How ‘stealth luxe’ caught fashion

It may be grabbing headlines now, but the concept of hidden wealth is not new. “The term ‘conspicuous consumption’ was coined by Thorsten Wellen in his book The Leisure Class Theory,” says Dr. Carolyn Mayer, fashion business consultant and fashion author of Fashion Psychology. Veblen defined it as “the act of displaying false wealth in order to gain status and fame in society” and concluded that those new to wealth were more likely to engage in this behavior. “The idea is that if you’re used to making money, you don’t have to show it,” Mayer says.

Fashion is a powerful communication tool, and one that even the super rich can’t afford to use. “We show our loyalty to our social groups and distinguish ourselves from others through our clothes,” Meer says. “As with any language, unless you speak that language fluently, you can miss it, understand it, or at least misinterpret it. This is the concept behind hidden wealth: buy inferior products for their quality, beauty, and rarity, but don’t leave the price tag (metaphorically speaking) so Only those in a similarly affluent position realize the monetary value of the item.There’s an inner-circle, semi-mysterious code about subtly-luxe clothing – a sense of “if you don’t know, you know.”

But hidden wealth is not just a lifestyle for the extremely fortunate few. It has filtered down the food chain to become this season’s top beauty. As New York Times chief fashion critic Vanessa Friedman recently noted, Milan’s catwalks have seen a transformation into clothing that “doesn’t shout, but whisper.” Friedman describes the look as “clothes that don’t overtly advertise their value,” but instead “use the fabric and the strictness of line—on insider information rather than influencer information—to suggest value.” Think tailored silhouettes, luxurious materials and a color palette that features every shade of sombre. Max Mara named their collection “Camelocracy”.

British Vogue describes the trend as “more sensual than anything else” and “basically synonymous with elevated basics.” Meanwhile, hashtags like #stealthluxe are garnering millions of views on Tik Tok, with fashion stylists breaking down how to reduce “stealthluxe.”

Conscious consumption

So what is driving it? In the year They say it is a response to the current economic crisis, echoing similar changes in fashion after the 2008 financial crisis. “While fashion can sometimes be reckless, it’s still very much attuned to social dynamics,” she told BBC Culture. “Now, as in the last financial crisis, brands will be looking to strike the right chord. With a significant proportion of the population struggling to heat their homes, statements of wealth seem to fall on deaf ears.”