If I said the words, “quiet luxury” to you, what would you picture? The Swiss Alps? A private villa on the Amalfi Coast (not Positano more like Ravello)? McDonald’s french fries when you’re really craving them, really hungry, and it’s conference season?
Well, I think of The Row. They don’t allow photos at their runways. They almost never advertise. They barely do press. But they’re your favorite fashionista’s favorite label.
Millionaire, this is the story of 2 mogul designers who silenced critics and created one of the most coveted brands on earth. But here’s the catch…2 of the biggest childhood stars in the world, Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen founded the company.
And, their anonymity completely contradicts the modern influencer-led brand in 2024.
Once a side project, The Row has turned into a $1B business (“Chanel’s Wertheimer brothers and L’Oréal’s Françoise Bettencourt Meyers have taken a minority stake in the brand at around a $1 billion valuation”). This is THE case study when it comes to building a luxury brand (and setting trends by being unmoved by them).
It all started with 1 blank white T-shirt 17 years ago, right during the peak of logomania (OF WHICH I WAS A VICTIM. I LOVED A LOGO AND STILL FIGHT THIS URGE) . Low-rise tracksuits, capris, empire waists, and dresses over flared jeans had the girls in a CHOKEHOLD, but in NYC, 2 superstar teens dreamed of a different world.
There was a subtle gap in the luxury market, no brand was focused on minimalist, timeless, wearable staple pieces that a subset of the market loved to wear. That subset = the ultra fancy. So while studying at NYU, the Olsens started with the most “basic” ~garment~: a perfect white T-shirt.
It took them a year & a half to put together. Just like Ralph Lauren starting with 1 perfect tie and your brand honing in on 1 SKU at launch, they started with a tight focus: on fit, materials, rigorous control, and a hyper focus on catering to their target demo (which was decades older than them).
Selling from a single boutique, they added one product at a time until they had a collection of 7, including the T-shirt, a cashmere dress, and a blazer. Every move was intentional, calculated, a Go-to-Market chef’s kiss.
They called it “The Row” after London’s Savile Row, a nod to the pinnacle of tailoring and fit, and they focused on their aesthetic, inspired by modern designers like Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, and Phoebe Philo.
They wanted the clothes to speak for themselves, but the saying “If you build it, they will come” is NOT the case when it comes to your business. You need to build intrigue, you need to educate consumers.
So how does The Row do it??
They don’t advertise much. They only just relaunched their online store. And, they host runway shoes but don’t let ANYONE use their phones. They’re resisting every channel that their biggest competitors are using.
Yet in 2024, The Row is more popular than *ever.*
The Olsens were seasoned, they knew what they wanted, but more importantly, they knew what they DIDN’T want (which is the key to a great brand).
When The Row debuted in Barneys (RIP), it *sold.* Today, estimates put The Row’s annual revenue as high as $300M. They’re a fav of celebrities and tastemakers, and one of their bags just got called the new Birkin(!) in British Vogue. It’s the Margaux, BTW.
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It seems counterintuitive that avoiding PR helped engineer their popularity. But, The Row has followed the rules of luxury branding:
‧ Scarcity (rare, not everywhere)
‧ Quality
‧ Timelessly chic, not trendy
‧ Anonymous, not obvious
‧ Lofty prices (or eye-watering, whatever)
Being anti-trend requires vision, restraint, and a willingness to go out of style. But their consistency makes their fans more dedicated than ever, being anti-trend means you often set them.
They’ve won 6 CFDA awards (aka the Fashion Oscars), not to mention they’re currently benefiting from 2 of the biggest trends in recent memory: quiet luxury and social media obsession.
Wealth that whispers. Stealth wealth. #IYKYK fashion. It’s nothing new, but we can all agree that the power of Succession and TikTok has taken logo-free style to the stratosphere.
Even on socials The Row exercises restraint. Their feed? Just go take a look. With a luxury brand, you’re never selling the product or features. NEVER. You’re selling the lifestyle, the one consumers hope to obtain when they buy your product. Hence the artwork, aesthetic, photography, and occasional photo dump of a new collection.
Oh and think you’d be able take a pic of their newest collection at Fashion Week? Think again. No phones, no photos, all FOMO. A perfect encapsulation of the brand, if not everyone can afford to buy The Row, then what makes you think everyone can set their eyes on the newest collection?
The Row is the standard for luxury. The Row is the standard for the calculated Go-to-Market. Swoon.
