The Trend Forecaster

Jellycat plushies. Owala water bottles. Baggy jeans. These are just a few items that might have dominated your TikTok feed over the last year. But have you ever wondered why these trends get started—and what’s coming next? 

Laila Carey might have an answer for you. Carey is a trend forecaster. It’s her job to study what’s “in,” then share that information with brands that want to jump on the next big thing before it blows up. 

But what exactly does the job of trend forecaster entail? How can someone predict what will be popular?

“It’s a lot of research,” Carey says, “but it’s really fun.”

Trends are patterns that pop up across different spaces, explains Carey, such as music, entertainment, food, and fashion.  To identify these patterns, Carey spends a lot of time observing people­—both online and off.

First, she logs long hours on TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms to track what people are wearing, eating, watching,  and listening to. She also watches and listens to people around her. 

Then, she studies what she learns to see if there are any commonalities. Are a lot of people wearing primary colors? Is everyone listening to K-pop? If Carey sees something show up again and again, it could be a trend!

Brands like Target and Disney then use Carey’s research to create and sell products that people will be excited to buy. If everyone’s wearing primary colors,  for instance, a fashion brand might focus on those in their collections. If everyone is listening to K-pop, maybe a brand will use KATSEYE in an advertisement

So what’s about to dominate your feeds in 2026? One of the biggest trends for next year will be to “wear your identity on yourself,” Carey says. In other words, a lot of people will be communicating their passions through clothes, whether that’s rocking a T-shirt featuring Rumi from KPop Demon Hunters or a hoodie repping the Knicks.

Carey also predicts a rise of old-school trends from the 1990s and early 2000s, like wired headphones and iPod nanos. Both pieces of tech, she says, are a way to signal that you’re a music fan. Going even further back, some retro sneaker styles popular in the 1970s, like Nike Blazers and Adidas Sambas, will be making a comeback.

Additionally, cuteness culture will have a major moment. Carey predicts that adorable characters like Hello Kitty and Miffy, as well as food-shaped trinkets and characters, will be popping up everywhere. 

What else might trend in 2026? Carey says it’s up to YOU!

When it comes to making and breaking trends, ”kids have a lot more power than they think,” she says.

 In fact, maybe you’re starting the next big thing right now!