From Quiet to Loud: How Luxury Fashion Is Making Noise This Summer
- Luxe magazine Switzerland
- Jul 21
- 5 min read
From Quiet to Loud: How Luxury Fashion Is Making Noise This Summer
After years of subtle restraint, luxury fashion is turning up the volume in summer 2025 and nowhere was this more evident than at Paris Haute Couture Week in June. The era of “quiet luxury” is giving way to bolder, more expressive statements, marking a significant cultural and creative shift.
For nearly two years, understated elegance reigned supreme on runways and in wardrobes alike. Labels like The Row, Loro Piana, and Brunello Cucinelli became synonymous with the “quiet luxury” aesthetic: muted palettes, impeccable fabrics, precise tailoring, and a conspicuous absence of logos. The look, popularized by cultural touchstones such as the hit TV series Succession, appealed to a post-pandemic audience seeking calm sophistication and timeless investment pieces.
But if the recent Paris couture shows were any indication, this quiet revolution has run its course or, at the very least, is making room for a more colorful and flamboyant counterpart.
A Season of Spectacle
At the Balenciaga Haute Couture show on June 26, creative director Demna staged a spectacular return to maximalist form. Models strode down the runway in dramatic oversized silhouettes, neon hues, and crystal-encrusted face veils a stark contrast to the house’s more muted and architectural collections of seasons past. Critics lauded the spectacle as a reminder of couture’s raison d’être: unbridled creativity. Fashion journalist Vanessa Friedman wrote in The New York Times, “Balenciaga reminded us that couture is as much about theater as it is about technique.”
At Valentino, Pierpaolo Piccioli unveiled a menswear collection that was nothing short of a visual feast. Flowing caftans, kaleidoscopic prints, and bold metallics dominated the runway, a sharp pivot from last year’s monochrome, beige-heavy presentation. Speaking backstage, Piccioli reflected: “People are craving joy and self-expression. After years of introspection, fashion has to reflect the optimism of the moment.”
Meanwhile at Gucci, still in the interim period following Sabato De Sarno’s sudden departure in February, the design team leaned heavily on brand heritage, but with a louder edge. Oversized GG logos, rhinestone-dusted clutches, and chunky statement belts signaled the Florentine house’s own tentative shift from the understated “Ancora” aesthetic De Sarno had introduced. According to sources close to the company, a permanent creative appointment is expected by September a decision that may further shape Gucci’s direction between quiet and loud.
Even Chanel and Dior, traditionally more conservative in their couture narratives, injected subtle elements of playfulness into their summer collections, with pops of unexpected color and whimsical embellishments peeking through the otherwise refined silhouettes.
Retailers and Consumers Take Note
This return to maximalism is not confined to the runway. Retailers confirm the appetite for bolder pieces is already translating into sales. MatchesFashion, in a recent report, noted that sales of statement handbags, colorful eveningwear, and embellished footwear doubled in June and July compared to the same period last year. Farfetch also reported a surge in demand for “investment” accessories with prominent logos and distinctive designs.
On social media, the shift is even more visible. The hashtags #LoudLuxury and #StatementStyle have each garnered millions of views on TikTok and Instagram since May, as influencers and consumers showcase their maximalist summer looks. Gen Z shoppers, in particular, appear eager to embrace louder forms of self-expression, viewing quiet luxury as “too corporate” or “out of touch” with the mood of the times.
Why Now? A Perfect Storm of Factors
Several forces seem to have converged to usher in this aesthetic pivot.
Consumer fatigue: Even among high-net-worth individuals, the once-fresh appeal of tonal dressing and subtle elegance has begun to feel formulaic. “Our clients want to have fun with fashion again,” noted a senior buyer at Harrods. “They’re asking for colors, prints, and things that stand out.”
Post-pandemic optimism: After years of collective restraint, from lockdowns to economic uncertainty, shoppers are embracing the opportunity to express joy through their wardrobes. As trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort observed at a recent industry panel: “Maximalism is not just a style it’s an emotional reaction to a world coming back to life.”
Social media visibility: In the highly visual, algorithm-driven world of social media, bold pieces simply perform better. Vibrant colors and oversized logos stand out in feeds and garner more engagement, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of demand.
Economic factors also play a role. Despite geopolitical tensions and pockets of economic slowdown, the global luxury market remains robust, projected by Bain & Company to grow by 5–7% in 2025, driven by resilient spending in the U.S. and record growth in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. In this climate, brands are competing not just for wallet share but for visibility and cultural relevance — and quiet luxury alone no longer seems enough to capture that.
The Case for Balance
That said, not everyone in the industry is ready to declare quiet luxury over. Italian entrepreneur and designer Brunello Cucinelli, speaking at a Milan conference in June, cautioned: “Quiet luxury is a philosophy, not just a trend but it too must evolve to stay relevant.”
Cucinelli, whose eponymous brand has long championed understated elegance combined with a strong commitment to humanistic capitalism and employee well-being, represents the kind of balanced approach many believe the future of luxury requires. His insistence that luxury should be “gentle, respectful, and joyful” resonates with clients who still value discretion but don’t shy away from occasional boldness.
Indeed, many luxury shoppers continue to value restraint, particularly in markets like Japan, Germany, and parts of the Middle East, where ostentatious displays of wealth are still considered gauche. Brands that can straddle both aesthetics offering impeccable quality and classic staples alongside bolder, seasonal pieces may be best positioned to thrive in the evolving landscape.
What Lies Ahead?
The summer of 2025 may come to be seen as a turning point, a moment when luxury fashion reclaimed its love of spectacle without abandoning the hard-earned lessons of quiet craftsmanship. Insiders expect the trend toward louder, more expressive collections to continue into the Fall/Winter 2025 season, particularly as the industry gears up for September’s ready-to-wear shows in New York, London, Milan, and Paris.
Fashion historian Dr. Valerie Steele contextualizes the shift within a broader historical pattern: “Fashion is cyclical. After a period of restraint and sobriety, there is almost always a swing back toward opulence and exuberance. We saw it in the 1920s after the Great War, in the 1980s after the stagflation of the 1970s and we’re seeing it again now.”
Ultimately, the brands that will define the next era are likely those that can marry craftsmanship with charisma, catering to both the quietly confident and the unapologetically bold.
Conclusion
Luxury fashion’s summer of 2025 is louder, brighter, and more expressive than it has been in years but not necessarily at the expense of refinement. The maximalist mood sweeping Paris Couture Week and beyond signals a cultural hunger for joy, visibility, and self-expression. Yet quiet luxury remains a powerful undercurrent, reminding us that true sophistication is about choice, not conformity.
As designers, retailers, and consumers navigate these shifting tides, one thing seems certain: the most compelling fashion stories of the next few seasons will come from those who dare to find beauty in both whispers and shouts.