Pamela Anderson surprised everyone at the Boss spring-summer show in Miami in March with her low-key look. She was wearing a cream pantsuit and ballet flats, with almost no makeup and her hair tied back in a low bun. This marked a shift not just for Anderson, but for fashion as a whole, as clean cuts, simple lines, and luxurious fabrications have become the key to dressing for success. This trend is epitomized by brands like Khaite, Loro Piana, and The Row. The focus is on looking polished without any obvious signatures or logos, and it’s all about understated elegance.
This trend of stealth-wealth dressing is reflected in the new Rebecca Vallance Essentials collection. The eight-piece collection of upmarket basics is entirely without logos or the brand’s “RV” signatures, and the cuts are clean and the fabric feels sumptuous. In a palette of cream, black, and camel, the collection is more pared back than Vallance’s other designs, and it’s her take on stealth-wealth dressing. The collection starts at $199 for a tank, making it more accessible than The Row’s expensive range.
The trend of clean lines and luxurious fabrications can be seen across the fashion industry, with classic garments that might have been pinched from any decade of the 20th century. This trend was reflected in recent fashion week runways, with the 80s-style pinstripe blazers and pencil skirts of Saint Laurent, Max Mara’s 70s camel coats, and the nipped-in 50s-era waists at Versace. Power blazers and nipped-in waists are back in fashion, and they seem custom-made for this new era of understated luxury.
Even accessories brands are moving towards cleaner styles. Handbags and their logos have long been indicators of wealth, but now brands like Savette NYC and DeMellier make bags that are unmarked save for discreet clasps that announce their provenance. Sneakers have been replaced by demure ballet flats as the shoes of winter 2023, and the trend of stealth-wealth dressing allows classic brands like Armani, Ralph Lauren, and Michael Kors to shine.
According to former Vogue writer and fashion commentator Zara Wong, the trend of stealth-wealth dressing allows clothing to be polished and practical, which is perfect for this new state of normal. She adds that the trend also sets the stage for the return of the original purveyor of contemporary stealth wealth, Phoebe Philo, whose collections for Celine in the late 2010s were marked by streamlined silhouettes and neutral colors. Her own label is set to launch in September, and it will be interesting to see how she updates this trend for 2023.
