Is understated elegance really “at least” praise?

It is a very closed club with its own codes and rituals. And he has the same name on everyone’s lips these days. quiet luxury or understated luxury (just). From the pontoons of Cap Ferret to the beaches of Cape Cod or Ile de Re, members of this club know each other. Their mantra? Luxury, relaxation and…discretion. In response to the ubiquity of flashy marques and brands, members of this elite club flaunt their taste for premium materials, exclusive cuts and no logo overpriced. In short, the opposite of fashion showmanship and nouveau riche, Kim Kardashian and Co. style Of course this club has its icons. In France, for sober appeal and no lack of taste, it might be Sandrine Kiberlain, the quintessence of Parisian left-bank chic, but without any ostentatiousness. In the USA, in another style, the grandmother of the genre is definitely Gwyneth Paltrow. Perhaps you have not missed it. last spring, the trial of the actress and the seventy-year-old optician (who accused her of brutally hitting him with skis) was a real public event. And Paltrow’s chance to please the world with a real style lesson quiet luxury.

Members of this elite club showcase their taste for premium materials, exclusive cuts and no logo overpriced

Because it wasn’t the verdict (the star’s win) that wowed the crowd, it was Gwynnie’s look. Shades of brown, beige and classic pieces like a gray tweed suit, a beige blouse with an ascot or a long cashmere coat… All gorgeous East coast and intellectual Gwyneth brilliantly develops her stylistic pedigree with another elegant WASP blonde, Carolyn Bessett, who died in 1999. During the trial, broadcast live, fashion experts agreed to recognize the pieces of The Row (row sisters Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen). , Celine or Loro Piana, a brand where the price of the coat (100% vicuña and Made in Italy) exceeds… EUR 24,000.

And it’s not just with people that this expensive yet understated style is a hit. On television, series succession , which tells the horrors of a media mogul and his family, has done a lot to redefine the fashion codes of the richest 1%. So in the first episode of Season 4, Bridget, “the patch,” arrives at patriarch Logan Roy’s birthday with a bag that’s famously arched tartan… and therefore extremely visible to the human eye. family He is mocked mercilessly by the other characters, who find him disturbingly vulgar. One of the billionaire’s sons, Kendall shows off his taste for Loro Piana (again). At her feet, modest calfskin moccasins, a white-soled model, nautically inspired. Known for their thin white sole, they retail for around €1,000 in stores. A must for connoisseurs.

Internet users are also on fire in social networks. Last year, TikTok’s fashion trend was aesthetic old money – or looking like Jackie Kennedy while relaxing on the Amalfi Coast (#oldmoneyoutfits has 800 million views). This is the year quiet luxury which blows up the counters. So, the keyword #quietluxury already has more than 60 million views on the social platform. And influencers will multiply how-to tutorials for “looking rich” (#howtolookexpensive, 280 million views). The secret according to them. Accessorize your outfit with gold jewelry, choose only neutral colors (white, beige, black…) and, above all, show simple makeup. This is called pure girl aesthetic. A trend that has its gondola heads, model Hailey Bieber in particular, is always flawless, even when she’s wearing joggers (grey and cashmere, that’s for sure).

In the video, Louis Vuitton shows off the new luxury Eldorado in Seoul

Luxury for connoisseurs…

Oh surprise! quiet luxury to sell In the field of fashion, the numbers speak for themselves. Sales of Italian brand Brunello Cucinelli, which specializes in high-quality cashmere, rose 33% in the first quarter of 2023, driven by strong demand especially in the United States and China. Same story with France’s Hermès, which after seeing its turnover grow by 23% in 2022, posted a 23% increase in the first quarter of 2023. In short, the houses of excellence are popular, and that, without ever really breaking from their traditional. DNA. know-how and rarity. Stylist and trendsetter Thomas Zilberman of the Carlin Creative agency notes “the return of conscious luxury”. According to him, there is no doubt that this is one of the consequences of the “crisis of influence”. For the fashion expert, it’s a real backlash, as the public is somewhat tired of content creators “promoting outrageously valuable products.” He adjusts. “The quiet luxury it’s a bit like the death of “gum”, these products from luxury houses that are sold in maximum numbers at relatively affordable prices, such as logo sweatshirts or sneakers.

THE: quiet luxury it is a bit like the death of a “mastish”.

Thomas Zilberman, Stylist and Trendsetter at Carlin Creative Agency

To distinguish themselves from those who now adopted their codes, the ultra-rich would therefore invent others. Fanny Paris, an anthropologist and author of the booster, also shares this opinion Spoiled children. Anthropology of the Myth of Responsible Capitalism (Payot Editions). However, he qualifies. “What we see today is not new. Whatever the times or societies, the upper classes have always found a way to distinguish themselves, to invent new forms of social prestige. For Thomas Zilberman, this trend seems to be going in the direction of a form of “moralization” of fashion. Get out of unstable and non-virtuous products. “With the growth of the economy, including in the luxury sector, the very concept of value has been put back in the center,” he analyzes. Fanny Parise adds quiet luxury it is truly ‘praise’.’

… in line with the spirit of the times

We talk about sustainable consumption and eco-responsibility, because the economic, social and ecological crisis we are going through forces us to rethink the place of consumption. For the upper classes, the goal is therefore to create an identity that makes people dream, but whose values ​​are in line with the zeitgeist, at the risk of appearing detached otherwise. That way we will at least promote this culture. “However, nuanced Fanny Paris, if understated luxury is a commentary on these changes in values, the idea remains to always consume more.”
Less logos, less flash and showy pieces that are cut for buzz… Could this be the end of the age of Instagram-worthy fashion? Thomas Zilbermann is convinced of this, citing the departures of glamorous and star-studded artistic directors such as Alessandro Michele and Jeremy Scott from Gucci and Moschino respectively as minor triggers. The last clue that marks the full coming of the world quiet luxury ? Phoebe Philo, the designer whose intellectual-monk style set the Céline house on fire between 2008 and 2017, has announced her return with her own label next September. Undoubtedly, back to school will also be under the sign of discreet luxury.