While color authority Pantone promotes a quiet, soothing hue for 2026, the visual discovery platform Pinterest is charting a radically different course. Its annual Pinterest Predicts 2026 forecast, based on global search data, declares a definitive end to restraint. The coming year will be dominated by loud, bold, and unapologetically maximalist expressions across fashion, beauty, home decor, and lifestyle.
The End of Minimalism: Key Aesthetics for 2026
The platform's data signals a powerful cultural shift. Minimalism is officially on the edge, making way for texture, excess, nostalgia, and fantasy. The forecast outlines over a dozen key trends that will define the visual landscape, emphasizing personal expression and sensory experiences.
One standout trend is "Gimme Gummy," which celebrates all things squishy, shiny, and candy-colored. This tactile aesthetic, featuring jelly textures and gummy-bright hues, is pushing clean lines out of style. Searches related to this look have skyrocketed, with the gummy bear aesthetic up 50 percent and jelly candy aesthetics doubling at 100 percent.
In fashion, "Poetcore" offers a softer, intentional alternative to performative masculinity. This quietly romantic look, defined by turtlenecks, diagonal satchels, and worn-in blazers, has seen searches for the poet aesthetic surge by 175 percent. Meanwhile, "Neodeco" revives the drama of Art Deco with modern chrome, bold geometry, and glossy finishes, inspired by spaces like Kendall Jenner's home.
Pinoy Influence and Global Nostalgia
A trend with particular resonance in the Philippines is the dramatic return of brooches. Pinterest highlights the nation's thriving "anik-anik" culture—the love for small trinkets and accessories—as a key driver. Brooches are evolving as the next statement piece, pinned to jackets, shirts, bags, and even menswear. Searches for brooches for men's shirts are up 90 percent, while maximalist accessories have jumped 105 percent.
Nostalgia continues to be a powerful force, shaping the "Throwback Kid" trend. Generations are revisiting childhood joys, leading to a 140 percent increase in searches for 2000s kids' toys and a 95 percent rise in upcycled baby clothes. Similarly, "Penpals" makes a comeback, with Gen Z romanticizing snail mail as a form of performance art, driving searches for cute stamps up by 105 percent.
Beauty, Decor, and Experiential Shifts
Beauty and personal care are becoming highly experimental. "Scent Stacking"—layering multiple fragrances—is in, with searches for niche perfume collections up a staggering 500 percent. In makeup, "Glitchy Glam" embraces chaos with mismatched manicures and asymmetrical looks, while "Vamp Romantic" revives dark elegance, boosting searches for gothic coffin nails by 180 percent.
Home decor is getting playful and globally inspired. "Fun Haus" incorporates circus-inspired charm with refined palettes, and "Afrohemian Decor" brings warm, expressive interiors to the forefront with Nigerian textiles and woven baskets. Even food trends are getting a crunch, with "Cabbage Crush" highlighting the vegetable's versatility, seeing searches for cabbage dumplings rise 110 percent.
Finally, travel is being redefined by "Darecations," where thrill-seeking replaces relaxation. Trips centered on adventure sports and global events are rising, with searches for auto racing events up 85 percent. Pinterest's 2026 forecast paints a picture of a year dedicated to bold self-expression, sensory pleasure, and breaking free from the muted palette of the past.
