Quiet Luxury and Loud Branding
Image Courtesy: Aglaia Magazine
The fashion landscape has long struggled with the dichotomy of two opposing trends that take center stage in discussions: class and status. Quiet luxury is rooted in understated elegance—the epitome of the saying “money talks, wealth whispers.” There is an emphasis on quality, craftsmanship, and timeless appeal. Loud branding thrives on maximalism, overt logos, and extravagant aesthetics that make a statement. These trends appear to be stylistic choices but are deeply intertwined with social class. Fashion is one of the quickest avenues of status signaling. These two opposing trends reflect the paradoxical ways in which people express wealth or the illusion of it.
Image Courtesy: Forbes
Quiet luxury is wealth in disguise, it prioritizes subtlety over spectacle. Brands like The Row, Loro Piana, and Brunello Cucinelli cater to these consumers who can afford the craftsmanship but do not feel the need to display their wealth. Although it may seem as though the rich humble themselves through quiet luxury, they have instead solidified the exclusiveness of the rich even more. Only those who are in see through the “disguise.” The rise of this aesthetic is tied to the changing ways the elite navigate their status, with the most affluent individuals increasingly distancing themselves from anything that might appear ostentatious. The truly wealthy have no need to “prove” their status through monograms or flashy jewelry. When I think of quiet luxury, I think of Sofia Richi Grainge, who has become the face of the aesthetic with her elegant, minimalist outfits. Quiet luxury gives the lower class the illusion that the wealthy are just as down to earth as we are.
Image Courtesy: Supreme
Loud branding, however, dominates streetwear and influencer culture. It is fashion as an aspirational statement. Brands like Supreme and Off-White embrace logo-heavy, high-visibility fashion that signals status at a glance. These designs cater to individuals who want their wealth, whether it be real or perceived, to be instantly recognizable. The boldness of this aesthetic plays into social media culture, where clothing is not just about personal style but about crafting an image and a brand identity. This trend is particularly popular among younger generations and those from middle-class or working-class backgrounds who see luxury fashion as an entry point into a higher social status. Wearing a Gucci tracksuit is a way to telegraph wealth, even if it means spending an entire paycheck on a single item or hunting for items secondhand. It represents an aspirational attempt to access the social privileges of the elite, ironically, as the elite move more towards inconspicuous consumption.
This dichotomy reflects a larger cultural paradox, the rich pretend to be poor, and the poor pretend to be rich. The rich increasingly adopt a dressed-down aesthetic, while the less affluent strive for visible markers of wealth through conspicuous consumption. This phenomenon is particularly evident in the rise of minimalist fashion, thrifted looks, and “old money” aesthetics that favor discretion, like Mark Zuckerberg’s daily uniform of custom-made Brunello Cucinelli gray T-shirts that go for hundreds of dollars. What appears to be simple is a quiet assertion of exclusivity.
Strike Out,
Writer: Michelle Chadwell
Editor: Grace Groover
Tallahassee