If you've been thinking that the lifecycle of trends is shortening, then you'd be absolutely right. Signoi research commissioned by Pinterest has found that trends are growing 4.4 times faster since 2018 and are 14 times more volatile1. The result? Trends are reaching their peak and then declining pretty fast.
This has big implications for marketers. Correctly forecasting the trends which are about to bubble up is critical to staying ahead of the curve—and the competition. Yet, successfully predicting trends is becoming increasingly hazardous in a consumer landscape that continues to shift at lightning speed.
One in four1 Gen Z consumers in the UK and US report feeling pressure due to the pace of trends. “This is a real challenge for marketers,” says Beth Horn, UK MD at Pinterest. “Culture is moving faster than ever, and every day brings a new wave of viral memes and emerging trends through social media.”
Fortunately, there is another, better way. 
Trendspotting
Not all trends are created equal. Some are underpinned by durable consumer shifts; the kind that provide long-term strategic value for brands. The key is being able to differentiate between these and other more ephemeral insights. And that’s where the power of trendspotting comes into play.
Trendspotting is the process of identifying emerging consumer behaviours and using those insights to inform strategic decision-making. For example, in the Spring of 2024, tennis whites were a huge fashion hit. What started as a rise in socially distanced outdoor court sports such as pickleball and badminton – which Pinterest predicted in its 2024 Making a Racket trend – peaked with tennis-themed movies. This led to a huge rise in the #Tenniscore aesthetic, with pleated skirts and preppy polos everywhere. On Pinterest, Tenniscore Pin saves grew by an incredible 1,120% year-on-year between June 2023 and June 20242.
Of course, the trick is to catch trends before they reach their peak, not after they’ve gone viral. “Brands can achieve this by using trusted, reliable data sources to closely monitor consumer behaviour," says Horn. LOOKFANTASTIC is one such brand that has done just this (keep reading!).
“By analysing patterns and understanding the cultural context,” Horn explains, “brands can anticipate which trends are likely to gain traction and prepare to engage with them before they become mainstream, positioning themselves as trend leaders rather than followers.”
Plotting a trends roadmap 
Pinterest excels at trendspotting, carving out a distinctive position in this landscape by offering early glimpses into consumer intent. Because people use Pinterest to plan, the platform has unique insight into what’s going to be really big, imminently.
“Our methodology is part art, part science” says Horn. “We use a mix of predictive analytics and platform engagement signals to ensure that the trends have staying power.”
By tapping into Pinterest’s unique user intent and its audience of more than half a billion action-oriented people from Gen Z to Boomers3, brands can access a roadmap to future trends before they reach mainstream platforms. These durable, predictive trends provide a strategic advantage and help drive impactful business results, setting them apart from fleeting fads.
Online beauty retailer LOOKFANTASTIC, which sells products from over 500 brands, knows the importance of spotting trends before they’ve gone viral. “We represent a critical route to market for beauty brands seeking to grow and connect with global audiences,” says Jason Hope, LOOKFANTASTIC’s global head of paid social - beauty. “We empower our community of consumers with intelligent information and beauty insights, including keeping up to date with the latest trends.”
Pinterest Predicts
With 10 years of publishing traditional trend reports under its belt, Pinterest developed Pinterest Predicts, its annual not-yet-trending report, to share emerging trends for the year ahead so that brands can stay ahead of culture - and the competition. It has proved remarkably accurate, with Pinterest finding 80% of its predictions have come true over the past five years4. 
Pinterest’s predictive trend insights provide a powerful strategic advantage for brands, allowing them to get ahead of the curve and authentically connect with consumers before trends become oversaturated. Rather than chasing fads, brands can leverage Pinterest Predicts to inform impactful product development, marketing campaigns and business decisions that drive meaningful, long-term results.
LOOKFANTASTIC invested in an official Pinterest Predicts and saw a positive uplift in incrementality across all brand metrics, including brand awareness, campaign awareness and Pin awareness, as well as additional custom-based messaging.
“The Head to Glow trend presented us with the opportunity to further enhance our brand credibility with Pinterest’s stamp of approval, reaching new audiences who may not be familiar with us,” says Hope. “As part of our trend ownership, we also had a variety of new summer product launches with the Pinterest Predicts trend aligning perfectly in support of these.”
For 2025, Pinterest has beefed up its forecasting model to ensure its trends are more predictive than ever before. “We continue to draw insights from our diverse global audience, and now we’re working closely with creatives, strategists and researchers to identify patterns and distil them into distinct trends,” says Horn. “This collaborative approach, combined with expert validation, ensures that Pinterest Predicts remains a trusted resource for brands looking to stay ahead of the curve.”
Explore the full Pinterest Predicts report .
1. Source: Signoi Social Analytics, Quantitative and Qualitative Research commissioned by Pinterest; US, UK, and DE, A18-42, Gen Z (18-27) Millennials (28-42) March 2024
2. Source: Pinterest internal Pin topic data for Pins related to tennis core; Global Pin Saves; June 2024 vs June 2023
3. Source: Pinterest analysis, global, Q3 2024
4. Source: Pinterest internal analysis, studying global searches, related Pin saves and product Pin outbound clicks for Pinterest Predicts trends. Jul 2018–Jun 2024.