It’s a Big Club and You’re Not In It
Lots of people save up to buy that Chanel bag or those Louboutin shoes, but did you know those brands are made for middle-class people? Real millionaires and billionaires don’t bother with those “loud luxury” brands, and many of them consider such items tacky. Instead, the richest of the world have their own secret brands that they shop at. With that in mind, here are 20 quiet luxury brands they just couldn’t keep secret.
1. The Row
The Row was a brand founded in 2006 by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The focus was on minimalistic clothing that was tailored specifically for body types. The fabrics used were ultra-high quality, which is what contributes to the high prices.
Adam from Sydney, Australia on Wikimedia
2. Toteme
Toteme is a modern brand founded in 2014 by Elin Kling and Karl Lindman. It has Scandinavian roots and focuses on clean lines in the form of coats, denim, and knitwear. Like most luxury brands, they too focus on minimalistic and chic clothing with a tailored vibe.
3. Hermes
Hermes is pretty well-known, especially for their Birkin bag, but for a bit, they were quiet luxuries. Hermes was founded in 1837 by Thierry Hermes in France and started out as equestrian goods, which came to include scarves and handbags. Now, they’re known for their legendary craftsmanship and use of premium leathers.
4. Tove
Tove is also a pretty new brand that was founded as recently as 2019 by Camille Perry and Holly Wright. They focus on feminine and modern clothes and use materials like silk and knit. They also emphasize sustainability and support a soft aesthetic.
5. Max Mara
Max Mara was founded by Achille Maramotti in Italy in 1951. They focus on elegant and classic-looking clothes, specifically for women. One of their standout pieces is their camel coat, which comes across as timeless and is made through intricate Italian tailoring.
6. Jil Sander
Jil Sander is based in Germany and was founded by the brand’s namesake in 1968. This brand, like all the others, zeroed in on minimalism and tailoring. They created unembellished silhouettes and used luxurious fabrics to achieve it. Kind of silly how all these high-end ultra-luxury brands want to look super subtle and minimalistic.
7. Bite Studios
Bite Studios was founded in 2016 and placed an emphasis on sustainability and environmentally conscious fashion. To achieve this, they source their materials thoughtfully and rely on couture-level craftsmanship to retain their luxurious status. In terms of the kind of clothes they make, you guessed it, it’s minimalistic.
8. Agnona
Agnona was founded in 1953 in Italy and started off as a textile supplier for a couture house. They decided to try their own hand at couture and began creating women’s luxury fashion. In terms of materials, they specialize in cashmere and alpaca and rely on their Italian tailoring heritage.
9. Khaite
Khaite was founded in 2016 by Catherine Holstein and is based in New York. It switches up things a bit by instead focusing on American sportswear but also stretches into coats and denim. They, too, use rich fabrics and claim to carefully craft their silhouettes.
10. St. Agni
St. Agni was founded in 2014 by Lara and Matt Fells and is based in Australia. Like all the other luxury minimalist brands on this list, they too focus on an effortless wardrobe. They take inspiration from coastal classics and make things like slip dresses and sandals in neutral tones and sustainable fabrics.
11. Gabriela Hearst
Gabriela Hearst was founded in 2015 by none other than Gabriela Hearst herself. This brand focuses on both women’s and men’s fashion, with that same emphasis on sustainability. To achieve this, they run ethical sourcing and use natural fabrics like merino wool.
12. Dunhill
Dunhill was founded by Alfred Dunhill in London in 1893. This is an older and classic brand that focused on impeccable menswear. British heritage meets modern refinement under this brand, and they offer tailored and leather goods for the sensible gentleman.
13. Loro Piana
This brand shifts its focus to expensive and luxurious garments, mostly made of vicuña and cashmere. Mostly making coats and sweaters, Piana is world-renowned for its use of the very best natural fibers. They got their start in the 1800s as a family business in Italy.
Alexandre Buisse (Nattfodd) on Wikimedia
14. Guest in Residence
This is probably the most recent brand on this list and was founded in 2022 by Gigi Hadid. She claimed the focus was on the wardrobe for a casual guest who comes and goes. The focus is hence on comfortable and casual clothing made with exceptional craftsmanship and expensive materials like cashmere and wool.
15. Ann Demeulemeester
This brand was founded in 1985 in Belgium by Ann Demeulemeester. A twist on the usual minimalistic brands, Demeulemeester instead focuses on dark and avant-garde clothing. She isn’t one to shy away from moody aesthetics and has developed quite a cult following.
16. Brioni
Brioni is a Roman brand that was founded in 1945 by Nazareno Fonticoli and Gaetano Savini. It offers men’s bespoke fashion, with everything from custom tailoring to luxurious formalwear. The suits are handsome and are considered the pinnacle of masculine elegance.
Alexander Naglestad on Unsplash
17. Brunello Cucinelli
This brand is all Italian and was founded in 1978 and is still going strong. They’re known as the King of Cashmere, and with that in mind, offer everything from cashmere knits, blazers, and trousers for both men and women. They also practice ethical business and are a comfortable option for those with millions to spend on a wardrobe.
18. ASPESI
ASPESI is all about outerwear for both men and women. While keeping things understated, they don’t shy away from modernity and use technical fabrics to achieve clean looks. For context, the brand was founded in 1969 in Italy by Albert Aspesi.
19. Barena
Barena is another Italian brand that was actually founded in Venice in the 1990s. They offer relaxed and soft pieces, often providing unstructured pieces. The Venetian craftsmanship certainly comes through, and that focus on elegance is what makes them so expensive.
20. Common Projects
Common Projects is a shoe company that makes leather sneakers with subtle gold serial numbers. Despite their minimalistic look, they’re the pinnacle of luxury footwear. As such, the brand was founded in 2004 by Prathan Poopat and Flavio Girolami.
