What if the height of chic was not to look like it? Luxury now focuses on minimalism and extreme quality! In Quiet Luxury, it's the detail and simplicity that make the difference: a sleeve, a collar, a cut...
Out with logomania, out with excessive monograms, and flashy color blocking. Brands are no longer on display. Instead, we're focusing on monochrome looks, clean lines, and neutral tones. Style is no longer synonymous with ostentation; on the contrary, it's becoming minimalist and discreet. Quiet Luxury is shaking up the codes of fashion!
Accessories
So what are the codes of this trend and who is it aimed at? Are we moving towards more responsible consumption? Over the last decade, we have experienced a period of extreme logomania, where branding was all the rage: monograms in total looks, excessive color blocking, even streetwear. A logomania phenomenon appeared in the 1990s and 2000s with Karl Lagerfeld, who placed the double Chanel logo on his pieces, or with John Galliano, with the famous "I love Dior." The same goes for the Tom Ford era at Gucci, where color blocking was the key word.
A period that seems to have recently disappeared, giving way to basic pieces. Fashion is returning to a simpler, more minimalist style where quality is the key word. Everything is in the details. This is the Quiet Luxury trend. The one adopted by the elite.
The codes of Quiet Luxury
Luxury is now discreet; style, timeless. We're focusing on sure values: beautiful basics with impeccable materials and cuts. Because clothing is made to be worn in everyday life. Say goodbye to flashy prints! We can still wear them, but this time, we're choosing discreet ones: stripes or polka dots will do the trick.
As for colors, we're opting for neutral tones: black, beige, white, gray, navy blue, brown... We're also showing off colors, but in saturated hues often worn as a total look. Red is the star color of the season, which we'll see a lot on coats.
The oversized look will always be in style, but controlled and stylish, because excess is lacking. of elegance. The blazer is worn with shoulder pads, as seen on the Saint Laurent runway, with a pencil skirt or high-waisted pleated pants. The waist will be very defined this season. The ascot is also back.
Jeans appear in a total look but making sure to stay in the same shades.
The materials are noble: silk, cashmere, wool, linen... and above all, of impeccable quality. The makeup is understated, often nude and fresh.
When it comes to accessories, we're always opting for simplicity: the pieces have a retro feel and are of good quality. We don't hesitate to return to the vintage wardrobe for jewelry or watches. The Cartier Tank and the Chanel Première watch are making a big comeback.
For shoes, we seek absolute comfort. The heel is low or completely flat. Ballet flats are back in fashion, as are loafers. The belt is the star accessory of this trend. It is chosen very simply, rather thin: the Kelly model by Hermès and the Triomphe by Céline have been a great success, as have the bags. Moreover, the house of Céline no longer hesitates to reinterpret pieces from its archives. The same goes for the mSaint Laurent, which offered a show worthy of a return to the 90s: minimalist pieces in neutral tones, oversized jewelry with a vintage feel. An essential wardrobe, as Anthony Vaccarello, the designer, had announced.
What if this trend already exists?
However, some brands have always adopted this minimalism, often considered austere. This is the case for Jil Sander, Helmut Lang, Prada, Loro Piana, Bruno Cucinelli, Zegna, and The Row.
Also, In the 2010s, Celine designer Phoebe Philo had, in a way, established the Quiet Luxury style: a true era of fashion was born. The designer breathed new life into the fashion of the time. A style that seduced and created followers: the "philophiles." When we ask R., a fashion consultant, she replies: "Phoebe Philo changed the way I perceive fashion. You live in her clothes, you can wear them to work, to go for a run, to go out in the evening. They are not just clothes, they are a whole attitude. These are pieces that I will wear over the years." It was also upon her departure that the "Old Celine" era was born, like a break in time with the new Celine. A departure that left a void, but its values were adopted by other designers: for example, the house of Bottega Veneta often reused the Old Celine codes by hiring Daniel Lee, Phoebe Philo's assistant at Celine. Other brands have since been inspired by this "effortless chic" style: oversized blazers, high-waisted pants, clean lines at Victoria Beckham, Jacquemus, Gabrielle Hearst or, more recently, Khaite, Peter Do.
Beyond this era, and even if it went unnoticed, this style had already long been adopted by tech CEOs. Steve Jobs' style was a black turtleneck and jeans, often worn during his presentations. But this sweater, at first glance very simple, was an Issey Miyake that cost €2000 and was made of impeccable material. This is also the case for Marc Zuckerberg, whose T-shirt, which seems ordinary, is a Bruno Cuccinelli piece and costs €600.
When you have money, you don't need to flaunt it; you focus on elegance and power: clothing indicates your power, and the saying "When you know, you know!" takes on its full meaning in this movement. Clothing expresses.
What is creating this craze?
We've been through the pandemic and, in lockdown, we've gotten used to dressing more casually, often favoring comfort more.
This period has brought us back to simpler, more qualitative things. Our consumption habits have changed somewhat. Secondhand has even become more common, as has vintage. Consumers have turned to more responsible consumption. Adopting basics has become a habit.
Today, most fashion houses are adopting a minimalist style. This is the case for Gucci, which appointed Sabato de Sarro as its designer, breaking away from the eclectic style of Alessandro Michele. His mission: to make the house more elitist. The return of old icons is proof of this, such as the iconic Jacky bag. Celine is also reusing codes from its vintage archives: XXL blazers, the return of the Triomphe.
Quiet Luxury enthusiasts dress at The Row, Bruno Cucinelli, Loro Piana, Celine, Bottega Veneta, Max Mara, Ralph Lauren, not forgetting Hermès, the queen of ultra-luxury. Fashion houses that offer minimalist yet high-quality pieces. This phenomenon, however, has not escaped fast-fashion brands like Massimo Dutti, Cos, and even Zara, which are eager to capitalize on the trend, offering higher-quality pieces, even in limited editions, to attract a more demanding clientele.
It's important to remember, however, that Quiet Luxury only concerns an elite, as it involves expensive pieces. This Fast Fashion trend is much closer to the "Old Money" style and gives the illusion of being on-trend.
Fashion has returned to simpler things, so it seems this trend represents one of its manifestations.
Josiane Massé
