What quiet luxury and the old money aesthetic are, which brands define them, and why the runways have started to move on.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 31 October 2026
On this page: The basics · The brands · What came next · The Ayerhs view
The basics
What is quiet luxury?
Expensive clothes that do not announce themselves: no logos, neutral colours, perfect fabrics such as cashmere and fine wool, and precise cut. It is sometimes called “stealth wealth”. The look took over around 2023, helped by the TV series Succession and by celebrity court appearances in understated outfits.
What is the old money aesthetic?
A style inspired by inherited wealth and its traditions: tailored blazers, cable knits, polo shirts, loafers, pearls and tennis whites, worn with restraint. Where quiet luxury is about fabric and cut, old money is about heritage and a lifestyle of country houses, sailing and prep schools.
Read on Ayerhs: The Old Money Aesthetic: Understated, Polished, and Built on Restraint · The Polo Shirt
The brands
Which brands are known for quiet luxury?
- Loro Piana and Brunello Cucinelli, for cashmere and fine fabrics
- The Row, founded by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
- Hermès, the benchmark for logo-free luxury
- Bottega Veneta, recognised by its woven leather rather than a logo
- Phoebe Philo’s Celine, which defined the look in the 2010s, and her own label today
- Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren for old-money tailoring
Why do brands like quiet luxury?
Because it sells at full price for years. Classic, logo-free pieces do not go out of fashion as fast as trend items, and they appeal to the richest clients, who have been the most resilient spenders during the luxury slowdown.
Read on Ayerhs: The Quiet Luxury Business Model in 2026
What came next
Is quiet luxury over?
On the runway, largely. The Spring 2027 shows swung towards gloss, metallics and statement It-bags, and Ayerhs argued that the season finally killed quiet luxury as a trend. As a way of dressing, well-made, understated clothes will never really leave.
Read on Ayerhs: Gloss and Glamour: Why Spring 2027 Finally Killed Quiet Luxury · Fashion Trends That Are Out in 2027
The Ayerhs view
Is quiet luxury worth buying into?
The idea is: buy fewer, better things that last. The trend version, with expensive beige basics bought to look rich, misses the point. Real restraint is personal, not a uniform.
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