Make Some Noise for Quiet Luxury’s Fascinating Opportunity for the Digital Printing Industry

Image credit: Miu Miu SS23 Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com; Peter Do SS23 Photo: Monica Feudi / Courtesy of Peter Do; Victoria Beckham SS23 Isidore Montag / Gorunway.com

The fashion industry can’t keep quiet about the new trend of “quiet luxury.” This nonchalant, minimalistic approach to fashion is a low-key way of demonstrating wealth and style by saying more with less. On Tik-Tok, the term has reached more than 38.5 billion views, and Google searches for it increased by more than 370% during April alone. 

Quiet luxury, AKA “old money aesthetic,” is a sophisticated style that speaks subtly, effortlessly embodying the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Unlike other, flashy trends, it embraces an elegant and understated approach, never crossing the line into excess. But even without logos, the trend’s timeless items resonate with those who recognize leading brands without the need for a logo. 

Since quiet luxury focuses on cut and design rather than colors and logos, printing businesses might be worried, thinking it will harm their business growth. Today, we’re here to clarify that those who make wise choices can turn this trend into a brilliant opportunity by following a few fundamental rules. 

Produce the Highest Quality

This advice is always relevant because high quality is appreciated regardless of current trends. Still, quiet luxury items are made of quality materials that mature audiences prefer and would invest in. Businesses should be able to print on a variety of fabrics, including blends, in order to cater to different budgets and work with global brands. The high-quality print itself must also include precise color-matching capabilities and a soft hand feel. 

Keep Logos on the Down-Low

Quiet luxury items don’t need to shout brands’ names from the rooftops. Instead, they rely on the material, design, and community know-how to make a statement. But that doesn’t mean that printed logos have disappeared entirely, at least not if you play it smart. 

For example, using Kornit Digital’s XDi technology is an excellent approach to logo printing in the age of quiet luxury. The technology enables businesses to print 3D decorative applications, creating a same-color, subtle logo print that is barely there but still impactful. This is a creative way to stand out and display the brand’s name without missing the mark on this fashion trend. 

Tone It Down by Printing in Black and White 

The trend is all about neutral colors, with a tight palette that includes mainly black, white, ivory, and tan garments. Research shows that the use of black apparel increased by 11%, brown items grew by 59%, and gray by 64% compared to last year. Printing businesses still need a vivid, broad color gamut in order to offer multiple shades and get them exactly right. 

Industry experts also know that while this color palette may seem narrow, it is far from easy to master. Achieving perfect white prints on colored fabrics is a textile printing holy grail. Once again, we see innovations from Kornit, with the new NeoPigment™ Vivido ink, the first to offer such strong results.  

Print Long-Term With Durable, Timeless, Sustainable Items 

Classic quiet luxury items are expensive, and manufacturers must ensure they stay just as beautiful over time and laundry loads. Printing businesses should also focus on subtle, timeless patterns that are less likely to go out of style even after this trend passes. Quiet luxury is a sustainable trend because it encourages shoppers to invest in long-lasting, high-quality garments, aligning with younger generations’ aspirations to make environmentally conscious shopping decisions. 

Fulfillers that manage to answer these market requirements will enter a lucrative vertical that consumers of all age groups appreciate. Quietly but surely, this trend could become one of the biggest surprises for our industry.