15 Affordable Quiet-Luxury Brands Gatekeepers Don’t Want You to Know About

Reminisce with us momentarily; remember the first time you fell in love with a designer piece. What was that moment like? Do you remember your heart skipping a beat when you saw it? Or maybe you let out an audible gasp, perhaps? There’s something deeply special about unearthing something beautiful. But the stark reality check that comes shortly after checking the price tag? Not pretty. If you’re a fashion person, you’ve likely viscerally remembered when your heart sank into your stomach, realizing that the designer piece you covet is way out of your reach. For the most part, we all develop systems to avoid ever feeling that emotion again—albeit through only shopping the sale section, sourcing second-hand designer items, or swearing off high-fashion altogether. 

But those avoidance methods aren’t always effective, especially when the entire internet is lit up over one topic…ahem, “quiet luxury.” Anyone who’s chronically online can tell you that avoiding this fashion aesthetic has become near-impossible as the obsession over dressing like you’ve got “old money” has reached an all-time high. One could blame the popularity of television shows like Succession or the never-ending anxiety surrounding the current state of our economy. But if we’re being honest, what’s played the biggest role in popularizing this fashion aesthetic is the fashion brands themselves. Without buzzy brands like The Row, Khaite, and Toteme defining the look, there would be nothing to buzz about! 

While no one can argue that these designer labels had their hand in ushering in the quiet luxury era, the truth is that the label itself is only a fraction of what this movement is about. Because luxury is not just being covered in labels head-to-toe, true luxury is about taste—it’s the ability to distinguish between what trends are fleeting versus what will be perennial. You don’t ever have to go back to that moment where luxury is out of reach because it’s attainable. Don’t believe us? In the vein of proving our point, we did the research to identify the 15 best affordable quiet luxury brands. Keeping in mind how the fashion industry defines luxury apparel, we were able to curate a list of brands that center craftsmanship, foundational staples, and, most importantly, a sliding scale of price ranges in which true luxury brands are represented by five-dollar signs, contemporary brands have two-to-three, and so on. So, without further ado, let’s get into it…

1. Ninety Percent

Price Range: $$

Mood: Scandinavian minimalism with British sensibilities 

Aesthetically aligned with: By Malene Birger, Khaite, and Bite Studios

Born from the bustling streets of London, Ninety Percent is a womenswear brand that has reshaped how we define ethical fashion. Founded in 2018 by Para Hamilton and Shafiq Hassan, the two friends have dedicated themselves to doing things differently. It’s an effort that is on full display in how the brand champions livable wages, uses sustainable textiles, and shares 90% of its profits with charities. If all those commitments weren’t enough to convince you that this brand is leading the charge in redefining luxury, look to its design ethos as proof. With Elliot Atkinson at the creative helm, the brand has become known for drawing inspiration from Scandinavian minimalism and giving it a sophisticated twist through tailoring. It’s proof that sustainability and style are something that’s attainable for all. 

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2. COS

(Image credit: @cosstores; Launchmetrics Spotlight)

Mood: Corporate, but make it cool

Price Range: $$

Aesthetically aligned with: Jil Sander and Wardrobe.NYC

Although it’s not incorrect to assume that most affordable fashion brands focus on keeping up with trends over crafting timeless staples, it’s not true. A few labels have made it their mission to find magic in minimalism—including COS. Owned by the same parent company as H&M, the label was founded in 2007 to provide a place where consumers could shop for wardrobe staples with clean-cut tailoring, quality materials, and contemporary touches. For many fashion people, COS has become the place to shop for a well-made winter coat, stylish suiting, or elevated bits and bobs to round out their wardrobes. 

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3. Source Unknown

(Image credit: Courtesy of Source Unknown)

Mood: Minimalist staples with a modern twists

Price Range: $$

Aesthetically aligned with: The Row, Phoebe Philo, Toteme

Fashion insiders will tell you that while there’s nothing better than discovering a brand, there’s a bit of trepidation about sharing it with the world—after all, they’re so good we don’t want to have to share them. But alas, some are meant to be shared, or at least that’s very much the case with Source Unknown. Don’t let the moniker fool you; since its inception in 2020, this ready-to-wear label has become well-known and well-loved among fashion insiders. Its popularity has to do with the fact that most of its collection centers on classic items with cool touches—e.g., oversize blazers feature dramatic shoulder pads and nipped-in waists, or the classic v-neck sweater comes in a gauzy light gray yarn—all while being moderately priced. Yes, some items can get closer to the price of designer goods, but you can find a great deal of luxe-looking items ranging from under $100 to $350. 

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4. Pixie Market

Mood: For the Downtown Girls

Price Range: $$

Aesthetically aligned with: Khaite, Tove, Saint Laurent

In fashion, it’s a commonly-held belief that you must be forking over your hard-earned cash to look cool—Pixie Market counters that narrative. The New York City-based label was founded by Magda Pietrobelli in 2006 as a direct-to-consumer brand meant to create items that center on the idea of “trends you keep.” Although that ethos might seem counterintuitive to the concept of “quiet luxury,” it’s not considering that the brand does not follow the production model of pumping out new arrivals each week. Instead, you’ll find that Pixie Market only releases a few items each season, with the intention that each will have a bit of that trendy appeal with all the trappings to be a timeless staple in your closet. 

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5. The Frankie Shop 

Mood: Power dressing informed by French aesthics 

Price Range: $$$

Aesthetically aligned with: The Row, Wardrobe.NYC, and Max Mara

What happens when the sartorial perspective that’s provençal to France melds with New York’s work-centric culture? Ahem, The Frankie Shop. Founded by Gaëlle Drevet in 2014, the Française designer has managed to carve out a space in some of the world’s biggest fashion capitals. Drevet has done so by curating some of the coolest contemporary brands for its storefronts, alongside designing a highly sought-after in-house label. But it’s really with the latter that we’ve seen this brand cemented as “luxurious” in the eyes of the fashion crowd. The label has proven that price point is only a tiny part of what makes something opulent because what truly makes a brand luxurious goes back to its unique perspective on everyday dressing. Something which this brand has in spades. With collections centering suiting staples with spicy twists—e.g., waistcoats with asymmetrical buttons or double-breasted coats that braze the ground—it’s no wonder that Frankie Shop has become the place where fashion people shop. 

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6. St. Agni

Mood: ’90s Minimalism 

Price Range: $$$

Aesthetically aligned with: Bottega Veneta, Helmut Lang, and Ferragamo

While there’s no denying that certain countries have long been associated with high fashion, a few surprising ones have taken the industry by storm over the past decade. Such is the case with Australia, which has had some of the most exciting brands emerge, including the likes of St.Agni. Founded by the husband and wife duo Lara and Matt Fells in 2014, the Byron Bay-based brand has made its mark on the global market. Its minimalist approach to womenswear sets the brand apart—collections often center sleek ’90s-inspired silhouettes and precise tailoring, all fashioned from sustainably sourced materials. St.Agni’s clothing has shown us that true luxury is not defined by its borders but by whether it can stand the test of time. 

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7. Dissh

Mood: Understated elegance

Price Range: $

Aesthetically aligned with: Tove, Khaite, Matteau

Something must be in the water down under, because quite a few Australian fashion brands have the whole quiet-luxury thing on lock. Case in point? Dissh. Founded in 2001, the label’s mission has been to, in its own words, “unravel the concept of designer luxury,” an aim which they’ve achieved by offering a wide array of elegant everyday staples.

Rather than centering the notion that luxury is tied to the formality of apparel, Dissh gives shoppers a chance to feel luxury through the act of dressing with ease. With so much happening in the world, there’s something to be said about the freedom afforded to you when you don’t have to worry about what to wear. After all, what’s more lavish than slipping into a pair of well-tailored linen trousers with a matching waistcoat for work? Or slipping into a breezy cotton maxi dress on a hot summer day? Dissh understands a fundamental truth: In simplicity lies its own form of luxury. 

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8. Arket

Mood: Uniform dressing

Price Range: $

Aesthetically aligned with: Toteme, Jil Sander, and Raey

In addition to Australia, another region secretly influences some of the chicest brands: Scandinavia. It might be surprising, but some of the biggest brands are from this part of the world. By Malene Birger for instance? It’s a Danish brand. Filippa K? It’s based out of Sweden. There’s no shortage of luxurious brands from this region, but don’t be fooled—they’re not all expensive. In fact, there’s one affordable brand that’s made Scandinavian aesthetics attainable: Arket.

Founded in 2017 by the same organization as H&M, Arket was created to provide “beautiful everyday things.” A mission embodied most adeptly in womenswear apparel consists of uniform items but with unique touches. For example, you can find everything from knitted polos with contrasting whipstitching to trousers made from crinkled satin textile to pumps covered in glitter. It’s the brand’s attentiveness to detail that reminds us there’s beauty to be found in our everyday basics. 

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9. Helsa

Mood: It girl, It brand

Price Range: $$$

Aesthetically aligned with: Victoria Beckham, Nanushka, and Anna October

Not to generalize, but when it comes to minimalism, no one quite does it like the Scandis. Long before the quiet luxury movement took off on social media, some of the most popular Scandvian brands were already building the foundations of this aesthic. In part, it has to do with an overall cultural empasis on sustainabiliy—which visibility manidests in a specific satorial perspective. But it’s also because there’s a series of brands that have made it their mission to emphasize simplicity. One of those brands? Helsa. Although the brand was founded by the Swedish model Elsa Hosk in 2022, it’s managed to quickly cement itself as a leader in the quiet luxury space within Scandinavia and beyond.

Of course, some of the popularity of the brand has to do with Hosk’s It-girl status, but in truth, it’s really the sustainably minded clothing that has solidified the brand’s cult following. Collections don’t just center the stark minimalism of the past, but they modernize it by way of taking classic silhouettes and giving them a sultry update. Whether through blazers with sharp shoulders or maxi turtleneck dresses, Helsa’s pieces are setting the blueprint for future brands to come. 

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10. Aritzia

Mood: Cult Classics

Price Range: $$

Aesthetically aligned with: Prada, Tory Burch, Loro Piana

Some brands might be newer to the scene, while others have been a steadfast part of the zeitgeist for some time. Aritzia falls within the latter. Even if you’re unfamiliar with this Canadian-based fashion brand, we can guarantee you already know its viral pieces (aka the popular Melina Leather Pants or Super Puff Jackets). It’s fair to say that even if you haven’t shopped at Aritzia, you know they’re buzzy through social media alone. But what you might not know is that it’s also one of the best places to shop for luxe-looking basics on the down-low.

Since its inception in 1984, the brand has aimed to provide consumers with “everyday luxury,” conceptualized by its wide range of apparel. You can find just about any foundational wardrobe item you need at Aritizia. The perfect T-shirt? Yep. Tailored trousers? In abundance. An oversize blazer? Plenty of those. But don’t be fooled—these aren’t your run-of-the-mill basics. With all of Aritzia’s apparel, each item has a contemporary update that can put them on the fast-track to becoming a cult classic in your closet.

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11. J.Crew

Mood: Preppy Americana 

Price Range: $$

Aesthetically aligned with: Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Hugo Boss

We should preface this by saying that we know the premise of this story is predicated on the idea of quiet luxury brands that are gatekept by industry insiders. But you can’t do justice to the topic of attainable luxury without mentioning J.Crew. It’s quite apparent that this well-established American clothing brand is well past being a secret, but that doesn’t mean it has always gotten the attention it deserves.

In more recent years, we’ve seen the brand make a roaring comeback with the fashion crowd, but let the record state that J.Crew has always been that brand, ok! Since its founding in 1983, it’s been synonymous with the preppy fashion aesthetic that North American Ivy League schools established: button-down shirts, khaki pants, loafers, blazers, etc. Basically, it’s been aligned with that “old money” aesthetic long before it was a thing on the internet, so you better believe there’s no better place to shop. 

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12. Reformation

Mood: Vintage-inspired but never dated

Price Range: $$

Aesthetically aligned with: Khaite, Tove, and Carolina Herrera

While the notion of quiet luxury might feel brand-new, that’s not exactly the case. Throughout history, there’s long been a commonly held belief that one should opt for clothing that can stand the test of time. It’s a principle that very much guides Reformation. Founded in 2009, the Los Angeles–based fashion brand has long centered on drawing inspiration from vintage pieces to inform its contemporary collections. That perspective is reflected in pieces as simple as a black satin mini dress with a boat neckline or a pair of ’90s-inspired indigo blue mid-rise straight jeans. But to say that the brand solely focuses on pulling inspiration from the past would be selling them short. So much of Reformation’s brand ethos is built on the idea of the future, hence its commitment to reducing its environmental impact through championing sustainable production practices.

For Reformation, the brand understands that the greatest luxury of all is when clothing can weave together the past, present, and future seamlessly. 

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13. Mango

Mood: Fresh off the runway

Price Range: $

Aesthetically aligned with: Miu Miu, Saint Laurent, and Celine

If you’re an avid Who What Wear reader, then you’re likely already well aware of this Spanish fashion house, but please indulge us for a moment. When it comes to fashion brands that are making attaining the quiet-luxury look on a budget an actuality, no one is hitting the mark quite like Mango. While the brand may have begun as a small store in Barcelona in 1984, it’s since become a global powerhouse that has shaped the fashion world as we know it.

For many, Mango has become the place to turn to when they want to adopt new trends but can’t necessarily afford to buy them fresh off the runway. But it’s not just that the brand is giving the fashion girls a way to get the look on a budget that’s cemented its popularity. Mango’s ability to thread the fine line between what’s “trendy” and “timeless ” made it so beloved. Scroll through the site on any given day, and you’ll find that alongside those spot-on dupes, you can find some seriously stylish staples and higher-end capsule items. Basically, Mango does it all, which is why it’s a must-explore store.

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14. Everlane

Mood: Capsule wardrobe dressing 

Price Range: $

Aesthetically aligned with: Caes, Loulou Studio, and Toteme 

One of the greatest quandaries that industry insiders have always had is with sustainability. For a long time, it was just a fact of life that if you wanted anything remotely sophisticated, you’d either have to splurge or shop fast-fashion brands. It’s only in recent years we’ve seen a stark shift in how brands think about their impact, much less make clothing that’s both stylish and sustainably produced. But there is one expectation to that rule: Everlane. Originating from the streets of San Fransisco in 2010, the affordable label has long been a maverick in the industry thanks to its commitment to being “radically transparent.”

With all of Everlane’s clothing, you can find detailed information about all its production processes in addition to how it’s incorporating eco-friendly textiles into its collections. Beyond its transparency, what has cemented the brand as a purveyor of sustainable-minded fashion is its approach to ready-to-wear apparel. Much of Everlane’s pieces are created with the intention of being a part of a capsule wardrobe, which ensures that shoppers can wear them for longer! 

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15. Massimo Dutti 

Mood: Less is more

Price Range: $

Aesthetically aligned with: Bottega Veneta, Paris, Georgia, and Ferragamo 

Depending upon who you ask, their perspective on luxury fashion can be rooted in one of two pathologies: maximalism or minimalism. Some believe that frivolity is what makes fashion, well, fashion—others would beg to differ. No matter where you stand, one brand can speak to just about anyone: Massimo Dutti. Although the Spanish fashion brand is owned by the same parent company as Zara, it should be noted that the brand is like the older sister, who is a bit more elevated.

Rather than tapping into every trend, Massimo Dutti’s ethos has been rooted in the notion that “less is more,” something that has been a guiding principle since its founding in 1985. You won’t find impractical pieces here, as everything focuses on using quality materials and timeless silhouettes (even with the accessories). With this approach, it’s no wonder that the brand has managed to cultivate a broad audience that includes the likes of maximalists and minimalists. Because at the end of the day, no matter how your sartorial lens, lovers of luxury know it’s less about wearing specific labels and more about finding pieces you can love for a lifetime. Luckily, plenty of labels allow us to find the middle ground. 

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