What are the trends in 2026?

Trends and fashions come and go, and although it is often said that "you just have to live long enough for a fashion to become relevant again," in our digital age there are also those that never existed before. Here is a selection from a journalist from the German news agency dpa.

Jomo

Do you still suffer from FOMO (short for Fear of Missing Out), the fear of missing out? In the changing mood of life, there is now a trend of joy of missing out – the so-called Joy of Missing Out (JOMO). It encompasses various aspects, such as digital detox (putting down your mobile phone or, better yet, turning it off) or consciously pausing and withdrawing into the analog world.

For the travel magazine "Merian", DZOMO is celebrated in travel as "conscious omission and active inaction." Instead of a rich travel itinerary, tourists purposefully seek out places like a secluded cabin in the forest or a quiet village by the sea.

Everything is white.

Less excitement, more peace – this desired feeling of life is also reflected in other trends. White, or rather a "non-color", is the "color of the year 2026" according to the American color institute Pantone. More precisely, the chosen tone is a "calm white", as opposed to the aggressive, so-called "alpine white", and represents "a quiet breath of peace and tranquility in a noisy world".

For about a quarter of a century, Pantone has been hiring trend researchers to analyze social changes each year to announce the color of the year. Although Pantone is just one of many companies that derive color from trends, it is this choice that is adopted by numerous creatives around the world for fashion, interior design, and various other products.

And the experts for the NCS color system are going in the same direction: one of the four selected color palettes for 2026 still consists of soft tones of white, beige and brown, called Quietude – for inner peace.

Dopamine decor

There is no trend without a counter-trend, say trend experts. The same is true of interior design: bright colors, cute decorations, even toys on the shelf didn't become popular until the Labubu hype of 2025.

It's not just young trendsetters who are driving this trend. Pinterest in particular is calling circus-themed home decor a hot trend - "thanks to baby boomers and millennials." These generations are particularly likely to search for information on striped ceilings, circus-themed decor, and vintage elements on the platform.

Although this shade is new, cheerful decorating has been a trend for a long time. Dopamine Decor is all about creating a positive environment that stimulates the secretion of the happiness hormone (dopamine). How to achieve this? With bright colors, fun and cute pieces. With what fills the heart.

On the plate: cabbage

If you're currently searching for trending vegetables on social media, cabbage is the new (old) star in the culinary sky. According to Pinterest analysis, inspiration for dishes with cabbage is being searched for more and more often. And if you want something extra fancy, you can try the kimchi martini.

According to the German Fruit and Vegetable Association, every German eats 8,5 kilograms of red or white cabbage per year – and the trend is increasing. Cabbage is inexpensive and full of vitamins.

Not one, but several perfumes

A growing trend in the beauty scene is perfume layering, which involves combining multiple scents to create a personal, signature scent that reflects the wearer's personality or mood.

How to achieve your own scent profile, online influencers try to explain - of course, often using their own brands. Fashion magazine "Vogue" advises experimenting, but carefully: you should not randomly spray all the scents you have at home. Heavier scents go before lighter ones.

Supermarket safari

A visit to the supermarket has always been part of a vacation for many people. At the latest, when something gets its own name, you can talk about a trend – and suddenly you have a "supermarket safari". According to the magazine "Merian", it is one of the trends of 2026.

A country's culture can be "greatly experienced" through local specialties and unfamiliar flavors. "Whether it's American candy, Japanese snack machines, or Italian pasta shelves - this travel trend combines culinary curiosity with authentic insights," says Merian.

Another trend in travel and leisure is "event tourism": the main reason for traveling is not the vacation itself, but an on-site event, such as the World Cup, an art event, or a concert.

Or you go on a skillcation: you try and learn – for example, pottery in Morocco, painting in France, or cooking in Italy.

Lonely Planet is a British-Australian travel publisher. For it, Belgrade is a trending destination in 2026 as "Europe's ultimate nightlife playground." "Explore the legendary nightlife," reads the description of the Serbian capital - advice that not so long ago would probably have applied to the German capital Berlin.