top 12 quiet luxury brands you should know — discover chic style
I’ve curated a selection of 12 quiet luxury brands characterized by their moderately high prices , premium tailoring , refined cut ,enduring silhouette and superior quality fabric such as silk ,cashmere , virgin wool and cupro
In these selected brands ,a pair of pants typically priced over 4000¥(approximately 600$). Most of there brands are from New York ,Scandinavia and the UK.as a nod to native talents ,I have also included 2 Chinese native brands which meet the aforementioned criteria
here i gonna provide you a concise categorization of these 12 quiet luxury brands
New York&Scandinavia:the row,toteme ,Khaite , Gabrielle Hearst ,by malene birger
UK&France:joseph ,nehera , tove,lemaire ,studio nicholson
China:icicle , erdos
A majority of brands don’t have standalone stores in mainland China. Despite this, we have multi-brand stores such as Lane Crawford ，Lafayette and SKP-select that showcase a variety of brands. Additionally, online platforms like Farfetch and Net-A-Porter have expanded their e-commerce services to Taobao.
I’m planning to curate another collection named “old money brands “ featuring luxury labels such as Hermes ,Lora Piana,Colombo,Cortana,Rauph Lauren ,Kiton,Zegna,Agnona and Lorena Antoniazzi.
These brands are renowned for superior quality and higher price points compared to these quiet luxury brands mentioned earlier
New York and Scandinavia
I’ve chosen to bring together these brands from New York and Scandinavia because they share a similarity in cut ,fabric ,color and style . They all cater to woman’s sharp ,powerful styles ,exuding an elite aurora .Additionally, both brands excel in advertising and marketing ,making them among the most popular quiet luxury brands globally ,even in my country
the row
Founded by Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen in 2008.,The Row is a celebrity brands that has achieved notable recognition in fashion industry.It commend higher price points than any other quiet luxury label, making it the most expensive in its catagory.To illustrate ,a simple t-shirt from The Row will cost as much as 700$
Nevertheless, The Row is renowned for classic T-shirts. Here is the screenshot from e-commerce site, with currency exchanged to Hong Kong dollars, which has an exchange rate similar to Chinese yuan and is approximately one-seventh of the US dollar
they have designed a series of classic white T-shirts which is their known for . Here is the screenshot from e-commerce site. I changed its currency to Hong Kong dollar which its exchange rate is more similar to yuan and is 1/7 of US $
The Row also famous for its gala crepe pants . It sold out in beijing . I’ve try to wear this pants in Lane Crawford ,Beijing. But the pants is so long that reaches up to my chest
I need to emphasis that American and European label’s pants don’t fit well in our nifty Chinese figures. In most cases ,our legs are proportionately similar to our torsos. And to add, I am only 158cm in tall.I also try Gabriella Hearst Pants ,it is still so large for me. So for me ,I’m intented to buy some coats ,tops, shoes from these labels rather than pants
The Row also owned 2 top sales shoes :lattice or fisherman sandals and Mary Jane ballerian flats
toteme
Founded by Elin Kling and Karl Lindman in Stockholm ,2014, Toteme is typical in its scandinavian clean design styles ,making me even feel a little bit cold
I always bring together of the row and toteme ,just like iconic pairs such as McDonald’and KFC, coca Cola and pepsi cola.Despite differences in price points,they share striking similarities in marketing stratgeis ,design even logo.
The price points of Totême and most other quiet luxury labels I’ve listed here are typically half that of The Row.
Toteme excels in integrating their logo’s unique aesthetic into designs ,as you can see that from this screenshot
I’ve bought its leather sneakers off-white last month ,If you can visit Wechat and you know Chinese ,you can go to this site to read my consumption diary of this shoes. 预算4k德训鞋天花板，没买马吉拉margiela，入了toteme
Additionally, I’m currently considering purchasing my boyfriend a classic sneaker from Masion Margiela, which is hight sought after by Chinese consumer market that there are so many cheap counterfeit copy the original design . I think toteme and margiela’s sneaker form another iconic pairs in field of classic white sneakers
khaite
Founded by Catherine Holstein in New York,2016, khaite gained renown for its grey cashmere cardigan and bra ,famously worn by Katie Holmes. within just one hour ,the grey cashmere bra sold out .
Compared to the row and toteme, khaite is more good at grey tone and fine tailoring dress
This representative cardigans has spanded into several other colors ,such as glaze ,custard and avacado
this label also boasts a coveted item known as the lotus bag
Khaite’s danielle jeans is also a must-have piece ,of course ,for those tall and slim girls
Before I visit their website ,I did’t even know such a semi-transparent mesh ballet flats like marcy flats would exist.Fortunately ,I came across similar flats by The Row yesterday in SKP-select
Gabriela hearst
Founded by Uruguayan Gabriela Hearst in 2015, this brands cashmere or wool are from her Uruguayan family ranch.
This brand is famous for its nina bag which we call it Wonton bag because of its same like shape
bymalenebirger
This brand,based in Denmark since 2003, bears designer’s namesake label. Malenne Birger was hailed as fashion empress of Denmark .
While Bymalenebirger may not as famous as the brands I aforementioned, most of us think it will be next toteme.
The Must-have pieces of this label is their wool or cashmere coat .Also, it is too big for petit Asia girl like me.
the UK and France (European)
A majority of quiet luxury brands is founded within the past 20 years, largely influenced by Phoebe Philo during her tenure as creative director of Celine. Following her departure from fashion industry ,there was an opening widow of opportunities that allow these quiet luxury brands to experience a significant surge in popularity and success
There are few France brands in this category, mainly because most of French fashion brands are old-fashioned and dominated by luxury group like Kering ,LVMH or Richemont which typically have at least a century of history behind them
These UK or European brands is less famous than those New York or Scandinavia brands in China. The Row is now have approximately 2 standalone store in Shanghai ,Chengdu. And it is more difficult to buy these European brands’ pieces.
These low-key and refined labels only operate as fashion outfit reference for me.
joseph
Founded in London by Joseph Ettedgui since 2009, Joseph and other European brands is less sharp ,serious or elite than those New York or Scandinavia brands. These brands is more casual, artistic and daily life style
There is a joseph store in Lafayette ,beijing. But the store only provide some basic pieces and in small amount , such as pants, normal suit ,shirts and vests. So I would rather visit their website than to Lafayette .
nehera
Founded in 1930s in Czech , Nehera experienced a new revival since Samuel Drira took on the role of this brand’s creative director . With experience in those renowned fashion brands such as Hermes, The Row and Hugo Boss,Samuel Drira infused this nearly 100-year-old label with a distinctive quiet-luxury style
This brands even more low-key and subdued than joseph in our country ,so I just open my eye to just know this brands and admire its refined design rather than get a realistic haptic contact to these brands RTW firsthand yet
tove
through this brief RTW and runway photos you can see this brands spend more attention on Spring and Summer Clothes like dress ,sleeveless tops and sleeves tops
Founded in London since 2019, Tove is renowned for straps ,pleating tailoring ,asymmetric cut . It is not so elite ,more casual and vocational
These different shapes of well-tailored dress is their cash grab
Lemaire
Compared to previous quiet luxury brands ,Lemaire and Studio Nicholson which I’ll later introducing are less exquisite and don’t require highly sought after exclusive fabric .Therefore, these 2 brands’ price points are moderated low and its chic style is much more casual or broken artistic
And these 2 brands also got a reputation as menswear, they all start their journey as menswear labels
Lemaire is famous for its mens silk shirts, twisted trousers and square toned flats and croissant bags
In my country , this brands is more famous for its designer couple’s love story ,even they have broken up now.
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studio Nicholson
Founded by Nike Workman in UK,2010, Studio Nicholson got a subtle Janpanese style due to initiate’s experience in Japan
As far as I am concerned ,this brands is a iconic pair with lemaire. Their design is alike , both inclined to dark colors like navy blue ,brown ,chocolate and grey. Studio Nicholson also got twisted pants as their cash tree . Their shoes is also easy to match and price points is not so high
Unfortunately ,I rarely see this brand in my surroundings.
China
China’s fashion status is not as important as those European or American designs.In many cases, We did not treat fashion as a formal career except those wealthy family whose parents got a global vision.
In education system ,the best fashion college is just a second level.Most of those talented and intellectual students would choose computer science ,law and market management as their career. Also those top college is good at this traditional fields.
We also want to purchase and wear best clothes ,the problem is we do not want the talented take a job in designing clothes. Our society lack the encouragement of creative design . As a result ,we don’t have same luxury brands as the western . Most of these brands’ taste is hard to speak and almost no one will host a runway show. They have no concept in mind about RTW.
Here I just listed 2 brands that I’ve purchased and these labels are trying to elevate their brands’ reputation.
icicle
Founded in 1997 in Shanghai ,this brand has emerged as the most premium brands among those native brands.
It debuted its first Runway show in Shanghai fashion week . It also opened several stores in Paris and is particular about fabric .
The brands’ material include silk ,hemp, cashmere and wool ,with a notably avoidance of synthetic fibers
Through the photo I just showed,I believe there is still a design gap when comparing those western brands I early mentioned.
erdos
Erdos and icicle is our country iconic pair . As a evidence ,these 2 brands always open their store near each other.
Erdos is mainly focused cashmere ,named after its cashmere origin in Chinese mongolia, Erdos. However ,it still lacks fine tailoring and precise cut seen in other cashmere focused brands like Lora Piana ,Colombo or Brunello Cucinelli, which I’ll featuring in the upcoming articles on old money aesthetic
To be honest ,its cashmere material is as good as those Italian old money brands ,the design is the most headache problems
Lastly ,as a introduction of myself :
I am a portrait photographer who have a huge interests in Fashion ,based in Beijing ,China . (provide photo shoot service in beijing )
I post my photos on my Instagram: pamperherself
If you are using Wechat ,you can follow my Wechat Offical Account : pamperherself. I write Chinese version fashion articles in that platform.
