IF A tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? In the same vein, if a luxury good is worn by an individual and no one recognises it, does it still have value?
The answer is a resounding yes.
Late 2023, the DBS Chief Investment Office identified “quiet luxury” as a key investment theme. Quiet luxury stands apart from the broader luxury industry in that it does not draw attention to itself. Unlike the flashy branding of some luxury brands – think, for instance, conspicuous monograms and loud logos – quiet luxury prefers subtlety.
Quiet luxury, in short, speaks only to a group of insiders, encapsulating the Gen-Z slang: “If you know, you know.”
A bag...