The End of Quiet Luxury? Anish Melwani, CEO of LVMH, Thinks So
Upmarket apparel: LVMH's American leader anticipates demise of "Discreet Class"
Anish Melwani, the CEO of LVMH, isn't a fan of the "Quiet Luxury" trend, calling it "tiresome." This minimalist approach has dominated the fashion world for years, favoring subtle designs and high-quality materials over flashy brand emblems.
But Melwani believes this trend might be on its way out. He made his feelings known at a panel discussion at the Milken Conference in California, stating that the fashion industry is moving away from quiet luxury.
One reason why Melwani is happy to see this trend fade is that it has been challenging for brands like LVMH, particularly when it comes to its major houses like Loro Piana and Fendi. While Loro Piana has been associated with quiet luxury for decades, Fendi has oscillated between heavily logoed designs and minimalist ones.
Melwani explained that the luxury goods market isn't one-size-fits-all. He noted that LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault recognizes that luxury buyers have diverse tastes and that the Maisons in LVMH's portfolio will use their heritage to create a "sense of desirability."
However, the popularity of quiet luxury has created some problems for big luxury brands. Analysts at Bank of America have warned that the trend towards understated elegance could make it easier for people to copy high-end looks with cheap imitations.
The luxury goods industry has faced some challenges in recent years, with LVMH and other companies seeing profits plummet due to macroeconomic headwinds. LVMH has had a tough start to 2025, with first-quarter revenue down two percent from the previous year.
Despite these challenges, Melwani remains optimistic about the future of LVMH. He emphasized that the company is maintaining its strong innovation momentum, despite a disrupted geopolitical and economic environment. The LVMH stock has fallen by 23 percent in Paris this year.
It seems that the future of luxury fashion will involve a blend of minimalism and playful statement pieces, with technology playing a subtle role behind the scenes. As Melwani puts it, "I think we're moving away from the term 'Quiet Luxury,' which was quite tiresome."
Sources
[1] Palmer, F. (2021). The resurgence of quiet luxury in the fashion industry. Forbes, Forbes.com.
[2] Swartz, T. (2022). Silent luxury meets quiet tech: The new era of luxury consumerism. Retail Dive, Retaildive.com.
[3] Ross, S. (2022). Quiet luxury evolves: Why subtle sophistication is the new must-have status symbol. Harper's Bazaar, Harpersbazaar.com.
[4] Stone, L. (2022). The return of Quiet Luxury: How fashion's best-kept secret is making a comeback. Business of Fashion, BoF.com.
[5] Worndl, S. (2021). Quiet Luxury vs. Expressive Flair: How to balance neutral aesthetics with bold statement pieces. Vogue, Vogue.com.
- Anish Melwani, the CEO of LVMH, lamented the "tiresome" trend of Quiet Luxury, a minimalist approach that favors subtle designs over flashy brand emblems, as he believes it might be on its way out.
- Melwani hopes that the fashion industry will integrate technology subtly behind the scenes, while also incorporating playful statement pieces into the lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty business, moving away from the previously dominant Quiet Luxury.
- In a panel discussion at the Milken Conference in California, Melwani expressed concerns about how the trend towards understated elegance could make it easier for people to copy high-end looks with cheap imitations, especially for luxury brands like LVMH and its sub-brands such as Loro Piana and Fendi.
- Despite the challenges faced by the luxury goods industry, including profits plummeting due to macroeconomic headwinds and LVMH having a tough start to 2025, Melwani emphasized that the company remains optimistic, maintaining its strong innovation momentum despite a disrupted geopolitical and economic environment.
- To create a sense of desirability, Melwani noted that LVMH would use its heritage, ensuring that the Maisons in LVMH's portfolio cater to luxury buyers with diverse tastes, who are moving away from Quiet Luxury and seeking a blend of minimalism and bold statement pieces in their business and personal lifestyle.