7 Asian celebrities owning the quiet luxury trend: from Valentino rep BTS’ Suga and The Glory’s Song Hye-kyo to Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, Hong Kong’s Faye Wong and 2Gether’s Bright

Jun 14 , 2023

Bright, Michelle Yeoh, Song Hye-kyo and Faye Wong all wear minimalist “quiet luxury” fashion. Photos: @isawitbefore, @kyo1122/Instagram; EPA; Getty Images

“Quiet luxury” has been the buzzword of the year so far as one of the most alluring trends in fashion right now.

Often characterised by timeless silhouettes, premium materials and neutral tones, the “old-money aesthetic” is all about easy-going and discreet elegance with little to no obvious branding – but don’t let the absence of monograms fool you. The fine tailoring and quality materials of “stealth wealth” comes with eye-watering price tags.

This sartorial shift may look simple, but it’s not easy to nail. Here are seven Asian celebrities who have the aesthetic down pat.

1. Michelle Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh owns quiet luxury looks. Photo: @michelleyeoh_official/Instagram

After four decades in the industry, Michelle Yeoh was finally awarded an Oscar this year for her stunning performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Yeoh has been dazzling in gowns on every red carpet since, with multiple upcoming projects in the pipeline too.

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While equally chic while off duty, Yeoh prefers a much more toned-down but polished look during her downtime that fits right into the old-money aesthetic.

2. Song Hye-kyo

Song Hye-kyo in Fendi on February 24. Photo: @kyo1122/Instagram

Descendants of the Sun actress Song Hye-kyo seems to share a similar taste in fashion with her character Moon Dong-eun in The Glory: expensive yet unassuming. In the hit TV show, Dong-eun’s attire seems modest and low profile at first, but eagle-eyed fans were quick to notice that that was far from the truth. As seen in the series, Song’s character casually carries around the exorbitantly expensive Peekaboo ISeeU Mini designer bag by Fendi.

Song similarly dons understated designer pieces on the daily, hitting “stealth wealth” right on the mark.

3. BTS’ Suga

BTS’ Suga just landed an endorsement deal with Valentino. Photo: @agustd/Instagram

Earlier this year, BTS’ Suga secured a lucrative endorsement deal with Valentino as one of the brand’s global ambassadors. Adding on to that hype, the rapper released his first ever full-length solo album in April and his solo world tour sold out within minutes in March, per AllKpop. It’s safe to say Suga has become one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry as a whole.

But despite his large fortune, he isn’t one to flash his wealth through his wardrobe. His off-duty looks often consist of chic and structured pieces with minimal branding.

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4. Fala Chen

Fala Chen stars in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Photo: Getty Images

The Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings actress exudes elegance both on and off screen.

While she often dazzles us with glittering gowns and couture on the red carpet, she channels her charisma in her downtime through timeless silhouettes and neutral tones.

5. Faye Wong

Faye Wong is one of Hong Kong’s biggest Cantopop queens. Photo: Getty Images

Hong Kong Cantopop queen Faye Wong is known for having some of the most experimental and unconventional outfits throughout her very successful career. The pop diva even became director Wong Kar-wai’s muse and starred in his cult classic film Chungking Express in 1994.

These days, Wong seems to have exchanged her bold wardrobe for the quiet luxury aesthetic, opting for more structured and polished pieces.

6. Alia Bhatt

Alia Bhatt is a Bollywood actress known for starring in films like RRR. Photo: @aliabhatt/Instagram

Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt made her Met Gala debut last month in a dress covered with pearls in honour of iconic designer Karl Lagerfeld.

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While Bhatt’s wardrobe appears to be all encompassing, she seems to have a preference for simplicity. From her saris to her suits, her picks are often timeless and elegant.

7. Bright (Vachirawit Chivaaree)

Burberry welcomed Thai actor Bright as its brand ambassador in the South Asia Pacific region. Photo: @isawitbefore/Instagram

The Thai actor had his breakout role in the Thai BL (boy love) series 2gether: The Series in 2020. Since then he has amassed a loyal fan base, landed more gigs and is beloved by several legacy fashion houses such as Gucci, Prada and Louis Vuitton. Last year, he became an ambassador for Burberry.

While Bright is constantly wowing us with his front-row fashion looks, the young actor is equally chic and effortless off screen with tailored blazers and solid colour palettes.

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Celebrity style

Quiet luxury is the hottest new fashion trend of 2023 – think ‘stealth wealth’ characterised by timeless silhouettes, premium materials and neutral tones without the excessive brand logos
Everything Everywhere All at Once star Michelle Yeoh is known for her toned-down aesthetic, while Song Hye-kyo channels Fendi looks, and Marvel’s Fala Chen also exudes elegance on and off screen