How to rock billionaire style from the Sun Valley conference: ‘stealth wealth’ fashion popularised by HBO’s Succession was worn by the business elite, from Warren Buffett to Warner Bros’ boss

Jul 18 , 2023

Bom Kim (centre), founder and CEO of Coupang, walks with investor Stan Druckenmiller and member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors Kevin Warsh at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 13, in Sun Valley, Idaho. Photo: AFP

Sun Valley, Idaho, is an unlikely spot for a catwalk. But that’s exactly what the paths around town became as billionaire and CEO guests strolled and biked between conference sessions at this year’s Allen & Co. event.

Mike Speiser, managing partner at Sutter Hill Ventures, and Ellen Speiser were seen at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, US, on July 14. Photo: AFP

The fashion choices of the business elite seemed to evoke the luxury style seen on the hit HBO TV show Succession, with a focus on muted tones and casual wear.

Many attendees stayed committed to the colour and texture choices long favoured by tech and finance titans. Read: plenty of shades of blue shirts and outer layers were on display, as were vest-centred looks.

Jesse Itzler (left), co-founder of Marquis Jet, Sara Blakely and Paul Salem walk together wearing casual looks. Photo: AFP

Here’s what the “who’s who in the business world” wore at the Sun Valley conference this week. After all, it’s not called “summer camp for billionaires” for nothing.

Billionaire fashion straight out of Succession

Bing Gordon, CEO for Kleiner Perkins, and his wife Debra Gordon talk to the media as they walk to a morning session at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, US, on July 12. Photo: AFP

Many guests were espousing the so-called “quiet luxury” trend favoured by the Roy family: neutrals, simple silhouettes and subtle branding.

Here, Bing Gordon, CEO for venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, wore a classic navy blazer while his wife Debra Gordon donned an equally understated look.

Neutrals, neutrals, neutrals

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI Inc. obviously got the neutrals memo. Photo: Bloomberg

OpenAI’s Sam Altman, who has made the rounds lauding AI’s potential good and warning of its terrifying possibilities, donned a casual look at the Sun Valley Lodge.

The ChatGPT leader’s neutral-tone crew-neck shirt at the Sun Valley Lodge does seem like the kind of basic tee look that Alexander Skarsgard’s Succession character, the casual sweats-loving tech CEO Lukas Matsson, would wear.

Quarter-zip jumpers

Robert Kraft, CEO of Kraft Group (left) and Roger Goodell, commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), walk to lunch during the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, US, on July 12. Photo: Bloomberg

Quarter-zip jumpers are a staple of the rich and preppy set on their days off.

Guests like New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft epitomised a partial-zip sweatshirt look that was popular at the conference.

Steven Swartz, president and CEO of the media company Hearst, arrives at the Sun Valley Lodge for the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, US, on July 11. Photo: AFP

Hearst CEO Steven Swartz donned a periwinkle quarter-zip, perhaps tapping into a popular notion in business fashion that the colour blue can signal stability.

Let the accessories do the talking

Marc Benioff, chairman and CEO of Salesforce.com Inc., attends the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, US, on July 11. Photo: Bloomberg

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff appeared to be pretty committed to the Western atmosphere of the conference venue, keeping a cowboy hat on.

John Elkann, chairman of Stellantis, rides a bike at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 14. Photo: AFP

Meanwhile, John Elkann, chairman at the vehicle company Stellantis, went for futuristic-looking oversized sunglasses and a textured turtleneck sweater.

Swiss shoe brand On

Justin Kelly, CEO of Winslow Capital, arrives at the Sun Valley Lodge for the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, on July 11. Photo: AFP

Many guests eschewed looks displaying brand names, but one label that was popular was On. The Swiss brand of athletic and running shoes has become popular among the tech elite.

Some classics never get old

Ted Leonsis, chairman and CEO of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, arrives for the morning session in the classic vest-over-shirt look. Photo: Bloomberg

Ted Leonsis, CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, donned the classic vest-over-shirt look, a reliable casual ‘fit for the business set.

Neal Mohan, CEO of YouTube Inc. (left) and Hema Screen Mohan rocked up to the conference wearing matching outfits. Photo: Bloomberg

YouTube head Neal Mohan took things down to Silicon Valley brass tacks, rocking the quintessential tech bro grey zip-sweatshirt look.

Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, makes his way to a morning session at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, US, on July 14. Photo: AFP

But, of course, let’s not forget the company hosting the conference and the Oracle of Omaha himself. Legendary investor Warren Buffett wore multiple Allen & Co. outer layers with Sun Valley 2023 insignia.

Casual textures entered the mix

David Zaslav, president and CEO of Warner Bros Discovery Inc., attends the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, US, on July 11. Photo: Bloomberg

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav chose a classic Canadian tuxedo – a denim-on-denim look – and a megawatt smile. Hollywood media chiefs are contending with a strike by writers and now actors seeking better pay as residuals decline and more protections amid the rise of generative AI.

Some guests got a little creative

Tim Ellis, CEO of Relativity Space and wife Richelle Ellis arrive at the Sun Valley conference looking a little out of place. since they’re not wearing the usual casual ‘fit look of the business set. Photo: AFP

Relativity Space CEO Tim Ellis and his wife, the artist Richelle Ellis, wore printed, geometric looks.

Diane von Furstenberg, fashion designer, leaves a morning session at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, US, on July 13. Photo: AFP

Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg paired what appeared to be a shark-tooth necklace with a colourful striped look. But DVF’s husband, the media mogul Barry Diller, kept a more casual cut underlining the spirit of the event.

Barry Diller, chairperson of IAC, and his wife Diane von Furstenberg, look miles apart in terms of the styles they wear. Photo: AFP

Barry Diller, chairman and executive of IAC, which owns a suite of media and internet-focused companies, cut a casual figure as he walked around in Sun Valley next to his wife.

This article originally appeared on Insider.

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Celebrity style

Every July, some of the world’s most wealthy and powerful figures from the media, finance, technology and political spheres converge at the Sun Valley Resort for an exclusive week-long conference
The attendees wore ‘quiet luxury’ fashion popularised by HBO’s Succession, nailing the billionaire style that features muted tones, casual wear, subtle branding, vests – and quarter-zip jumpers