, released in December 2023, the company forecasted a Bow Stacking trend based on surging searches for bow outfit. This prediction was later validated when the third season of Netflix's Bridgerton fueled a wave of Regency-inspired fashion on TikTok.

By August 2024, Pinterest's fall trend report showed that searches for bow-related products were skyrocketing. Searches for bow nail designs had increased by 2,220%, while crochet bow bag was up 975%. Retailers took notice and began incorporating these trends into their product lines.

Pacsun, in particular, capitalized on the trend by launching its Better in Baggy" back-to-school campaign in July 2024. The campaign included an expanded line of embellished denim featuring bows, rhinestones, leopard print, and patches. The bet paid off, with baggy and loose-fit styles growing from about 8% to 80% of Pacsun's denim sales within a year.