Luxury’s new face: Fashion + style

The focus of luxury is shifting from excess and opulence to connection, depth, and intention. Globally, the idea of intentional indulgence is redefining what it means to live luxuriously. People seek experiences and products that tell a story, foster connection, and embrace sustainability.

In fashion and décor, quiet luxury is out and bold colours, “chaotic customisation” in accessories and accoutrements, and rich textures in wardrobes that tell personal stories are fully in.

Retro-chic revived:

Tech gadgets of the early 2000s, such as brightly coloured iPods and hot-pink Razrs, are making a comeback, driven by nostalgia and a desire for simplicity, according to Vogue Business. Brands such as Supreme, Lacoste, and Miu Miu are collaborating with retro-tech companies such as Fujifilm and Polaroid, releasing analogue cameras and tech-inspired accessories. Marni’s PVC tote bags evoke the colourful iMacs of the era, Nike’s iridescent Air Max 97s pay homage to the holographic shimmer of CD-ROMs, and the return of phone charms from luxury brands such as Prada highlights the aesthetic’s growing appeal.

While Rodney Mudzengerere’s Ifuku brand, which transitioned from Instagram to a brick-and-mortar store at 44 Stanley in Braamfontein Werf, Joburg, has been a favoured destination for vintage denim since 2021, LVMH’s quiet acquisition of cult brand Kapital, known for rejuvenating classic styles with a vintage spirit, shows the luxury market’s embrace of this growing appeal.

Locally, Ubuntu Film Co’s Reusable Memory Maker is all over Instagram, capturing your moments with 35mm film. The revival is a refreshing response to the modern digital overload.

Decolonising fashion narratives:

The upcoming Costume Institute exhibition at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, opens 6 May, the day after the Met Gala. The show will use the “Black Dandy” to explore the ways in which cloth and style have shaped Black identities across the African diaspora in the Americas, Europe, and the Caribbean.

Celebrating the manner in which self-presentation can serve as both cultural expression and resistance, “Superfine” is part of a larger movement to decolonise fashion history. The exhibition highlights the overlooked stories embedded in dress by challenging the Eurocentric narratives that have dominated fashion institutions.

From the February edition of Wanted, 2025