If the early months of 2026 have told us anything, it’s that the season ahead is shaping up to be a confident one. After a long stretch of muted neutral palettes, restrained silhouettes and interiors that played it safe, SS26 is leaning into colour, personality and optimism.
We’ve been tracking what’s building across Press Loft, from the searches journalists are making to the stories they’re actively pulling together, and cross-referencing those insights against SS26 runway directions, Pinterest Predicts 2026 and wider editorial signals.
Here are five trends we think are worth your attention:
1.) Cobalt Blue
Also known as Yves Klein Blue (named after the French artist who made the shade iconic in the 1960s) cobalt has been gradually building momentum in collections over the last year or two, and is now impossible to ignore for SS26 – with ‘blue’ searches on Press Loft up +213% in the most recent 30-day data window. Think of it as this season’s answer to the red theory trend: a specific saturated shade used to make a major impact, either as a pop of colour against a neutral base or a full head-to-toe drenched palette.
While Pinterest tipped cool blue as one of its headline 2026 predictions, cobalt is the bolder, brighter counterpart that’s capturing the most attention for the warmer months. It spans across categories too (e.g ceramics, upholstery and glassware in interiors, or tailoring, knitwear and accessories in fashion) often grounded with warm brass or natural textures to stop it tipping too cold.
Related signals & keywords: cobalt • cobalt blue • Yves Klein blue • electric blue • blue ceramics • blue homeware • cobalt accessories • bold blue
2.) Lavender Haze
Purples are having a moment across the board for 2026, but it’s the playful shades of lilac and lavender that are really stealing the show as we head into spring. Romantic, a little mysterious and fun to work with, this isn’t a trend that takes itself too seriously, which is a big part of its appeal.
Purple and lavender searches on Press Loft are up +53% in the most recent 30 days, and the editorial appetite is already showing up in what journalists are actively pulling together on the platform. In fashion, lilac is showing up in fluid silhouettes, soft tailoring and accessories that lean into the season’s wider romantic mood. In interiors we’re seeing soft furnishings, painted furniture and decorative accessories in this hue – calm and considered without ever feeling flat. It also sits beautifully across gifting and lifestyle, making it one of the more versatile colour stories in the current mix. An easy way to elevate any outfit or room, and editors are clearly taking note.
Related signals & keywords: lilac • lavender • soft purple • lavender haze • purple homeware • lilac bedding • lavender interiors • purple accessories
3.) Ballet Pink
Following on from the romantic thread running through this season’s trend story, ballet pink is continuing the theme – but don’t mistake soft for fragile. This is a move away from the statement Barbiecore pinks of recent seasons and towards something more soothing and sophisticated, a shade that feels genuinely wearable across a wide range of contexts rather than a trend you either have to commit to fully or not at all.
It was all over NYFW SS26 and showing up on red carpets well before the season properly arrived, and the broader pastel story on Press Loft is up +110% in the most recent 30-day window – editors are already building their summer features around soft, colour-led imagery. What makes ballet pink particularly interesting is how it’s being used: paired with bold reds and burgundy for a statement colour combination, or deployed as an alternative to traditional neutrals. In interiors, think blush glassware, linen bedding, delicate ceramics while in fashion we’re seeing a lot of love for rosy slip dresses, soft knitwear and breathable layers for the summer months.
Related signals & keywords: ballet pink • blush • soft pink • pastel pink • rose • blush homeware • pink accessories • pink interiors
(If any of these colour stories feel relevant to your products, make sure they’re live in the Press Loft library where journalists can actually find them!)
4.) Animal Print
Like or hate them, there is a reason we return to animal prints time and time again – and SS26 is making a strong case for why. While leopard leads the charge as ever, we’re seeing real love for zebra, snake, cheetah and the increasingly visible bambi-core deer print across both fashion and interiors. The story has expanded well beyond the obvious references, and that breadth is what’s giving the trend a freshness that feels new rather than another rehash of the same specific look.
Animal print searches on Press Loft jumped +314% in the most recent 30 days (one of the sharpest growth signals in the current dataset) and it’s showing up across fashion, interiors, accessories and homeware simultaneously. These prints offer something that’s hard to replicate: confidence, individuality and character in a single pattern.
Related signals & keywords: animal print • leopard print • zebra print • snake print • cheetah print • deer print • bambi core • animal motif • printed upholstery
5.) Elevated Coastal
Coastal is always a reliable summer story, but the version building for SS26 feels different, more considered, more grown-up and more exciting than the cliché anchor motifs and obvious nautical references of previous seasons. What’s emerging is a mood as opposed to a set ‘look’ – a palette that captures the feeling of the coast without spelling it out.
Coastal searches on Press Loft are up +178% in the most recent 30 days, picking up serious momentum as editors build out their core summer features. In fashion, the coastal grandma aesthetic is the clearest expression of where this is going: relaxed linen separates, wide-brimmed hats, easy layers in oatmeal, cream and pale blue that make an outfit look effortless. In interiors, focus on elements like rattan and wicker, sun-washed linens, hand-thrown ceramics and the kind of considered, lived-in layering that feels more like something out of a Nancy Meyers movie than showroom. Curated without looking curated, (which is harder to pull off than it sounds).
Related signals & keywords: coastal • coastal grandma • nautical • beach house • seaside • linen • alfresco • outdoor dining • picnic • natural textures • wicker • rattan •
(Want trend intelligence like this straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free trend alerts and we’ll keep you updated as new stories build)
What this means for your PR strategy
Across all five of these trends, the searches are already happening. Journalists are actively building features around these stories right now, which means the sourcing window is open – and the brands securing coverage are the ones that show up in searches already, with the right imagery and keywords in place, not the ones who get there once the features are already written.
About Press Loft
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