Many of us were looking for an escape in 2021 – and some shoppers found it in the 19th century.

Bridgerton sent buyers out searching for “Regencycore” fashion and homewares, as the Netflix hit led this year’s shopping trends.

Corsets, embroidery hoops and even the wisteria decorating the show’s homes all saw a spike in interest, as viewers looked to emulate the aesthetic of the romantic period drama.

Searches for the plant on eBay soared by 300 per cent after the show aired. Garden centres and nurseries also saw a rise in millennials buying the pretty scented climber, a trend they said was also driven by Instagram.

Wisteria are native to the US, China and Japan, and can reach up to 20m in spread against a wall.

They are not a low-maintenance plant but need regular pruning twice a year, although the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) says the plant’s reputation for being difficult to prune is not merited.

Buyers should look for a named cultivar grown from a cutting – or a plant already in flower – to avoid disappointment, as young plants can take 20 years to produce flowers, experts say.

Climbing plants can also have environmental benefits, creating shade in otherwise bare areas and helping wildlife, including bees and other pollinators, the RHS said.

Bridgerton, which first aired last Christmas, also prompted a spike in searches for corsets of 123 per cent, as well as a 49 per cent rise in interest in pearl and feathered headbands.

Searches for empire line dresses rose by 93 per cent, according to shopping app Lyst.

The series was Netflix’s most popular show ever when it first aired, reaching 82 million households, the streaming site said in January. It was surpassed in October by Squid Game, the gory Korean thriller, which reached 142 million households.

The eight-part period drama, which ended with a wedding, is to return for a second season, expected to premiere in March next year.