Quiet Luxury

Trends

Quiet luxury

Understated richness

Words Antonella Reina

04/10/2023

Discreet in shape and rich in precious but hidden details, the glasses designed by Ahlem, Lazare Studio and Moscot embody the codes of 'quiet luxury', whispering the value of a more exclusive, measured and elegant lifestyle

In her latest report on design trends, forecasting expert Nelly Rodi, founder of the consulting agency of the same name, defines the evolutionary codes of a new idea of luxury. "Ultra-luxury is belonging: it is hyper-personalised and experiential rather than flaunted. It is timeless, simple, for connoisseurs. It combines elegance with simplicity, aims at authenticity as a symbol of preciousness", states the research study. Inspired by the lifestyle of the richest, the newly-coined 'quiet luxury' is among the most talked-about trends of the moment, and has already influenced the world of fashion, consequently stimulating the desire to wear frames that respond to its dictates of exclusivity and confidentiality.

Its conceptual and aesthetic approach, which focuses on quality, refinement and simplicity, without necessarily showing off brands or status symbols in an obvious way, has not found the vast and varied world of eyewear unprepared. It is populated by different brands that have been pursuing the same idea for some time, with an offer of glasses characterised by a subtle elegance, enhanced by craftsmanship and made in compliance with sustainable standards - an attention to detail that, today, is almost essential. The emphasis is on the quieter aspects of a timeless design: favouring classic lines, avoiding excesses of details and eccentric decorations, choosing high-quality materials such as acetate, titanium or precious metals and guaranteeing engineering precision in order to ensure the right comfort and an excellent fit.

"Ahlem offers timeless, heirloom-quality eyewear that's designed to last. Although we take great pride in the durability of our products" reads one of the brand's most recent posts on Instagram. Founded in 2014, by Ahlem Manai-Platt, a Parisian designer based in Los Angeles, this above statement, almost ten years after the birth of the brand, establishes a vision that is particularly in tune with the trend in question. The strict attention to detail, the insistence on excellent materials, the commitment to sustainable methods and a constant obsession with art and culture has led the brand to quickly stand out in the highly competitive luxury eyewear sector. Manai-Platt's creations have been chosen by some of world's greatest female icons and celebrities: Beyoncé, Karlie Kloss, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Emily Ratajkowski, Kate Moss... the list could go on. The 'star-approved' models exhibit shades of colours- which even in the most vivid shades do not lose any discretion, classic shapes with a contemporary appeal and innovative details which add a certain exclusivity.

Lazare Studio

Moscot

Les Monts

L.G.R. x Cupra

Persol

Web Eyewear

Burton Perrreira

Linda Farrow x Rowen Rose

A similar awareness belongs to the younger Lazare Studio, a brand founded in 2020 by Alexandre Caton. "Resurrected classic eyewear, consciously handcrafted in France, out of Japan's finest sourced components" is the description with which it debuted on the market. The aesthetics embraced by Caton in creating the frames that respond to the Wabi-Sabi rules, a Japanese vision rooted in the country's culture for centuries which in opposition to opulence and rich materials, seeks beauty in imperfection, simplicity and authenticity. Wabi, in fact, refers to the sense of fullness that is sometimes felt when you are in communion with nature; Sabi, on the other hand, is the fascination for objects that bear a story.

'Classiciconic', however, is the personalised adiective with which the CEO Harvey Moscot self-defines the style of historic New York brand, Moscot, now with a fifth generation of descendants at the helm. Since its foundation in 1915, the brand has maintained the basic concepts of its DNA, namely craftsmanship, authenticity and creativity, thus managing to create a real community of fans, including celebrities as prominent as Johnny Depp. Its unmistakably refined aesthetics are revealed through classic and timeless designs able to evoke eras of the past without replicating them, as can be seen in the new Moscot Originals models from the F/W 23 collection. Characterised by shapes familiar to that sports culture which had its consecration between the end of the 60s and the beginning of the 80s, the models have very accurate details enhancing their value without interrupting their linearity.

Here are the new evewear models responding to the strict diktats of the new 'Quiet Luxury' trend: refined and discreet, imbued with a silent beauty without losing a sense of creativity, innovation or quality.