Why Le 17 Septembres quiet luxury should be on your radar

“Quiet luxury is our brand’s philosophy,” founder Eunhye Shin tells me of Le 17 Septembre, a brand she founded a decade ago in Seoul, which she sweetly named after her birthday. Rather than setting out to become a fashion designer, it all happened rather naturally, she explains – Shin started making her own clothes purely out of passion and intrigue, but as people liked what they saw, this hobby developed into much more. She now has a global fashion brand to her name, creating mens and womenswear, which appears on retailers including Net-a-Porter, Farfetch and Matches Fashion. It has developed a reputation for great quality and pared-back designs. She calls them “forever classics”.

Le 17 Septembre’s collections are timeless, but that doesn’t mean that the pieces are basic. Filled with excellent outerwear, knitwear, shirting, tailoring and relaxed separates, the collections are chic and understated, and everything is exquisitely made. I can attest to this – I bought a trench from the brand a few seasons ago, and it is one of my most-worn and most-complimented pieces. I'm pretty certain I'll have it forever.

The quality is so good because fabric and fit is the starting point for every single piece, and Shin puts great thought behind each design, even if the idea appears to be relatively pared-back and simple.

“The idea of quiet luxury is reflected in our design process,” she says. “I think this perfectly reflects how we consider the wardrobe to be collected and the pieces to be worn. There are layers of little details in each garment. Everything from traditional costumes to art, architecture and nature can inspire me, and these are translated into small details that you'll find in the designs.”

This emphasis on excellent craftsmanship comes from her surroundings. “Seoul is an interesting city that connects the past, present and future,” she says, while she adds that she was passionate about slow fashion long before it became the emphasis in the industry.

“Fashion is so fast paced and hectic, and there is a constant pressure on designers to keep up, run faster, produce more. This is not our way, and we’ve had to stay true to our principles, we put a lot of effort into selecting every fabric and making every garment, we want them to last for many years to come.”