Quiet luxury is an approach that focuses on understated, subtle and often minimalist expressions of luxury, as opposed to the more ostentatious and flashy forms of luxury.
Quiet luxury emphasises the intrinsic value and quality of a product or service, rather than relying on obvious logos/branding, or flashy features. It’s about appealing to consumers who appreciate the finer things in life but prefer a more subtle and understated approach.
Here are some ways a small business can lean into the concept of quiet luxury:
Minimalist Design
Embrace minimalist and clean design in your branding, packaging, and product aesthetics. Keep things simple, elegant, and free from excessive embellishments. This doesn’t mean your brand has to be boring, far from it, but it does mean you should make a conscious effort to ensure your brand + website are cohesive and the print or packaging choices align with a luxury aesthetic.
My client Hannah Seaman is the perfect example of a brand embracing a quiet luxury approach through curated minimalism in her brand aesthetics.
Sustainable ethos
Consider using sustainable and ethical processes in your work; whether that’s choosing to use local suppliers or recycled/repurposed materials, making a conscious effort to focus on a sustainable approach is often associated with quiet luxury.
Finesse your touchpoints
Quiet luxury is often associated with long-lasting, timeless processes rather than mass produced products or messy processes.
If you’re a service based small business, your onboarding process and client relationship should be considered, cohesive with every touchpoint finessed. Forget those Word based contracts or invoices, every little element should be branded, streamlined and professional.
For product based small businesses, focus on producing high-quality products/materials which are meticulously crafted. Beyond this, your order process, even if automated, should be communicative . Your packaging should be beautiful and the entire process of ordering from you should feel like an exciting experience. For inspiration, take a look at how bigger luxury brands achieve this (yes, I’m giving you the perfect excuse to treat yourself all in the name of market research).
Subtle marketing
Be discreet in your marketing efforts. Let your products or services speak for themselves through quality and word-of-mouth rather than aggressive or cheesy advertising.
To wrap up
Quiet luxury isn’t about being inexpensive. It’s about delivering a premium experience, product, or service in a subtle and unobtrusive way. Consistency in delivering on the promise of quality and refinement is key in building a brand associated with quiet luxury.
Ready to elevate your brand? Quiet luxury is an area I thrive within and I adore working with small, independent businesses whose visions align. If this sounds like you, I would love to hear from you!
