Why Niche Brands Are Winning Big

Courtesy of Lemaire

 
 

Why Niche Brands Are Winning Big

with Jessi Frederick, Emily Mazur, Dawn Nguyen and Laurie-Anne Braun

 

By HURS Team

As traditional luxury expands to meet the demands of the masses, a quieter countercurrent is taking shape—one defined by restraint, intention, and a distinct lack of spectacle. Brands like Lemaire, Studio Nicholson, and Auralee are leading the charge. Not with campaigns engineered for virality, but with a philosophy that values thought over noise. These brands don’t just make clothes. They articulate a worldview. 

Where mainstream luxury has become increasingly performative—its symbols of wealth easily decoded and widely replicated—niche brands offer something far more elusive: discretion. In a cultural landscape saturated with sameness, niche brands are carving out space for depth. And in doing so, they’re redefining what it means to be relevant. Their garments aren’t designed to announce, but to signal alignment with a way of thinking rather than a tax bracket. In this sense, they’ve become the true status markers—not because they are inaccessible, but because they require a certain level of awareness and engagement to be appreciated.

At the heart of their appeal is a shift in values. Today’s consumer is less concerned with being seen in something expensive, and more interested in being understood through the choices they make. Style has become less about visibility, more about coherence. A Saman Amel trouser or an The Row knit doesn’t beg for attention—but to those who know, it says everything.

There’s also a strategic opacity at play. These brands thrive in the space between exposure and obscurity. Their success depends not on scale, but on selectivity. They are discovered, not pushed. Admired quietly, not shouted across social feeds. The marketing is minimal, because the product—and the life it evokes—is the message. More than fashion, they offer a framework. The product is just the entry point. What’s really being sold is a way of moving through the world: considered, intelligent, quietly assured. And in a time when identity is constantly broadcast and curated, the appeal of a brand that reflects a deeper internal logic is profound.

But this raises the question: can niche stay niche? And should it? Growth often demands compromise—on price, on distribution, on storytelling. The challenge lies in how these brands scale without diluting their ethos. How do they remain intimate in an industry that equates success with reach? 

 
 

JESSI FREDERICK

Jessi Frederick is a Brooklyn-based interdisciplinary professional working across fashion and culture. Having launched a diverse career across public relations, e-commerce, styling, and brand consulting, Frederick regularly collaborates with notable editorial publications, brands and has selected celebrity clients. She has worked with an array of companies spanning luxury, contemporary, beauty, and tech including New Balance, Adidas, Aimé Leon Dore, Coach, Comme Si, COS, Theory, Gap Inc., Merit Beauty, and more.

EMILY MAZUR

Emily Mazur is a seasoned fashion stylist and creative consultant based in New York and Los Angeles, known for her refined, minimalist approach. With over 15 years of experience across the fashion scenes of New York and Europe, she has collaborated with top-tier brands including Proenza Schouler, Calvin Klein, Khaite and contributed to prestigious publications such as Vogue España, W Magazine, Interview, and Twin

DAWN NGUYEN

Dawn Nguyen is the founder behind L’ENSEMBLE. The store in Dumbo, Brooklyn operates as a by-appointment-space that aims to target the most discerning fashion clientele for a personal shopping experience across women's and menswear. A La Garconne alumni, Nguyen saw the need for a retail experience that offered a curated and intimate approach to shopping. L’ENSEMBLE’s carefully selected offering includes brands like Proenza Schouler, Y’s by Yohji Yamamoto and Savette. And the 2,276 square feet showroom is filled with vintage design pieces from Friends of Form and designers, Carlos Scarpa, Tobia, and Afra Scarpa sourced directly from Italy.

LAURIE-ANNE BRAUN

Laurie-Anne Braun is the co-founder of FANE, a line of quiet, elegant bags based in Paris. Crafted in Italy with high quality leathers, each shape has a strong, distinctive visual signature, free of exterior logos and hardware. Starting in March 2025, the brand will expand its distribution to global retailers, such as Dover Street Market Paris, SSENSE, Isetan, Amomento and Carmen Amsterdam. Before launching FANE, Braun gained experience as a consultant at the French trend forecasting agency NellyRodi and as a retail and operations manager at Maryam Nassir Zadeh.

 
 
 
 

THE APPEAL OF NICHE BRANDS

 
 

THE ANTIDOTE TO CONSUMPTION CULTURE

 
 

HONORABLE MENTIONS

 

CAN REMANING NICHE AND GROWTH COEXIST?

 
Previous
Previous

An Alessi Tea Set and Our Favorite Moisturizer

Next
Next

How Porn Rewrote the Script on Power, Desire, and the Female Gaze