She's worked with mega stars like Lady Gaga (even creating the nail looks featured in 'Abracadabra'), Jennifer Lawrence, Pedro Pascal and Kendrick Lamar. Now, Emi Kudo is giving us a sneak peek into the next season of major mani trends. Discover what nail trends are on the way out and which are perfect for the upcoming summer!
The Best Nail Trend Isn't Going Anywhere
"The clean girl manicure, or the 'soap manicure,' is everyone’s all-time favorite this season," Kudo says. "And it will still stay in trend this year."
And she's already seen a subtle shift in the trend this year.
"The 2025 version is more enhancing blush pink than beige tone, in a cherry blossom shade," she explains. "The perfect shade is Essie's Sheer Fantasy ($13)."
Here Comes the Sun
As the summer heats up, Kudo predicts we'll see a rise in bold looks like animal prints and vintage textures.
"I see vintage-inspired prints and clothing are coming back to trend, so I would pick the nail color that goes well with them," she says. "Burnt orange is the way to go to complement these tones and textures. My favorite color is Rouge Cinema ($32) from Dior."
Trends We're Moving Away From
As a celebrity nail artist, Kudo is on the cutting edge of trends, and that means she's one of the first to notice when a nail look is starting to phase out.
"I have noticed a slowdown in the pointy stiletto nail shape," Kudo notes. "As well as the long almond shape." Instead, there's been a rise in square-ish nails and shorter, more manageable lengths.
