There’s a new fashion idiom permeating our Instagram feeds and dominating the autumn/winter ‘23 runways, and it goes by the name of 'quiet luxury'.
Unlike 'Barbie pink' and 'balletcore' (both of which found homes in brands like Valentino and Miu Miu), quiet luxury may be more than meets the eye, acting as a reflection of our financial climate and laying the foundation for the return of beloved designer Phoebe Philo. But, before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s set the record straight on what quiet luxury even is.
Simply put, quiet luxury is new-age minimalism, with a larger focus on investment pieces and thoughtful shopping habits.
While aesthetically similar to the minimalist movement we witnessed between 2008-2016 (Normcore, remember her?), in terms of championing a neutral colour palette and rejecting logos, it’s all about curating a selection of high-quality wearable pieces that seamlessly work with the rest of your wardrobe.
If you can't quite picture it, think Claudia Winkleman in a grey roll neck in The Traitors or Gwyneth Paltrow’s courtroom green overcoat from The Row. It’s not about breaking the bank in the name of a cashmere jumper, but rather taking a slower, more simplistic, approach to dressing.
'Luxury is the same as quality for me,' says Maja Dixdotter, the Creative Director of By Malene Birger – a label that has recently reached cult status by repositioning itself with a 'stealth wealth' aesthetic under a new design team. 'I believe that feeling of luxury comes from some kind of harmony. A harmony in the colour palette, in different textures and shapes. A home or an outfit feels luxurious when it breathes a clear style.'
Like an eager understudy waiting for their West End debut, this pared-back aesthetic has been in the wings for a while now. Labels like The Row, Totême and Tove (founded in 2006, 2014 and 2019, respectively) have built entire brands around a steady stream of loyal customers who prefer refined tailoring over loud and proud monograms. However, over the last six months, quiet luxury has found its way to the centre stage.
Aforementioned, London-based brand Tove made its London Fashion Week debut showcasing an autumn/winter ‘23 collection of refined ready-to-wear, while in Milan, Gucci swapped its usual monogram-infused maximalism for champagne knit dresses and boxy blazers in the wake of Alessandro Michele's departure.
What’s clear is there’s been a sartorial shift, one that doesn’t start and end on the runway like other avant-garde trends (the jury is still out on whether we’ll be sporting no trousers this summer), but actually has real-world wearability.
Leandra Medine Cohen, a journalist once known for her 'look-at-me' click bait-y outfits that she documented on now-defunct website Man Repeller, notes the impact on her own wardrobe: 'I have found myself buying considerably less, and feeling more full and complete with my closet.' It's telling that even the OG face of Influencer fashion is seeking a quieter, more discreet aesthetic.
With any style movement comes the question: why now? Considering only 18 months ago we were fawning over Gucci and Balenciaga’s 'hacking project' and heading to the club in our post-pandemic party gear, it feels sudden for us all to start embracing a pared-back wardrobe.
'It’s a combination of things,' says Dixdotter. 'Due to COVID-19, many of us lived in lockdown and wore less outfits than before, realising how few pieces of clothing we actually need.'
Though, the embrace of quiet luxury is more than just a lockdown-era lesson well learned. Fashion has long been the barometer for social and economic changes. A prime example is the 2008 recession, where after a decade of logomania and Paris Hilton’s 'that’s hot' catchphrase, brands like Céline (under the then creative director Phoebe Philo) offered functional fashion that felt more attune to our everyday lives. Cohen, a self-appointed Philophile, reflects on this period and Philo’s influence.
'She made clothes for a woman to live her life in the 2010s, who could look cool at work and on the weekend, and with her kids, and out for dinner, in almost all the same garments,' explains Cohen. 'I think part of what made her clothes so culturally relevant is that they never tried to escape or avoid reality, but there was also something implicit about how she designs, her clothes supported women throughout the ridges of their day—from the inner seams.'
An obvious assumption, as the rate of inflation rises and whispers of recession linger like the smell of Dior Sauvage on the underground, is that history is repeating itself, that quiet luxury has been birthed from the same circumstances as minimalism. To some extent, yes, this is true. But while 2010’s minimalists favoured functionality and wardrobe rationalisation, quiet luxury is defined by its easy elegance. 'Quiet luxury is bringing to the table a more splintered version of good taste', echoes Cohen. 'It feels refined, but more risky.'
A prime example is when actress Katie Holmes was photographed in 2019 hailing a cab while wearing an oatmeal-hued Khaite cardigan and bralette. The image went viral for the blassé attitude it encapsulated and the subtle sexiness of the look. 'It wasn’t some premeditated paparazzi shot,' says stylist Brie Welch, who has frequently dressed Holmes. 'She looked effortless and chic, and that sort of refined realness resonated with people.'
One factor contributing to quiet luxury’s rise has to be the return of British designer Phoebe Philo. The former Chloé and Celine creative director revealed in an Instagram post, which has since been taken down, that her eponymous label’s 'collection will be revealed and available on our website in September 2023.'
To those unfamiliar with Philo’s minimalist Midas touch, she is the person responsible for some of the fashion world’s most enduring a desirable products, like Chloé’s Paddington bag and Céline’s furry Birkenstocks—she even managed to enlist writer Joan Didion into a Céline campaign. Long story short: Phoebe Philo is somewhat of a legend and the plethora of fan accounts like Old Céline who frequently document her creations prove this.
Phoebe Philos’ return and quiet luxury’s rise could just be happenstance, but we’re firm believers that there’s no such thing as coincidence in the world of fashion; Tagwalk recently reported the standout colours of the fall/winter ‘23 shows were black, white, grey, and beige, which are historically Philo’s preferred palette. Whether brands like By Malene Birger (whose creative director notes Philo as one of her inspirations) and Tove are laying the foundation for her return is unclear, what we do know for sure is that quiet luxury isn’t background noise anymore.
