Google highlights shifting fashion search trends across major style capitals

Google is using Google Trends data to map what people in major fashion capitals are searching for right now, linking shifting style instincts to specific garment and accessory categories in cities known for fashion influence.

In its latest Fashion Capitals Trends report, Google says searchers are experimenting with new silhouettes, styling hacks, and hands-on alteration ideas. The company frames the exercise as a way to capture the “je ne sais quoi” audiences appear to be chasing, based on what they type into search.

The report points to London and Milan as standout markets for interest in empire waist dresses, with those searches described as reaching new highs. In other words, the data suggests a renewed push toward a particular dress shape that visually emphasizes the waist and often creates a more elongated silhouette.

Google also identifies a cross-city pattern in “repurposing” accessories. Searchers in New York and São Paulo, according to the report, are turning to silk scarves as tops and shawls, suggesting people are looking beyond scarves as strictly functional or ornamental pieces.

In Copenhagen, the strongest indicates, as described by Google, skew toward creative layering and robust footwear. The company says queries for layering and sturdier shoes are spiking, aligning with the idea that consumers in the city are optimizing outfits for both aesthetic and practical considerations.

The report also covers footwear trends more broadly. Google says Tokyo and Paris search interest is dominated by ballet flats and loafers. The pairing is notable because it spans two “in-between” styles, neither purely athletic nor strictly formal, which may help explain why they are showing up as go-to footwear searches across different fashion cultures.

Beyond clothing and shoes, Google highlights accessory and at-home modification behaviors. The company says designer hair accessories and headbands are trending in London, while in Milan and São Paulo searches are rising for seamstress repairs and DIY alterations.

Google does not provide in the blog post any city-by-city tables, exact search-volume figures, or time windows. Instead, the narrative is built around directional takeaways, describing which categories are “reaching new highs,” “spiking,” or “dominating” searches in each location.

For businesses, the practical value of search-based trend indicates is that they can inform merchandising, creative strategy, and even product assortment. A brand that sees empire waist dresses climbing in London and Milan, for example, might align campaign creative and inventory planning to match what consumers are actively exploring rather than relying solely on seasonal assumptions.

For operators that depend on consumer demand indicates, the report also underscores how quickly styling behaviors can become search-driven. Turning scarves into tops or seeking seamstress repairs points to an audience that is not only shopping but also troubleshooting how to wear and adapt items, which can influence how retailers describe fit, styling, and alteration services.