Spend enough time looking at fashion week street style, editor wardrobes or behind-the-scenes photographs from magazine shoots, and you start noticing the same minimalist luxury fashion brands appearing again and again.
Some are names almost everyone knows. Others are brands you may not have heard of unless you spend a slightly unhealthy amount of time looking at clothes online.
What these brands have in common is that they make getting dressed look easy. The pieces tend to work across seasons, they mix well with the rest of a wardrobe and they somehow manage to look polished without feeling overdone.
Below are some of the minimalist luxury brands that fashion editors and industry insiders seem to come back to repeatedly, grouped by aesthetic.
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Scandinavian minimalism: Clean, refined and effortless
Some of today’s most influential minimalist luxury fashion brands come from Scandinavia. Clean lines, restrained colour palettes and versatile pieces sit at the centre of the aesthetic, but each brand interprets minimalism in its own way.
Toteme
If there is one brand that has shaped the current minimalist aesthetic, it is probably Toteme.
Spend a few minutes looking through fashion week street style photographs and you will quickly start spotting Toteme pieces everywhere. The scarf coat is perhaps the most obvious example, but the brand’s influence goes much further than a handful of well-known pieces.
What Toteme does particularly well is creating clothes that feel highly considered without feeling complicated. The silhouettes are clean, but there is almost always a detail that makes the piece stand out: a twisted seam on a pair of jeans, an exaggerated sleeve, a sculptural coat shape or a distinctive stripe placement.
I also think Toteme has mastered the art of building a cohesive wardrobe. The collections are built around a restrained colour palette and consistent proportions, which makes it very easy to combine pieces across seasons.
If your style leans Scandinavian, polished and understated, Toteme is one of the strongest brands to explore.
If you want to read more about Toteme, I have written a post focusing on the brand: Toteme: Inside the Minimalist Formula Behind the Brand.
Best known for: scarf coats, twisted seam denim and silk scarves.
By Malene Birger
By Malene Birger offers a softer and slightly more relaxed interpretation of Scandinavian minimalism.
Compared to Toteme, the silhouettes often feel less structured and a little more fluid. You will find relaxed tailoring, draped dresses and pieces that feel elegant without looking overly polished.
It is a brand that works particularly well for women who love minimalism but do not want their wardrobes to feel too strict or severe.
Many people first discover the brand through occasionwear or tailoring and then end up returning for knitwear, separates and everyday pieces.
Best known for: fluid dresses, relaxed tailoring, knitwear and elevated separates.
Filippa K
Filippa K has been one of Scandinavia’s most established minimalist brands for decades.
The Swedish label focuses on wardrobe foundations: beautifully cut trousers, coats, knitwear and basics that can be worn repeatedly without feeling dated.
Compared to some of the newer Scandinavian brands, Filippa K tends to feel more practical and less fashion-forward. That is precisely why many people love it. The pieces are designed for everyday life and integrate easily into an existing wardrobe.
If you are building a capsule wardrobe from scratch, Filippa K is an excellent place to start.
Best known for: tailoring, coats, knitwear and elevated essentials.
The quiet luxury icons
Over the last few years, the term “quiet luxury” has been used to describe everything from cashmere sweaters to beige handbags. But long before the phrase became a trend, some of the most influential minimalist luxury fashion brands had already built their identities around exceptional materials, impeccable tailoring and understated design.
These are the labels that many fashion editors continue to return to when they want investment pieces designed to last.
The Row
Few brands have influenced modern minimalist dressing as much as The Row.
Founded by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, the label has become the benchmark for understated luxury. Spend some time looking through editor wardrobes and you will quickly notice how frequently The Row appears.
What sets The Row apart is proportion. The brand has an exceptional ability to make oversized silhouettes look elegant without being overwhelming. A pair of trousers may be wider, a blazer slightly longer or a knit slightly more relaxed than you would find elsewhere, but the proportions somehow always feel balanced.
Fabric also plays a huge role. Many pieces look deceptively simple online, but seeing them in person is often a completely different experience. The drape, texture and weight of the materials are a large part of what people are paying for.
The Row is probably not the brand to turn to if you are looking for trend pieces. It is the brand many people invest in when they want pieces they expect to wear for years.
If you want to read more about The Row, I have written a post focusing on the brand: The Row Formula: How to Dress Effortlessly Elegant.
Best known for: oversized tailoring, luxurious knitwear, leather bags and minimal sandals.
Jil Sander
Long before quiet luxury became a trend, Jil Sander had already built its reputation around minimalist dressing.
The brand is known for architectural silhouettes, precise tailoring and a level of refinement that makes even very simple pieces feel distinctive.
Compared to The Row, Jil Sander often feels slightly sharper and more directional. There is usually a strong design point of view running through the collections, whether that is an unexpected proportion, a sculptural shape or an interesting construction detail.
Fashion editors who appreciate minimalism with a slightly intellectual edge are often drawn to Jil Sander.
Best known for: structured outerwear, crisp shirting, tailoring and sculptural accessories.
Loro Piana
Loro Piana occupies a unique place within luxury fashion.
While many brands are recognised primarily for their design, Loro Piana is equally known for its fabrics. The Italian house is particularly famous for its cashmere, wool and exceptional craftsmanship.
The aesthetic is understated, but when you see the pieces in person, the quality is immediately noticeable. A simple cashmere sweater from Loro Piana often feels very different from a cashmere sweater from almost anywhere else.
Many people who buy Loro Piana are looking for investment pieces that they plan to keep for many years.
Best known for: cashmere knitwear, luxurious outerwear and elevated basics.
Fashion insider favourites
These brands may not be as widely recognised outside fashion circles, but they appear frequently in editor wardrobes and fashion week street style.
Studio Nicholson
Studio Nicholson has developed something of a cult following among fashion enthusiasts.
The London-based brand is particularly known for its use of proportion. Wide-leg trousers, oversized shirts and relaxed tailoring sit at the centre of the aesthetic.
What makes Studio Nicholson interesting is that the brand pushes proportions further than many other minimalist labels. The silhouettes can feel almost architectural, which gives even simple outfits a strong visual identity.
If you love minimalist dressing but sometimes find it too safe or predictable, Studio Nicholson is worth exploring.
Best known for: wide-leg trousers, oversized shirting and sculptural outerwear.
Róhe
Róhe is one of those brands that fashion enthusiasts seem to discover and then immediately become slightly obsessed with.
The Amsterdam-based label focuses on refined tailoring, beautiful fabrics and thoughtful proportions. The pieces feel modern, but not trend-driven, which makes them particularly appealing if you are trying to build a wardrobe that will still feel relevant years from now.
What I find interesting about Róhe is that the collections often include subtle design details that make otherwise simple pieces feel special. A coat may have an unexpected cut, a blazer may feature slightly exaggerated proportions, or a knit may come in an unusual texture.
The overall aesthetic sits somewhere between Scandinavian minimalism and the more directional approach of brands like Jil Sander.
Best known for: tailoring, outerwear, knitwear and elevated wardrobe staples.
Tove
Tove is a London-based brand that has gained significant attention over the last few years.
The label combines minimalist silhouettes with softer shapes and draping, giving the collections a more romantic feel than many minimalist brands.
Tove is especially strong when it comes to dresses. Many of the designs strike a balance between feeling contemporary and timeless, which helps explain why they appear so frequently in editor wardrobes.
For those who find traditional minimalism slightly too austere, Tove offers a softer alternative.
Best known for: draped dresses, tailoring and occasionwear.
Modern minimalism with personality
Minimalism does not have to mean dressing in beige basics from head to toe. These brands show that simple dressing can still feel distinctive.
Khaite
Khaite has become one of the most influential luxury brands of recent years.
The New York label combines strong silhouettes with a distinctly feminine sensibility. Compared to brands such as The Row or Jil Sander, Khaite often feels a little bolder and more sensual.
The brand has become particularly known for its knitwear and denim, both of which have developed devoted followings.
Khaite is a good example of a brand that manages to feel current without becoming overly trend-driven.
Best known for: knitwear, denim, tailoring and statement outerwear.
Nili Lotan
Nili Lotan blends minimalist dressing with an effortless New York aesthetic.
The collections feature beautifully cut basics, relaxed tailoring and subtle military influences. The overall effect feels polished, but never overly formal.
Many women are drawn to Nili Lotan because the pieces feel incredibly wearable. They are the kind of clothes that look just as good with flats and denim as they do dressed up.
Best known for: relaxed tailoring, jackets, denim and knitwear.
Loulou de Saison
Loulou de Saison is a French label that has attracted a loyal following among lovers of understated style.
The brand focuses on timeless wardrobe pieces with a contemporary edge. Looking through editor wardrobes, you often see pieces styled in a way that feels elegant, effortless and distinctly Parisian.
The collections strike a balance between minimalism and femininity, making the brand appealing to those who want understated clothing that still feels refined.
Best known for: tailoring, knitwear, outerwear and elevated basics.
Join readers interested in elegant style, refined interiors and simple ways to elevate everyday life.
Final thoughts
Whether you are building a capsule wardrobe or simply looking for new brands to explore, these minimalist luxury fashion brands offer plenty of inspiration.
Whether you are building a capsule wardrobe or simply looking to invest more intentionally, these minimalist luxury fashion brands offer plenty of inspiration.
Some people gravitate towards the clean Scandinavian aesthetic of Toteme or Filippa K. Others prefer the refined luxury of The Row or the stronger silhouettes of Studio Nicholson.
The common thread between all of these brands is an emphasis on quality, thoughtful design and pieces designed to remain relevant for years.
That is probably why fashion editors continue returning to them season after season.
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