Quiet Luxury: The Art of Subtle Elegance in Fashion
Everything you need to know for this effortless elegance revolution
In a fast-paced world filled with noise and loud opulence, a new concept is starting to emerge, captivating hearts and wardrobes alike. Quiet Luxury, the epitome of understanding elegance, provides a break off the buzz of extravagance. This trend speaks to those who value subtlety, sophistication, refined taste, and classic elegance. In this article, we focus on the essence of quiet luxury, exploring its origins, defining characteristics, and the reasons behind its growing popularity.
How do we define Quiet Luxury? Quiet Luxury is the embodiment of understated refinement. It is the transition from flashy logos and displays to favoring simplicity, craftmanship and quality over flamboyance. With its roots in minimalism, this movement embraces clean lines, subtle textures, and a harmonious color palette to create an air of effortless sophistication. It is not clear when and where it emerged, but we can say it can be traced back to a societal shift towards mindfulness and sustainable lifestyle. Clearly influenced by minimalism, Scandinavian design, and the slow fashion movement, quiet luxury creates a harmonious fusion of timeless aesthetics, encouraging a deeper connection with oneself and the calmness of the environment.
Admittedly, it can be difficult to fully comprehend the concept of quiet luxury, as it mostly evolves around the mood and essence of pieces. Loro Piana is a brand that evidently advocates the fact that true luxury begins at the materials level. Monochromic combinations of mostly subtle colors and materials, such us beige, white, grey, and suede elements, achieve the perfect output that whispers “luxury”. Not only on clothes, but jewelry and accessories’ brands approach this minimalistic movement. Bottega Veneta is a brand that managed to make their bags widely identifiable without using any logo or print only the distinct design of a braided/knitted effect.
Apart from the obvious change in style, many luxury brands chose to embrace this minimalistic philosophy as their brand image and marketing techniques, by changing their logos. These logo changes represent a shift away from the traditionally ornate and elaborate emblems towards simpler, cleaner, and more streamlined visual identities. Several luxury brands have embraced this change, finding that the understated elegance of minimalism resonates with modern consumers and aligns with the growing desire for authenticity and simplicity. Fancy fonts and calligraphies have disappeared and only the simple, plain sign dominates.
As, undeniably, we live in a world ruled by social media and influencers, all trends need to be fed by social media exposure to survive. During covid, people were desperately trying to find identity and discover new fashion trends to adapt to. The “old money” style became viral, embracing the dreamy life of a big family, a luxurious house, vintage cars, golfing as the main activity and weekends in the Hamptons. Much more than clothes, this lifestyle promoted authenticity and pure wealth. Without having the need to be noisy and loud, the “old money” enthusiasts were the ones to find style in quiet and not in flashy elements.
We could say that quiet luxury is the child of the “old money” aesthetic, as both strive for a calm, true luxury that comes from the inside. It is based on the essence of style that has no need to shout, “I am luxurious”. It radiates elegance and style just by existing. Quiet Luxury is more than just a fashion trend; it represents a profound shift in values and aesthetics within the luxury industry. As people need to have meaningful experiences and seek to align their choices with authenticity, this trend rises as the guiding principle. In this realm, less is indeed more – more style, more connection, as a celebration of individuality and self-expression, where each piece curated exudes sophistication and grace. So, may we find solace in the whisper of quiet luxury and discover the true essence of what it means to live luxuriously.
