The luxurious clothes of the richest should be ignored

There is an English saying: “Money talks, wealth whispers.” A word that applies wonderfully to the clothes of the world’s greatest riches. Indeed, rich people like Mark Zuckerberg do not have logos and brand names written in capital letters on their clothes.

No matter how hard we look, we won’t find large logos on these types of parts! Unlike brands like Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana or The Row that play the discreet luxury card to the fullest, we also forget the monograms of brands that are not in this league, like Louis Vuitton or Fendi. The latter are in common to present pieces that appear basic to the untrained eye. Moreover, their price suggests that they are worn by people with well-stocked bank accounts.

In recent years, brands dedicated to silent luxury have been particularly popular in the technology sector. We owe Brunello Cucinelli Steve Jobs’ iconic black turtleneck sweater and Mark Zuckerberg’s gray shirt, a custom shirt that cost around 300 francs.

For example, this hoodie from Italian brand Brunello Cucinelli costs 930 francs. The fabric is in French terry (loop knit back), with no frills. Nothing more ordinary! So why is this hoodie so expensive?

Its price is partially justified by the fact that all the pieces are created and manufactured in Italy. That’s why the company not only relies on the best cashmere wool, but also on fair working conditions: employees answering business emails outside of working hours is out of the question! Their salary is also 20% higher than the usual salary applicable in this sector. According to GQ magazine, Cucinelli employees are treated to a sumptuous multi-course meal, including wine, every day at 1:00 p.m.

Loro Piana also operates in the luxury segment and sells pieces made from exclusive and sometimes rare materials such as Vicuna wool. The vicuña is a mammal of the camel family, whose wool is finer than that of a cashmere goat. The animal can only be shorn once every three years, so Vicuna wool coats are rare and expensive. At Loro Piana, a cotton and vicuña blend shirt can cost 2,230 francs, and a jacket can cost 10,650 francs.

In recent years, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen’s The Row brand has become one of the leading brands in the fashion world. But even to buy a pair of jeans, you have to pay at least 640 francs. The luxury label’s pieces feature a simple design that is highly visible in fashion circles for its effortless elegance. Over the years, the brand has garnered a loyal following of stars like Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid.

We look in vain for the logo on the clothes of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. “Over the years, the designers, who are quite shy in front of the press, have given less and less interviews, which strengthens the privacy of the brand and allows the clothes to speak for themselves. “Wearing The Row clothes feels like being part of a secret club,” luxury fashion consultancy Robert Burke Associates writes on its blog.

Wearing pieces from The Row, Brunello Cucinelli or Loro Piana is a subtle signal to the outside world of your status and wealth. Online magazine Hypebae writes about $800 jeans from The Row: “Do jeans cost $800 to make? Of course not. But that’s what it takes to own Eglitta jeans from The Row.” The author of the text concludes: “It’s luxury. You’re paying for the fabric, the pattern, the cut, the finish, the promises of ethical production and, above all, the brand.”

It’s also a recurring theme in Charles Gross’s TikTok fashion videos. “Can you believe this is a $3,500 ball from Loro Piana?” he asks. According to him, “the person wearing the shirt does not care if you or I know its price.” On the other hand, “people who even recognize a shirt and know how expensive it is are often in the same circles and therefore in the mystery of the gods,” he adds. “Here’s the problem.”