The Minimalist Maximalist

farewell quiet luxury, hello midimalism

A year ago, I would have confidently called myself a minimalist. If you asked me to define my style using Allison Bornstein’s three-word method, I would have said: minimal, oversized and comfortable. Today, oversized and comfortable still feel true (baggy tees and sneakers for life), but minimal? Not so much.

Like many, I fell under the elusive spell of The Row. The brand’s cult-like appeal, the Kendall Jenner cool-girl factor and its covetable but quiet effortless luxury. But lately, I’ve found myself craving something more. Something playful, expressive, and maybe even… maximalist? Shock horror!

Fashion’s Cyclical Nature

This shift in my personal style feels eerily similar to what happened in fashion two decades ago. The late ‘90s were ruled by minimalism — sleek, neutral and understated looks from brands like Calvin Klein, Helmut Lang, and Jil Sander reigned supreme. But as the 2000s rolled in, fashion took a sharp turn.

Before we knew it, it was all about logomania (Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi), rhinestones, bold colours and experimental silhouettes (some of which I will be glad to firmly leave in the past). Part of this was a rebellion against the restraint of the ‘90s, but it was also fueled by pop culture icons like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, the rise of reality TV and early internet culture making fashion about status and statement-making rather than quiet elegance.

We even saw this shift play out in Sex and the City. The show premiered in 1998, right at the end of the minimal era and at the start of a brand new one. As the seasons progressed into the early 2000s, Carrie Bradshaw’s style became more playful, colorful and extravagant.

How This Relates to Today’s Fashion Landscape

For the last few years, we’ve been living in a modern take on ‘90s minimalism, more commonly dubbed as ‘quiet luxury’, led by brands like The Row, Khaite, and Toteme. Clean lines, neutral tones and ‘stealth wealth’ have been dominating both runways and street style for the last few years, but is time up for quiet luxury?

With the rise of “finding your personal style,” I don’t think I’m the only one who's starting to feel a shift in the air, one that feels like a natural response to minimalism’s dominance. There’s a growing emphasis on avoiding trends altogether in favour of developing a distinct personal aesthetic. In that way, yes, quiet luxury is fading. We’re already seeing boho chic making a comeback on the runway and in wardrobes (thank you Chloé for never abandoning this aesthetic). In response to sharp suits and clean silhouettes, we’re now seeing easy, breezy flowing dresses with ruffles, puff sleeves, and frilly trims. Loafers and minimalist preppiness aren’t entirely gone, but there’s been a noticeable rise in sportier influences across 2025’s runway shows.

Take Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection, for example — a feast of beads, sheer fabrics, lace, stripes, and plaid. The message is clear: fashion is moving away from the clean silhouettes and neutral tones of quiet luxury and stepping into a world of details, bold ruffles, and loud prints.

My Take on Finding a New Balance

Looking at my own wardrobe, I’ve noticed my taste has been shifting for the last few months. When I visited The Row’s Paris store in December, I was still enamoured with the quality denim, the butter-soft leather loafers and yes, even the £400 plain white tees. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t also gazing at my very minimal wardrobe, full of basics only, feeling a tad…uninspired. What once felt refined, sleek and elegant now felt a little dull.

I’ve been gravitating more and more towards pieces I once avoided — animal print has been creeping its way into my cart along with the colour pink (who is she?!). And that’s not all, I’ve been craving some feminine accents too, perusing floral dresses, mini dresses, puff sleeve dresses, all the dresses!

Don’t get me wrong, this is not me turning my back on The Row or other minimal brands, it’s more about my realisation that these pieces don’t have to be styled in just one particular way as I previously thought. It’s easy to feel like The Row is a club and there’s only one way to dress in that club, but it’s not true. Now I’m reaching for prints and colours that I wouldn’t have previously because I didn’t think they fit within the timeless, Rowified aesthetic I was going for. Now, I’m embracing them.

A ‘Minimalist Maximalist’ Approach

Thinking about minimalism so much naturally got me thinking about maximalism. What even is maximalism? It’s different for everyone. For some, it’s head-to-toe prints, bold accessories and statement silhouettes.

When I think of the word maximalism it reminds me of the Netflix series Ratched that I just finished (it’s so good!). It features a character called Lenore Osgood (played by Sharon Stone), who is the epitome of an authentic maximalist to me. Her home is beyond extravagant, her clothes are OOT to the max and there’s every print, pattern and texture you can think of all crammed into one. A feast for the maximalist’s eyes indeed.

Ratched on Netflix

For me, maximalism doesn’t mean abandoning minimalism entirely — it means layering in fun elements that bring excitement back into my wardrobe. I’ve been intrigued by mixing prints, something I would have shied away from before for fear of ‘messing it up’, keeping my colour palette intentionally restrained in a very Rowified way. Now, I’m embracing colour in a way that feels natural to me. There are some colours I will probably never be crazy about but I’m feeling a lot more experimental than before. Accessories play a huge role in this — bold bags, statement jewellery and playful details can elevate those already existing minimal pieces in my wardrobe.

New Sources of Inspo

Naturally, Pinterest has played a role in shaping my evolving sense of style, introducing me to some brilliant new sources of inspiration. These are the people who have been inspiring me to experiment with texture, colour and print. I consider them to not be minimalists, nor maximalists, but somewhere in the middle — a midimalist if you will.

01 azalia_lomakina

animal print! graphic tees! metallics!

What I can take away from Azalia’s style:

• Always keep the footwear unexpected, it adds intrigue and intention to any outfit

• Animal print goes with pretty much anything so don’t be afraid to use it

• A pop of red can elevate any outfit

02 marcihirshleifer

how cute are those bag charms?! I need them. Her tweed jacket collection is also so good

What I can take away from Marci’s style:

• She wears a lot of tweed jackets but they never feel too ‘dressy’ because she contrasts the classic feel with modern elements such as baggy, oversized silhouettes.

• Don’t underestimate the importance of great accessories. Sometimes a stack of bracelets and plenty of necklaces makes all the difference.

• Decorate your bags! Yes, even The Row ones (as she does)! It adds so much fun and personality to any look.

03 denisechristensenbc

how does she make baggy denim jeans look good with literally everything?

What I can take away from Denise’s style (I already mentioned her in this post, but I have to include her again here):

• You don’t have to choose between prints or textures in any one look, do both!

• Contrast is how you have fun. Mix sneakers with skirts, loafers with shorts and denim with heels

• She inspires me to be more feminine in my use of pale pink, puff sleeves, mini skirts and Peter Pan collars

The Collective Shift and Where We’re Heading Next

Of course, this isn’t just a personal style evolution. The wider fashion scene is shifting as well, and whether we realise it or not, that influences our choices. Designers set the tone, and we, in turn, reinterpret those ideas in our own wardrobes.

Right now, that tone is shifting away from quiet luxury and into a space where fashion feels more playful and expressive. We’re seeing a departure from restraint and an embrace of rich textures, bold silhouettes and intricate details. Does this mean our minimalist pieces are now defunct? Not at all! Minimalism isn’t dead, it’s evolving.

So, where does that leave me? Somewhere in the middle. I guess you could call me a minimalist maximalist now.

Til next time,
Sophie xx

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