Why “Quiet Luxury” Is a Trend — But Investing in Texture Is Forever

If I were forced to pick a single M.M. item to represent luxury, I’d land on the Porter jacket: a lavish-looking and feeling style with classic lapels and decorative fringe. Made in Japan and designed to be passed down to future generations, all of our Interweave styles ooze luxury craftsmanship and remind me of the iconic tweed pieces from a certain French heritage brand—but much more affordable, less stiff, and entirely non-stuffy. Knit panels make the Porter stretchy and comfortable, while the varied yarn colors enhance the texture to the point that you can almost feel it just by looking at it. To demonstrate its versatility, I created a dynamic palette with the Axam turtleneck in kaleidoscope print—a small-scale but eye-catching pattern—coordinating red velvet flats from Alex Mill I got a while back (similar: Ann Mashburn), and our saddle-colored Kick Flare Foster pants.

Speaking of things that look like tweed, our boucle jardigans are knit from a marled yarn with a distinctly textured look and feel. The Woolf is an M.M. classic that’s proven to stand the test of time (at eight years old, it’s still going strong), but you can consider me an evangelist of the Evangeline in particular. Black, white, and stretchy all over, it has the appearance of a high-end lady jacket and the handfeel of a sturdy cardigan. The contrast detailing and gold-trimmed buttons cement its luxury status and add that old-school flavor. Of course, you can keep your pairings classic and “quiet”—with, say, a white underpinning and black trousers—but I equally enjoy wearing the Evangeline with items that are less expected. Here, I’ve paired it with our Sabine top in amaro, a gorgeous rusty red; a pair of light-wash, loose-legged jeans from AYR; and some leopard-print mules I’ve had for years.

Want to elevate your everyday knits? Add some silk into the mix. Our new cotton-silk styles are made from 90% cotton and 10% silk—giving them an especially polished texture. For an extra-special touch, our knitwear designers incorporated pointelle detailing at the seams. I love the delicate look of these pieces so much that I’ve doubled up and styled the Crimmins tank and Mel cardigan together as a sweater set; wearing matching knits is my personal idea of luxury. To complement my top half’s more demure vibe, I went with a pair of super-smooth ponte pants in shamrock, a bold kelly green, and I tied the look together with off-white Mary Janes from Vagabond.

As someone who leaves their apartment in the morning and doesn’t return home to change between various activities (NYC life), I have a low tolerance for fabrics that wrinkle after only a few hours. Unfortunately, this means I often avoid 100%-silk styles. If you feel similarly, let me introduce you to our (washable) silk charmeuse: It is made from 100% silk, so it’s lightweight and luminous, but it also has a deliciously weighty handfeel that prevents it from wrinkling as easily as classic silk. To really show off this material, I’m wearing the Tatum top, a long-sleeved button-down that’s a tad relaxed. It comes in a shade called dune, a subdued warm gray, which is one of those unique neutrals you could easily spot on the runway at The Row but goes with a wide range of less subtle pieces, too. Here, I’ve paired it with our Whitney skirt in check plaid (note the seafoam green stripe). To play up my silk charmeuse top, the hero of this outfit, I layered in some other shiny textures in the form of my patent-leather lug loafers from Franco Sarto and a pair of silver earrings from Etsy.

Our drapey Everyday Satin is aptly named as—much like our silk charmeuse—it’s a highly practical take on an ultra-luxe textile. It has an ideal amount of slouch, a subtle sheen, and an artfully rippled texture that reflects light in a really appealing way. My favorite style is actually the Carr jumpsuit, but since it requires no styling other than accessorizing, I went with the Smith pants in an effort to show you how this fabric can zhush up more casual pairings. In return, styles like the Lacie top give these fancy pants a slight edge. Here, I’ve left the Lacie unbuttoned over a black tank from AYR and (literally and figuratively) elevated the look with a pair of old square-toed sandals from Miista (similar: Ella sandals).

The key word here is plush. This extra-soft class of cashmere uses 4-5x more yarn than a typical cashmere sweater, making styles like the Theo pullover some of the most luxuriously textured garments one can own. Here, I’m wearing the Theo in stormcloud, a lovely gray-brown. This hue is ripe for pairing with other soft neutrals when you crave a tonal palette, but I tried it out over a vintage nightgown that I wear as a slip dress and was extremely pleased with the result. The blue hue itself is subdued, but it’s striking against the earthiness of the sweater. I also think the juxtaposition of the substantial cashmere and delicate satin makes for such a beautiful early spring outfit. For an extra dose of freshness, I accessorized with an old pair of white Vince mules (similar: Banana Republic) and pearl drop earrings from Ana Luisa.

Our innovative knit poplin has one of those textures you really have to feel for yourself. Crafted from compact-knit Japanese cotton, the Tonya and Clemens have the look of crisp poplin but feel like your favorite luxury T-shirt. Each of the two silhouettes is sleek, streamlined, and goes with virtually anything. Here, I went with the looser, tunic-style Tonya to balance out the Colby pant’s tapered ankles. These OrigamiTech trousers were designed for travel, but their light weight and wrinkle-resistance make them ideal for long days at the office, too. I kept my accessories clean and simple—with my white Vince mules (similar: Banana Republic) and silver Mejuri hoops—since the pants’ light orchid color speaks for itself.