How ‘‘The Row’’ started leading the fashion empire
The row is a minimal, quite luxury brand that is one of the most powerful brands in the industry right now. It all started with Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen (yes, the actors) in 2006. The brand started with a simple idea: creating the perfect basics, so well designed that it felt timeless all the time instead of trendy. Fast forward today, the row has grown into a quiet luxury empire. Minimal, tailored silhuoettes, flawless fine-quality fabrics and accessories like the ‘‘ Margaux bag’’ which became popular and took over 2023 and today. What’s more interesting is how the row has became a blueprint for other brands— it’s lookbooks set the mood, and months, years later, other brands start making their own versions of the pieces ( even fast fashion brands like Zara are trying to make their own versions now).
The Row, Margaux bag
Comes in different sizes, colors and patters ( suede, leather, crocodile, canvas).
For years, The Row was more of an insider’s secret—a label you only knew if you followed editors, stylists, or the fashion crowd( still mostly known in the fashion crowd but people that are interested in fashion are familiar) . But things kind of changed around 2023, when The Row’s Margaux bag quietly started showing up everywhere. Unlike other “It bags” that blow up because of logos or flashy designs, the Margaux was the opposite: no branding, no loud colors, no obvious flex. Just perfect proportions, buttery leather, and a kind of effortless polish that made every outfit look elevated. That was the moment The Row stepped fully into the spotlight. Suddenly, “quiet luxury” wasn’t just a niche—it was the trend. And other brands, from high-end designers to fast fashion giants like Zara, started pulling inspiration straight from this look. The Row would drop its collections, and a year or two later you’d start seeing similar shapes, coats, and bags trickle down into the mainstream. It was proof that The Row wasn’t following fashion—it was setting the pace for the entire industry.
cr: The Row Lookbook; SS 25 Resort, Spring/summer, Fall/ Winter, SS 23 Fall/Winter
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In here, we have a comparison of The Row and Zara. On the right we have The Row’s Spring/Summer 25 look and on the left we have a Zara look. When we look at The Row we can see that The row styled a grey cardigan with a lace trimmed layer, it’s a small detail but it is what makes the outfit elevated. When we look at left, we can clearly see that Zara tried to make something similar to The Row. This is one of the very few examples that we can see how The Row is the main inspiration. High end brands like Toteme and Khaite also get inspired.
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In here we have the Khaite/The Row/Toteme comparison, on the left we have the Khaite Spring/Summer 25 look, in the middle we have The Row spring /summer 24 look, and on the right we have the Toteme garderob look. Again; The Row did it first, at this point we can call The Row the it girl of the fashion industry.
The Row is built on obsession, obsession with fabric, fit and feeling. Every piece is designed to be timeless, not trendy. The row doesn’t follow trends, it makes them. Before, luxury meant big and loud logos, The Row flipped that, now it’s quiet, minimal and almost hard to find. And that’s of the appeal, it still feels private. it’s mostly known by people in fashion and the ones that are interested. Not everyone knows it and gets it, that’s what makes it so special. It’s not just about buying a coat or a bag, it’s about stepping into a whole mood; slow, elevated, calm. Even the way you style it becomes a lifestyle. It’s less about showing off and more about how it feels to live in these clothes.
The Row Resort 2024, spring/summer 23
The Row spring/summer 2024