The enduring appeal of ‘quiet luxury’

“Is recession-core just an opportunity for celebrities to cosplay being poor?” This is the headline on a recent article from Refinery29, wherein the author contemplates reasons behind the absence of jewellery on Hollywood red carpets. 

She writes: “It all started at the Golden Globes a few weeks ago, when all eyes turned to stars like Daisy Edgar-Jones (of Normal People fame) for her muted corset gown, with a silhouette that demanded diamonds along her décolletage — which were notably missing. Then, less than a week later and many seas away, Margot Robbie wore a baby blue Versace number at the Sydney premiere of Babylon, which also lacked accompanying jewellery.”

She goes on to suggest that celebrities are merely moving away from the maximalist aesthetic to separate themselves from the average Joe. We know they can afford the jewels; it really doesn’t matter if they do, what they wear is still unattainable regardless of how flashy it is.

I don’t disagree, but I do think there are lessons to take from it.

The term “recession-core” originates from TikTok and is characterised as an effort on the part of the wealthy among us to avoid appearing ostentatious in times of strife.

Across the world, economists are predicting slow growth in the world’s leading economies, with many saying a recession is “likely”. For SA, Bloomberg’s monthly survey of economists turned up what respondents said is a 45% chance of a recession. The same survey had marked the odds at 35% just three months ago in November. Whether or not we fall into a recession, however, there’s very little doubt that many of us are struggling.

Before the end of 2022, it had become commonplace to find Twitter threads comparing food prices among retailers, often noting gigantic — and oftentimes alarming — price increases at certain stores. At my own local spaza, I was particularly shocked when the storekeeper told me they would no longer be selling amagwinya. The price of oil had simply become too prohibitive, and in spite of hiking the price of a single vetkoek from R2 in June, to R3.50 by the fourth quarter, they simply chose to avoid shifting the burden to the customer.

In such an environment, clothing — let alone luxury fashion — is probably the last thing on your mind as you try to trim costs. Any plan to purchase a luxury handbag, an expensive pair of shoes or a dazzling diamond-encrusted necklace might have to take a back seat.

While I agree that what the celebrities are doing is poverty cosplay, for the rest of us, sans the huge pay cheques, cutting back on luxuries is an unavoidable reality. But do we really have to eschew luxury? I would suggest that it depends on your pocket, really.

For many, affordable fast fashion is not an option, but a necessity. Still, many outside that bracket are in a situation where being more pragmatic with their finances is advisable. To this shopper, I would say recession-proofing your wardrobe means opting for utilitarian practicality and the purchase of investment pieces.

This might constitute muted tones, or a pared down, reductionist aesthetic, similar to what we saw at the recent Paris Men’s Fashion Week shows, at LOEWE, for example. The tailored looks — brushed velvet, and wool overcoats — bucking showy trends, make for a wardrobe designed to last beyond a single season. Local brands with a similarly pared down aesthetic, such as UNI FORM, are worth looking into as you build a wardrobe of fashionable but quality threads and basics you won’t feel weird wearing a year, two or three from now.

It’s a kind of minimalist, quiet luxury with an enduring appeal. In times of strife, when it comes to fashion, it’s about quality, not quantity.