Klarna 2022 trends report identifies nostalgia as driving force in fashion

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Dec 7, 2022

BNPL specialist Klarna has released its first trends report and said that 2022 has been all about “nostalgia… as consumers turn to products reflective of more carefree times”.

The report, dubbed The Checkout, is based on products global shoppers checked out of their shopping carts in 2022 and it found that the nostalgia theme isn't just about one era or decade.

“Items inspired by the 18th century through to the early 00’s have all increased in sales,” it said. 

Trend expert Agus ‘The Algorythm’ Panzoni collaborated with it on the report and said this “points to a longing for happier, more carefree times”.

Under the nostalgia banner, Klarna identified five further global trends — Vintage tech, Hyperfemininity, Y2K, Counterculture, and Regencycore.

The first of these is fashion-relevant rather than fashion-focused. It refers to products with simpler and more reliable tech such as wired headphones, which increased in sales globally by 317% in February 2022 compared to an average month in 2021 according to Klarna’s shopping index. Meanwhile, flip phones increased by 81% in August. 

But the rest of the trends are full-on fashion. Hyperfemininity includes Barbiecore, Bimbocore and Balletcore and was driven by the increase in sales of pink products (+126% in August), ballet flats (+93% in May) and nail diamonds (+55% in June). Klarna said that micro skirts also rose 76% in September.

The remaining three trends are a result of consumers looking to previous eras for shopping inspiration. The Y2K theme saw a revival of beloved-but-not-always-admired fashion items from the start of this century such as velour tracksuits that rose 134% in January, and the claw clip (+57% in June). Army trousers also rose 113% in August.

Counterculture was rooted in 80s, 90s, and 00s youth movements and musical genres like Goth, Grunge, and Pop-punk. It saw maxi skirts rising 84% in July, chunky boots up 57% in September and eyeliner up 44% in August.

Meanwhile Regencycore focused on styles inspired by the Victorian and Regency periods. Corsets rose 117% in August, operas gloves 56% in September, and pearl earrings rose 50% and pearl necklaces 32% in February.