Gstaad Guy, Vicuna Loro Piana and the "Quiet Luxury"
- biroross
- Jun 4, 2024
- 3 min read
In the effervescent universe of fashion, quiet luxury emerges as the leitmotif of non-ostentatious luxury. This movement, also known as stealth wealth, exalts an elegance that speaks softly, where quality manifests itself in subtlety of detail rather than display.
Quiet luxury is a style philosophy that favors simplicity and elegance, combined with the use of noble materials. Its directives are incisive:
Simplicity: The quiet luxury pieces embody minimalism, excluding any superfluous and aiming for the precision of the details and the excellence of the fabrics.
Gradient Colors and Essential Shapes: The color range favors sober and neutral tones, such as gray, beige and black, while the shapes are clear and timeless.
Exclusivity: Quiet luxury is a luxury reserved for those who could invest in high-end garments, which often exceed the limits of brands known for embracing craftsmanship and manufacturing mastery.
It's no surprise that celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow have been seduced by this trend, but it's the rise of the likes of The Gstaad Guy, the online comedian whose parodies have been able to advise and entertain the world's elite, that testifies to the vast appeal of quiet luxury. His identity is shrouded in mystery, however, his influence on the rich and famous is palpable, with his satirical depictions of their affluent ways of life echoing from Bel Air to Belgravia.
Her best-known alter ego, Constance, is a satire of the British aristocracy, which with its French accent and passion for quality wines, reflects the essence of quiet luxury. Gstaad Guy, by transforming a parody into a luxury brand, has established itself as an icon on social media, while Constance embodies the timeless elegance of Europe.
The collaboration between Gstaad Guy and Loro Piana has given rise to a communication that fully embodies quiet luxury, in which the comedian emphasizes the charm of fabrics made with extremely fine fibers such as cashmere and vicuña, which have become emblems of quality and finesse.
In her "shorts" on YouTube, which are very popular with a specialized audience, "Constance" distributes good advice on the lifestyle of a perfect "old money" gentleman, with a painting behind her that reproduces a "Loro Piana" store surrounded by cute camelids, all ironically contextualized in the super exclusive Swiss alpine resort of Gstaad.
Actually. in the inaccessible peaks of the Andes, where the air becomes thin and the silence is broken only by the wind, lives a treasure of nature that has captured the imagination of the most visionary designers: the vicuña. This ethereal creature, whose golden fleece has long been reserved for Inca nobility, has become synonymous with supreme luxury in the world of haute couture.
With only 180,000 specimens roaming free in the sacred mountains of South America, the vicuña represents the pinnacle of exclusivity. Each fiber tells a story of survival and rebirth, as the species, once on the brink of extinction, has been brought back from the abyss thanks to relentless conservation efforts.
The fleece of the vicuña, known as the "Fleece of the Gods", is a product of rare beauty and extraordinary finesse, sought after by the most prestigious brands to create garments that are more works of art than simple garments. Its harvest, regulated with the utmost care to ensure the well-being of the animals, takes place only every two years, making every gram of this precious fiber a true gift of nature.
The story of the vicuña is a hymn to beauty and resilience, a tale that continues to inspire and amaze. It is a symbol of how, even in the most extreme conditions, life can flourish and offer the world something extraordinarily beautiful. The fibers are extraordinarily fine so that they can allow adequate protection to these animals even at altitudes above 4,000 meters and, the greater the fineness of the fiber, means greater thermal insulation and temperature regulation in the ready-made garment. And for those lucky enough to wrap themselves in a vicuña garment, it is an experience that goes beyond just dressing: it is a direct contact with the history and majesty of our planet.
In addition, in addition to the world of the extreme quality of noble fibers, creations such as shoes in royal blue and khaki truffle have become icons of desire for the global jet set.
Ultimately, quiet luxury is a refined expression of style that disregards excesses. True luxury doesn't need to be loudly announced; It whispers its presence with elegance and distinction, because, as they say, "money talks, wealth whispers".
Rossano Bisio
Comments