As Gwyneth Paltrow’s courtroom fashion showed, ‘quiet luxury’ is having a moment. Insiders explain why, looking to history and the future

The logo-free, expensive courtroom outfits worn by Gwyneth Paltrow recently typify a ‘stealth wealth’ trend that has overtaken fashion runways in recent years

Experts discuss why the post-pandemic wave of understated dress began, the brands at its forefront and its implications for the future of fashion

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Gwyneth Paltrow leaves the courthouse during her recent lawsuit over a ski-slope collision wearing an outfit that epitomises the “quiet luxury” trend. But Where did this wave of pared down fashion begin? Photo: AP

Published: 1:00pm, 18 Apr 2023Updated: 1:04pm, 18 Apr 2023

You’ve probably heard the term “quiet luxury” bandied around in recent months as an umbrella phrase to describe a quality-driven, understated design aesthetic that has swept fashion show runways over the last few seasons.

On day one of her recent court case over a collision on a ski slope, American actress Gwyneth Paltrow wore a cream-coloured polo neck from the Olsen twins’ label The Row.

According to fashion media outlet Highsnobiety, the polo neck jumper cost US$1,700 and the coat that she wore US$3,500. She paired these with US$1,200 Celine boots and Ray-Ban sunglasses in a look that is a hallmark of the trend.

“We saw the biggest wave of modern minimalism on the runways recently and I’m sure it’s no coincidence that when the fall-winter 2023 offering arrives on our site in September, [former Celine creative director] Phoebe Philo will also be launching her much-anticipated debut collection for Philo,” Libby Jane Page, the market director of fashion retailer Net-a-Porter, tells the Post.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s “quiet luxury” fashion choices stood out during her recent court case over a collision on a ski slope. Photo: AFP

“We have definitely noticed that customers are taking an increasingly considered approach to shopping and are now looking for investment pieces with the aim to build a quality-over-quantity curation within their wardrobe.”

But, more than a new categorisation for posh palazzo trousers, a survey of industry insiders shows that this wave of quiet luxury may have deeper implications for consumer values today and reflect a fundamental shift in how luxury may be defined in the future.