Why is ‘The Row’ such a famous company?

To be honest, it’s kind of boring. There’s nothing special about it. But before I get ahead of myself, let me start with what The Row is.

The Row is a high-fashion brand created by the Olsen twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. It started in 2006. They used to be young actors, namely playing the same girl named Michelle Tanner in Full House. A lot of people might also know their younger sister, Elizabeth Olsen, who has worn a lot of their clothes at events. Others, as it says on 10 Famous Faces in the Row’s Celebrity Fan Club by Alice Cary from British Vogue, like Zoe Kravitz, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and more have been seen out wearing their clothes.

So now you know what it’s about. Let’s start with what it says on their website. In the About Us section, it says “Focusing on exceptional fabrics, impeccable details, and precise tailoring, the house combines a timeless perspective with subtle attitudes which form an irreverent classic signature.” They state exactly why they’re famous. They pay attention to details most don’t, like the stitching or the fabric. It isn’t just about how nice it looks (not that they don’t care about that) but also about how it feels and was made. Things like nice silk, really soft cashmere, and hand-picked cotton are all put into these pieces just so that they can feel better and look good at the same time. All this makes them higher-end than most things because they put so much time and effort into the tiny things, which become the center of attention and force you to appreciate them more.

Another thing is quiet luxury. If you look at the Ready-To-Wear on their website, nothing is outstated. To be honest, it looks like it could just be bought at a local store (no offense). According to Quiet Luxury: Why This Trend Won’t Pass Away from Fashion United, “It is about prosperity and subtle wealth. Especially in times of crisis, quiet luxury is becoming more common.” The celebrities don’t seem to want to flaunt their wealth. They’re okay with not always looking rich. Along with that, I think the reason the article talks about “in times of crisis” is because it just would not be appropriate. If people are struggling out there and they’re out here wearing Chanel, Gucci, and things like that, it might not send out a great message to the public. It would show that they might not care because they still have stuff that others don’t. The Row is subtle enough that people might not notice that these people are wearing luxury items. It shows wealth, but subtly.

Speaking of subtle wealth, this company has mastered that with some rules they set. You’re probably asking ‘What rules could she be talking about related to a fashion company?’ I asked myself that too when I first saw it. To answer, they don’t allow phones at their shows. No, they prefer to give people paper which raises a lot of opinions. From the article What a No-Phone Fashion Show Means in the Social Media Era by Isabelle Truman for Vogue Business, “‘I don’t have a The Row store anywhere near me, there’s no way I could experience whatever it is they do in person. I’d only get that through the internet. They know this,’ fashion archivist Kim Russell says. ‘It’s a move to craft a certain demographic and keep it that way.’” Judging by this, the rule caught people’s attention. People think that it’s a way to keep it away from the public eye, to lure them in, or to be able to control what people see around the company. Obviously, that has a certain allure. Not being able to see something so important in the fashion industry would make it hard to want to stay away. On top of that it makes it seem high-class in a way. As if only the richest and most exclusive people can see it which makes other people seem lesser-than. The ironic part about that is they are the definition of quiet luxury, but the debate around their brand is definitely not.

Now, let’s make like a burrito and wrap it up! If you didn’t actually pay attention while reading this, I get it. But to make it simple, The Row is important because of three main things, details that normal people wouldn’t notice, being rich but quietly, and being rich, quiet, AND exclusive. Cool, right? I hope you learned something new while reading this because I know I did, and I know quite a lot about fashion.

Citations:

Cary, Alice. “10 Famous Faces in the Row’s Celebrity Fan Club.” British Vogue, 17 July 2024, www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/gallery/the-row-celebrity-fans#:~:text=From%20expertly%2Dcut%20coats%20in,both%20on%20and%20off%2Dduty.

“About Us | the Row.” The Row, www.therow.com/pages/about-us#:~:text=The%20Row%20was%20established%20in,Olsen%20and%20Mary%2DKate%20Olsen.

Dpa. “‘Quiet Luxury’: Why This Fashion Trend Won’t Just Pass Away.” FashionUnited, 29 Feb. 2024, fashionunited.uk/news/fashion/quiet-luxury-why-this-fashion-trend-won-t-just-pass-away/2024022974349.

Truman, Isabelle. “What a No-phone Fashion Show Means in the Social Media Era.” Vogue Business, 29 Feb. 2024, www.voguebusiness.com/story/fashion/what-a-no-phone-fashion-show-means-in-the-social-media-era.