12 Fashion People Who Were Doing Quiet Luxury Before It Was a Thing

The two most uttered words in fashion this year have got to be "quiet luxury." The term might be new, but the concept certainly isn't. Pertaining to clothes and accessories that err on the classic side, these are elevated pieces that are devoid of flashiness and obvious designer logos. Instead, the focus is placed on how the item fits, how high-end it looks and its ability to be styled with as much of your wardrobe as possible. 

Brands that come to mind at the mere mention of quiet luxury are The Row—the brand helmed by the Olsen twins—Celine in its accent era, Saint Laurent and Toteme. The quiet-luxury colour palette is typically refined to a swatch card of neutral tones and versatile shades such as green and blue, all of which are completely interchangeable with one another to create the capsule of capsules. But how exactly do you put together a quiet-luxury outfit? 

As someone who is keen to make their own wardrobe a more quiet-luxury place, I've been saving down key looks that embody the aesthetic for months now. Looking back at my Instagram Saved folder, it didn't take me long to see that I was saving down outfits from a small selection of influencers and celebrities over and over again. These are the fashion people who were doing quiet luxury before it was even a thing.

Scroll on to see my favourite quiet-luxury outfit ideas, as worn by the people who practically invented the aesthetic. 

Danielle Oreoluwa Jinadu

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(Image credit: @daniellejinadu)

Danielle Oreoluwa Jinadu is fast becoming one of the most stylish microinfluencers on Instagram, but we doubt her "micro" status will hang around for long. Her refined wares and interesting layering combinations provide endless inspiration to those of us who want to dress more quietly luxurious. Details such as her knotted sweater and matching shoes and handbag further nod to the aesthetic. 

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

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(Image credit: @rosiehw)

If there's one celebrity who has long been advocating quiet luxury, it's Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. She may have skeleton-key access to all the designer collections, but she still opts for pieces that only those in the know will recognise. That, friends, is the essence of quiet luxury. 

TyLynn Nguyen

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(Image credit: @tylynnnguyen)

Whether she's dressed up for a balmy evening or sticking to casual pieces for running errands, influencer and model TyLynn Nguyen's penchant for pared-back pieces has been inspiring me to dress more minimally for years. With a nuanced approach to selecting her fabrics, this combination of suede and silk looks so high-end.

The Olsens

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(Image credit: GETTY IMAGES)

With their combined collection of sweeping maxi coats and a seemingly endless array of elevated accessories, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were presenting us with quiet-luxury looks long before the aesthetic was even a thing. The Row is one of the labels most synonymous with the movement, which really should come as no surprise, as they are the ones behind it. 

Michelle Lin

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(Image credit: @michellelin.lin)

What I love most about Michelle Lin is that she showcases quiet-luxury outfits in motion. Although she's based in London, she spends much of her time travelling and exploring the world, giving us an insight into how to dress that way when on home soil. She'll be my main source of inspiration when packing for any and all of my trips this year. 

Jasmine Tookes

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(Image credit: GETTY IMAGES)

I'm going to make a bold claim: Jasmine Tookes is one of the best dressed celebrities right now. Unlike so many others, she's not one to jump on trends just for the sake of it—she's someone who dresses with consideration and almost always in the neutral palette which we spoke of earlier. She knows her style and won't be led astray by flash-in-the-pan pieces. Instead, Tookes consistently favours classic items that have enduring appeal. 

Anouk Yve

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(Image credit: @anoukyve)

Scandi fashion people have been backing the quiet-luxury aesthetic for some time, and in my opinion, no one gets it quite as right as Anouk Yve. With her weekly mirror-selfie series, Yve pairs investment pieces with elevated high-street finds to create a quiet-luxury look that's all her own but also simple enough for the rest of us to emulate. 

Zoë Kravitz

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(Image credit: GETTY IMAGES)

Zoë Kravitz sightings feel few and far between these days, but when she does step out, she always commands our attention with her outfits, which feel consistently timeless and elegant. It's proof that you can do quiet luxury and add some personality. The addition of a crystal bra may feel unexpected, but paired with a silk shirt, pencil skirt and pointed-toe heels, it's still very much on-brand. 

Marianne Smyth

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(Image credit: @smythsisters)

Influencer, photographer and mother Marianne Smyth shows us how a quiet-luxury wardrobe can work for every day with her slew of practical but incredibly stylish looks. Easily my most saved, her outfits are probably the most "wearable" of them all, heavily focusing on well-cut jeans, classic knitwear and refined accessory choices. 

Katie Holmes

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(Image credit: GETTY IMAGES)

You could argue that Katie Holmes started the quiet-luxury aesthetic the second she stepped out in that now-iconic Khaite cashmere cardigan-and-bra set in 2018. Since then, Holmes hasn't missed a fashion beat, and it's all down to the fact that she centres her looks around staple pieces. 

Sylvie Mus

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(Image credit: @sylviemus_)

French style goes hand in hand with quiet luxury, and if there's one person who's showing us how to do it in a minimalistic way, it's Parisian influencer Sylvie Mus. Layering is integral to Mus's aesthetic, as are fluid separates that give her outfits beautiful form and movement. 

Elsa Hosk

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(Image credit: @hoskelsa)

Another model turned style icon to grace our list, Elsa Hosk's love of tailoring, jersey separates, leather outerwear and versatile accessories forms a solid quiet-luxury bedrock. Consistently polished looking, her Instagram feed is an endless source of outfit inspiration, which is deserving of so much more focus than it's currently being given. 

Shop My Quiet-Luxury Edit

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Maxine Eggenberger
Deputy Editor

Maxine Eggenberger isBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK’s deputy editor and has over thirteen years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and elevated style content specifically forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, self-styled shopping stories and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, leads the editorial team in their SEO strategy and keyword planning, works closely with the beauty team on content initiatives, represents the brand at industry events, and regularly contributes to social media, including her ownBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK TikTok franchise, French Style Fridays. Previously, Maxine appeared on ITV's This Morning in her own fashion segment and has interviewed countless celebrities—everyone from Victoria Beckham to Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o.

Prior toBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK, Maxine’s career began when, after completing her first-ever internship at Look magazine, she was offered a position on the brand's fashion desk. She accepted, leaving university a year early in the process. Her passion and natural talent for writing and styling meant she swiftly rose through the ranks to become the title's fashion news and commercial content editor, with a stint as InStyle.co.uk’s fashion and beauty writer along the way. She later served as Look’s acting Editor in Chief, overseeing both print and digital, before embarking on a successful freelance career, working with Grazia, The Pool, and Marie Claire amongst others.

Maxine is based remotely from her countryside home near Edinburgh where she spends her downtime renovating her house, walking her dogs, hosting friends and trying to master the art of making Old Fashioned cocktails.