Is The Row’s No Social Media Policy The Ultimate Act Of Quiet Luxury?

The Row showed their autumn/winter 2024 collection during Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday, but you couldn’t be faulted for not knowing about it. You probably haven’t seen any shaky front (or back) row videos on Instagram like you have from every other show, because the brand – the longstanding mascot of the quiet luxury movement – requested that guests refrain from taking photos or filming at the show. Therein lies the question: if you went to a The Row show and didn’t take a video… were you even there?

Vanessa Friedman, fashion director and chief fashion critic of the New York Times, posted the label’s ask of attendees on Twitter (now X): “The Row looks forward to having you at the Winter 2024 Collection Presentation on Wednesday, February 28th at 12pm. We kindly ask that you refrain from capturing or sharing any content during your experience.” The disappointment was palpable, from fans and guests alike. “Oh. Ok,” Friedman added.

Nobody wants to be the person glued to their phone for an entire show, but capturing content straight from the runway has practical benefits. It can help buyers and editors identify which pieces they want to order for stores or shoots (the brand circumvented this gripe by giving guests notepads and pens to write their show notes), and videos capture how garments move in ways that photos cannot. But let’s be honest, another reason people take photos and videos is for the clout. Securing a seat at any show, especially for a particularly buzzy brand like The Row, is an exciting moment in any fashion fanatic’s life. When you get one, you want people to know about it.

As the old adage goes, money screams and wealth whispers, and there is absolutely no screaming at The Row, a brand that sells white T-shirts for £330. While only a slim margin of people are able to buy into it, the brand has managed to place a limit not only on who can afford the clothing, but who can see it. (That is, until the runway photos come out, though they are expected to be extremely delayed.)

Sure, anyone with the money can buy a Margaux bag. But scoring an invite to the show opens up a whole new level of exclusivity. In making that experience even more restrictive, they’ve managed to create the ultimate stealth wealth experience. The message is clear: if you’re going to The Row’s show, you shouldn’t seek validation by telling everyone about it. The knowledge that you were there should be enough.