From Old Money to Quiet Luxury: The Future of Premium PR Strategies
In the world of luxury, perception has always been power. But in 2025, premium PR is changing.
The tactics that once defined exclusivity—boating clubs, cable-knit sweaters, glossy heritage spreads—are losing their hold. Today’s audiences are influenced not by overt displays of wealth, but by subtlety and identity-building.
With today’s fast-moving trend cycles, many legacy tactics have now become passé and gauche. Just look to the rise of the “old money aesthetic” on social platforms in recent years. Premium brands must now step away from traditional sensibilities, lest they fall victim to the TikTok-ification of luxury.
This shift marks the rise of quiet luxury, and with it, a new era in how premium brands position themselves, communicate with audiences, and maintain cultural relevance.
From old money to quiet luxury
For decades, the “old money aesthetic” dominated luxury marketing. Ivy-covered walls, polo scenes, and heritage-style visuals were shorthand for status. But fast-moving online trend cycles have changed the rules. To be associated with such an aesthetic now would be communications self-sabotage.
Now, quiet luxury rules, and the ultimate marker of taste is subtlety. In this landscape, luxury brands no longer need to show wealth, they simply need to exist in a space of authority.
Luxury language has changed
With this cultural shift, the language of luxury communications has also evolved.
Assumptive, not persuasive. Luxury brands no longer explain why they belong in the luxury space. Their language and branding assumes authority. Aspirational audiences need justification, premium audiences do not.
No explanations of craft. The days of detailing materials and heritage craftsmanship are long gone. Modern luxury communications must understand that their consumer already knows. The value is inherent, not explained.
Identity over aspiration. Premium communications no longer encourage customers to “reach for” something. Instead, they invite them to step into an identity they already see themselves belonging to.
Positioning in the era of quiet luxury
Perhaps the most important change is in brand positioning.
Luxury brands of today are not positioning themselves as luxury, but rather as existing in their own category. When you communicate from this place, you are not competing. You are setting the tone.
Your voice should be authoritative yet effortless:
Speak directly to the customer’s needs.
Never justify your price point.
Assume understanding, never explain.
This is the essence of modern premium PR.
The future of premium PR strategies
For premium brands, this shift requires a new approach. Campaigns must be understated, rooted in cultural awareness and delivered with impeccable voice and positioning. The goal is no longer to attract attention through spectacle, but to command authority. The premium brands of today must throw out the rulebook of luxury PR, and instead operate with restraint and logic.
At Vale Communications, we know that the most successful luxury brands will be those that master this balance: blending corporate sensibility with creative storytelling, while embracing the new codes of quiet luxury.
Key takeaways for luxury brands
Traditional aesthetics are fading. Trend cycles move too fast for “old money” tropes.
Quiet luxury has redefined both visual identity and brand language.
Effective luxury PR is no longer about explaining or persuading, it’s about positioning and authority.
Are you a premium brand struggling to break through the noise?
Get in touch with us to find out how our blend of corporate sensibility and creative communications can solve your problem.
