What ‘Quiet Luxury’ Means Now
Three years into a luxury slowdown, the brands that whisper are outperforming those that shout. The lesson for dressing is subtler.
The phrase was supposed to have expired. Quiet luxury peaked as a talking point in 2023 and was being called outdated by early 2024. Yet in October 2026, the businesses most associated with it are the ones doing well.
Reuters reported on October 9 that the roughly $350 billion luxury sector is in its third year of slowdown, squeezed by softer American spending and new Chinese tax rules aimed at wealthy individuals’ offshore assets. Analysts told the agency that smaller “quiet luxury” labels such as Brunello Cucinelli and Loro Piana were outperforming more conspicuous brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci. Cucinelli’s first-half revenue rose 13.3% at constant exchange rates, and the company raised its full-year forecast, citing a particularly positive start to autumn/winter sales. Zegna’s namesake brand grew nearly 17% in the second quarter.
## Less a look than a standard
What has changed is the meaning. In 2023 quiet luxury was a beige uniform. In 2026 it is closer to a set of standards: cloth, construction, fit and repair. Bernard Arnault, discussing Loro Piana in January, said: “We don’t want to go too fast because the quality of products must be maintained.” Lardini presented its autumn collection with the line that process quality is the true luxury.
For a man getting dressed, that becomes a few habits. Choose texture over logos: flannel, tweed, suede, brushed cashmere. Prioritize fit, whether through a good alterations tailor or a made-to-measure service. Favor houses that specialize, such as Kiton in tailoring or Fedeli in knitwear. And wear things often enough that they look like yours.
The analyst Luca Solca has argued that a market driven by established high-end consumers favors high-end niche brands. Style follows the same logic. The point is not to look expensive. It is to look as if you know exactly what you are wearing, and why.
