Dry Your Eyes, Quiet Luxury—Alternative Fashion Is Ruling Spring

For the past few years, fashion has been dominated by the idea of quiet luxury—a whisper of elegance, a celebration of simplicity. It was the uniform of subtlety, all about blending in with cashmere coats, tailored trousers and timeless pieces that signalled wealth through understatement. But as we move into spring/summer 2025, the tide is turning. A new aesthetic is emerging, and its calling card is individuality.

You’ve likely felt it already—the craving for something bolder, more eclectic, more you. The idea of a singular “right” way to dress is being challenged, and in its place, we’re seeing a resurgence of personal style as the ultimate fashion statement. This isn’t just a trend—it’s a rebellion against trends altogether. It’s a movement of people choosing pieces that tell their own stories, unapologetically and authentically. I briefly explored this notion in my overarching spring/summer 2025 trend report, affectionately calling those aligning themselves with this “alternative” way of dressing The Anti Club, but knowing there is so much more to it than a mere change of style heart, I wanted to learn more about this movement and how it ultimately affects how we’ll all wear our clothes this spring.

After years of minimalism, people are craving excitement and self-expression,” explains Dr Carolyn Mair (CPsychol), fashion business consultant and author of The Psychology of Fashion. “Quiet luxury reflected a desire for subtlety and stability and came to the fore during particularly uncertain times resulting from economic pressures or cultural fatigue from overexposure. But fashion is cyclical, and personality-driven pieces provide a fresh way to stand out and reconnect with our creative identities—identities that may have been muted when aligning with trends like quiet luxury.”

This return to individuality makes perfect sense when you consider the wider context. After all, the past five years or so have been turbulent—politically, socially and economically. In times of uncertainty, fashion often serves as a form of escapism and a means of self-definition. As Dr Mair puts it, “Amidst rising global tensions, personal freedom and identity become ever more important, motivating us to explicitly express who we are.”