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Trends are short-lived by nature. They start with a whisper and then can end with a shout. But in the digital age, discerning which tastemakers are here for the long haul is harder than ever. If you’re a retailer, how do you know which trends to invest in and which ones to ignore?
At Faire, we looked at thousands of data points that reveal how retailers are thinking about the coming year. Each year, we release the Faire Forecast, our data-backed predictions for what trends people will care about in the coming year. This report is designed to help retailers prepare for the buying season ahead and pick products that shoppers will love, and today on the blog, we’re showing you how to adopt and adapt these shopping moments.
Download the full 2025 Faire Forecast here. But first, check out the four biggest insights from the report and get tips on how to make them work for your store.
What to look out for in 2025
From our data dive, we pulled out the biggest vibes you can expect this year. These trends capture where the zeitgeist is headed and distill what consumers will crave. The theme that connects all these trends is rediscovered joy—how we all define it, how it shows up in our lives, and how it ultimately connects us all.
Victorian Noir
Minimalism is taking a back seat. Now, more is more. People are seeking out unique pieces with personality, taking their cues from the elaborate, high-drama aesthetics of the Victorian era. Being extra is in, and we’re seeing it with jewelry, decor, and fashion with searches for words like “brocade” jumping significantly at the end of 2024.
Neutral Good
From the earth and good for the Earth is a theme consumers will continue to lean into. Handcrafted is now synonymous with luxury, and people want to bring the outdoors indoors with raw materials like untreated wood, linen, and floral fragrances. Think cozy, artisanal, natural, and organic. Speaking of organic, searches were up for the term by more than 35% as we closed out 2024.
Intentional Detours
Quirky and free-spirited nostalgia defines this trend. Think of the last spontaneous road trip you took, the wind in your hair, the glove compartment full of snacks, and the seats occupied by your partners in crime. This vibe is about embracing the devil-may-care freedom of youth and disconnecting from the rigidity of adulthood.
Everyday Hopecore
Hopecore has been one of the biggest Gen Z trends of 2024, and we predict it’s going mainstream in 2025. Hopecore is all about being positive and choosing to see the brighter side of everything. People are looking for vibrant, colorful objects that add a bit of joy to their lives. Need proof? Whimsical accessories like purse charms were up 500% in the past year.
How can you bring these trends to life?
Now that you’ve glanced into our crystal ball, you probably want to know what’s next. How can you best use these insights to stay on trend and at the top of consumers’ minds? Here’s what you should think about.
1. Know your customer
The first place to start is your customer. Consider which of these trends best reflects them and is most likely to strike a chord. When you dreamed up your store, you likely had an ideal customer in mind, a target audience you wanted to reach. What would those people like to see? You’ll want to think about feelings, colors, and prices. For example, if your customers are perpetually outdoors, lean into Everyday Detours.
Feelings
How do you want customers to feel when they enter your store? Nostalgic, moody, calm, or cheerful? Think about what best aligns with your brand’s mission or aesthetic. If you’re an environmental brand, then maybe Neutral Good will put customers at ease. If you’re a decor shop, then maybe the vintage-inspired Victorian Noir is your jam.
Colors
You might have a color palette that’s come to define your brand. Consider which of these four themes would best match it. Is it the dark romanticism of Victorian Noir or the poppy, vibrant technicolor of Everyday Hopecore?
Prices
These trends are wide-ranging and can feature products across many different price points. But what’s the most relevant for your customers? New trending products should still fit the pricing strategy of your store.
2. Assess your comfort level
Not every trend is for every brand. If you’re thinking about adopting an aesthetic, and something is feeling forced, listen to your gut. Before chasing any trend, look at your purchasing plans, budget, and risk tolerance before doing any inventory overhauls.
Budget
When you consider your planned budget for 2025, what percentage are you setting aside for testing out new products? If your budget is limited, then maybe you start out with just a few new products before scaling into more.
Risk tolerance
Every business owner has a different appetite for risk. It can largely depend on your budget, your past experiences, or your customer base. A tight budget means you’re more inclined to stick to what you know will sell. But positive experiences with new inventory or a customer base that’s always hungry for the latest could mean it’s worth making the leap.
3. Make a plan
Any new inventory you introduce to your store should have a testing plan attached to it. This helps to minimize the risk we talked about above and ensure that your product is meeting the desires of your customers. Based on how a product does during the testing phase, you might double down on it or decide to pivot.
Merchandising strategy
Good merchandising is about making the right products available at the right time and right place during the buying experience. When you look at the layout of your store, are products positioned in a way that drives interest and sales? If your new products are cute accessories, maybe you put them next to the cash register. If they’re bigger ticket items, then consider a central display that’s impossible to miss.
Customer promotion plan
You now have the latest and greatest on your shelves. How will you make your customers aware of new products? Marketing your trendy new wares via customer emails, social media, influencer partnerships, and your e-commerce site are all tactics to test over the life of a product. You can also offer a flash sale or a discount if it’s within your profit margin. Customers are more likely to act when there’s a time constraint.
Collecting and evaluating data
Before you test a new product, understand what you’re testing for. How are you defining a successful new product? There are many lenses you can use for this. You can go purely by sales data, looking at how many units sold over a certain time period to see if it was above or below your benchmarks. You can also look at customer feedback, return rates, the inventory turnover rate, and other retail KPIs listed in this blog.
Ready to gaze into the future?
You can find all of this and more in the 2025 Faire Forecast. Digest the latest data that you can use as you stock your shelves, and when you’re ready to shop the trends, visit the collections for even more inspiration. If you haven’t downloaded the report, grab it here.
We hope you thrive in 2025 and that Faire can help make your vision come true. Don’t forget to tag Faire on social media so we can see your game plan in action. We’re excited to see how the Faire Forecast comes to life in your store. Cheers to a new year!
