Trend Labels and Brand Value

A Survey Study on Quiet Luxury and Clean Girl

Abstract

Aesthetic labels such as “quiet luxury” and “clean girl” have moved quickly from social media trends to real consequences for how fashion brands are perceived and how they perform. Yet little research has quantified whether associating a brand with such a trend actually changes how consumers perceive and value that brand. This study investigated that question through an online survey experiment. A total of 399 U.S. adults who regularly use social media were randomly assigned to read one of eight brand descriptions, formed by crossing four brands (Loro Piana and Brunello Cucinelli, paired with quiet luxury; Aritzia and Reformation, paired with clean girl) with two conditions: a neutral description (control) and one that explicitly associated the brand with its trend (treatment). Participants then rated the brand on perception, prestige, authenticity, and purchase intent, and reported whether they viewed each trend as a lasting shift or a short-lived microtrend. Trend labeling did not significantly change perceived prestige or authenticity, but it significantly increased purchase intent and recommendation likelihood, indicating that trend association affected brand value more than brand image. The effect depended on the brand: the quiet luxury label raised purchase intent for Loro Piana, whereas the clean girl label lowered perceived quality and prestige for Aritzia. Status consumption did not moderate these effects. Respondents viewed quiet luxury as relatively durable and clean girl as more transient. Associating a brand with a trend thus appears to act as a lever on near-term brand value, benefiting a brand only when the trend fits the brand’s existing position.