The Frieze contemporary art fair is a good indicator of the number of wealthy individuals who land in each of the cities where it is held, dates that fashion brands should have written down in large print on their calendar.
In one of the last editions in London, a multi-brand fashion establishment organized a temporary store in one of the most expensive areas of the British capital.
Champagne was served in an impeccably decorated space, with opulent designs on mannequins, where fair attendees shared opinions about digital art or up-and-coming galleries.
One of the guests, dressed in a variety of cream shades, walked in, took a quick look and asked if they were selling The Row.
The employee apologized, saying no, and immediately the fan of the minimalist brand walked out the door without taking a sip of champagne.
Oops.
Not including Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen's brand in a space dedicated to high fashion is a miscalculation, but one that can be understandable.
Since the Olsen sisters founded this American label in 2007, The Row has been characterized by an attitude that could be described as ostentatiously discreet.
The Olsens, perhaps to counteract the fame that has followed them since they were children, created a brand without a visible logo, which avoids any obvious promotion, and has a limited presence on social networks.
This silence is complemented by prices so high that they close the door in the faces of potential aspirational customers.
So who dresses up The Row?
The answer is people invisible to ordinary mortals, whom we will probably never meet, who do not want to experiment with their wardrobe, and who wear 1,500 euro sweaters like someone who goes to the Uniqlo sales.
For all this eagerness to reserve, it is surprising that The Row has debuted as one of the most searched brands of the past quarter in The Lyst Index classification.
According to the fashion sales platform, searches for the brand increased by 93% during the last three months of 2023. On the other hand, its Margaux model bag, which costs between three thousand and six thousand euros, is the most desired product in the market. same period of time, with a year-on-year increase in searches of 198%.
This tells us that something must be changing at The Row's New York offices, and not just because the collections, known for their narrow color range, suddenly contain hints of carmine red.
One of the latest proposals presented by The Row.
At the end of 2023 Mary-Kate, the current creative director, and Ashley, CEO, gave a rare interview to the
Financial Times
.
In it, the Olsens assure that the company grows around 20% or 30% each year, and that their objective is to maintain control over their brand so that it grows sustainably.
In addition, they complained that at 37 years old and with a business, they continued to be referred to as 'the girls'.
The little news that leaks about the brand has not always been positive.
In fact, the pandemic put The Row in financial trouble.
Half of the employees, including several design directors, are said to have been laid off in 2020. The cuts came after the departure of the firm's president David Schulte, who later sued the sisters, today replaced by Trish Donnelly, former Calvin Klein.
In addition, specialized media reported that high production costs have pushed the brand's workshops from the United States to Italy, calling into question its
Made in USA
label .
And to make matters worse, the firm has been accused of racial inequality due to a lack of diversity in its workforce.
The sisters have not spoken directly about these issues, and continue to lead lives of extreme privacy.
Little is known about them: Ashley has apparently married her partner, the artist Louis Eisner, and they had a baby in 2023. A couple of years ago, Eisner posted a photo of Ashley on his Instagram, carrying a beer and a machete that He left his followers awestruck.
Mary-Kate is known for her emergency divorce request from Olivier Sarkozy, brother of the former French president, in 2020. The rest can be seen through the Instagram accounts that follow her movements, and that often publish photos of the sisters smoking in one of his work breaks.
Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen at the premiere of 'Anna and the King' when they were children.Jim Smeal (Ron Galella Collection via Getty)
The Olsen twins have been known since they were 9 months old, when they started in the series
Full Parents
, alternately playing Michelle Tanner, the little one of the house.
Eight seasons later, the sisters were almost teenagers and all child stars.
Having barely come of age, and already burned out of the entertainment industry, they decided to create The Row, named as a tribute to Savile Row, the London street of classic tailoring.
The original idea was based on designing the perfect t-shirt, and over the years they have maintained this process, identifying everyday garments and obsessively refining them in order to sell them at high prices.
According to the sisters, their clothes seek to make life easier for those who wear them, creating a kind of luxury secular nun's uniform, oblivious to trends.
Sandals from The Row.
(1090 euros on MyTheresa).
The question is why in recent months the brand, despite its supposed pathological shyness, is growing in exposure.
Perhaps the strategy is to project an idea of mystery, limited access and exclusivity, when in reality they maintain robust distribution channels.
The Row has three physical stores (in New York, Los Angeles and London), its own e-commerce and a presence on almost all multi-brand websites such as Net-A-Porter, Matches Fashion, MyTheresa, SSENSE or Farfetch.
They even hosted a special sample sale in New York in October.
Speaking clearly, the Olsens are not as elusive as Phoebe Philo, although she is their reference.
The Row's LinkedIn account doesn't have a single news story posted and its Instagram profile features more artwork and designer furniture than clothing, but this doesn't mean it doesn't participate in popular culture.
The shadow of quiet luxury is long, and perhaps after
Succession
made this boring style for the rich visible, fashion followers will have more interest in brands like The Row.
Her Margaux bag has been seen on celebrities such as Kendall Jenner, Zoë Kravitz and Jennifer Lawrence, which coincides with the current online popularity recorded by The Lyst Index.
On the other hand, Cate Blanchett's character in
Tár
wears a coat from The Row which, as Bina Daigeler (also in charge of the designs at Cristóbal Balenciaga) has stated, practically blew the film's costume budget.
Kendall Jennerk, with the Margaux bag from The Row.MEGA (GC Images)
But most likely, its success has to do with the fact that today commercial matters rule in the fashion business.
Many designers feel pressure from above and are torn between creative vision and money.
But in The Row there is no such tension.
The prices are reassuringly high for their customers, and their offering doesn't challenge the
status quo
, nor spark new conversations.
Its acolytes may go to sleep surrounded by a turbulent world, shaken by violence and geopolitical crises, but when they wake up, The Row is still there, with its soft cashmere in the same colors as always.