Is 'quiet luxury' about to make a big noise?

“Quiet luxury” – the well documented concept of logo-free, understated (and let’s face it, expensive) style. Think Gwyneth head to toe in ‘The Row’. It’s a concept that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere and, it’s interesting to see how some of the larger, more established fashion houses, well-known for their monochrome branding and bold logos react to this. I’m thinking of the likes of Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel to name just a few, who have built their reputation on clothes, shoes and handbags covered in monochrome prints and standout logos. 

With my trade mark attorney hat on, I’m really interested to see the impact this will have on the trade mark strategies of our fashion clients. Whilst we have seen that some of the larger fashion houses launch separate collections which offer a more discrete, understated offering which appeals to ‘quiet luxury’. For some smaller, less established brands who may not have such a wide product offering or large budgets to offer several collections per season, it may be time to rethink how brands are used and brand awareness raised. For example, what evidence can you submit to prove use and / or reputation of your mark, if the very concept of your brand is ‘if you know, you know’ rather than identification by a logo? 

It’s possible that we’ll also see an increase in trade mark registrations for shape or colour marks, or possibly even registered designs, in an attempt to gain some protection for products which should be known purely for their shape and design features. 

It raises lots of questions for sure. Needless to say, if ‘quiet luxury’ is here to stay, it may be time for brands to re-think their strategy to ensure that their trade marks are adequately protected and their logo marks don’t become vulnerable to cancellation.

For big luxury groups, the momentum around logo-free items—where companies are forced to compete purely on product, and can rely less on covetable branding to close a high-priced sale—comes at the same time as rising economic uncertainty and shifting spending priorities in the US and Europe.

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