The death of Queen Elizabeth II and the ending of the second Elizabethan era has echoed around the world. As usual the social dialogue is holding space for myriad views, from those confronting the UK’s empirical past (see Sophie Williams and Natalie Lee), to navigating the path between personal grief and global grief (Stacy Heale) to those mourning the loss of stoicism and an uncomplaining sense of duty (Kate Spicer).
Among the chaos of the social media sphere, there is one port in the storm: the pictures and galleries and special editions of a woman, a monarch, a figurehead embodying a quiet luxury.
The images of an ageless sophistication and of grown-up sustainability are a visual feast. So for brands wanting to continue celebrating this slowed-down style, here are 15 influencers who celebrate the virtues of quiet luxury, from tablescaping and tailoring.
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Alice Naylor-Leyland
Now styled as Mrs Alice, when Naylor-Leyland started her social media platforms she was called ‘Alice in her Palace’. The palace in question is her gorgeous Regency home in Cambridgeshire, Stibbington. She is a designer and interior stylist who is drawn to creating products, having designed shoes for French Sole, biscuits for Biscuiteers and a fragrance for Estée Lauder brand, Aerin. However, it’s her self-titled tableware brand, which she created in 2019, that changed the tablescaping game. Old-fashioned elegance, English country heaven.
Ramona Jones
One of Cottagecore’s most fervent exponents is Jones. She is all about sustainability and the environment but there is also a tangibly whimsical feel to her feed that feels otherworldly. Happiest in a prairie dress and sturdy boots, she is also a photographer and works with brands on social campaigns. Jones has been married a year to musician Aaron and they live in a cottage (where else) in buttery Somerset, and often visit the local manor houses. She is also an autism advocate, being neurodivergent herself.
Amelia Liana Sopher
As the first vlogger to become a contributing editor of Tatler, Sopher bridges the gap between social and society. An unabashed luxury lover, she’s the go-to for a young generation looking for Elle Woods inspired fashion, travel and beauty. She also has a pet dog Duke (he has his own Instagram) and loves horse riding. Sopher was heartbroken when her fiancé called off their engagement in 2019 – she has since rallied and bought her own home – which she is doing up and sharing every detail of the lavish renovation plans, naturally.
Candice Lake
For classic elegance, model-turned-photographer Lake reigns supreme. She works primarily with luxury and heritage brands through shooting campaigns and social content. When she was a law student in Sydney she was discovered by Ford Models and now has the title of contributing editor of Vogue Australia to add to her resume. Lake’s cultivated vibe slips easily between a weekend at Jane Austen’s family home in Hampshire followed by a jaunt to Venice with Cartier.
Irene Forte
Eponymous skincare brand founder Forte is the daughter of Sir Rocco Forte, the swashbuckling hotelier who was close with Princess Diana. She is an Oxford graduate, whose ambitions lie in the wellness space. She is also the embodiment of a quiet, expensive chic and keen to promote female-led businesses like her own and that of Daisy Knatchbull at The Deck.
Temi Otedola
Otedola is a lifestyle blogger and actor who covers fashion, beauty and travel. In terms of commercial work, she partners with luxury brands by hosting exclusive events and sharing styling inspiration. Originally from London, she spent part of her childhood in Lagos, Nigeria (her father is oil billionaire Femi Otedola) and now divides her time between Lagos and Knightsbridge. In 2020 she appeared in her first feature film, Citation, directed by Kunle Afolayan, which picked up awards at the National Film Awards.
Martina Mondadori Sartogo
For understated chic, look no further than Mondadori, editor-in-chief of cult biannual interiors magazine Cabana and heiress to the Mondadori Group, an influential Italian publishing house. Although Cabana started purely as a publication, the brand has since expanded to include a curated range of tableware, wallpaper and furniture and describes itself as aiming to “ inspire a new generation of globe trotters, taking them on a journey through sophistication, obsessive collecting, colours and fabrics.”
Alex Eagle
Another proponent of beautiful things and brilliantly tailored suits is Eagle, the owner and creative director of London lifestyle shop, Alex Eagle Studio. She is also creative director of The Store, a workspace and shop at Soho House venues across London, Berlin and Oxfordshire. In 2020 she launched the Alex Eagle Sporting Club, a fitness brand ‘in the pursuit of pleasure’ that celebrates genteel gardening and tennis – and has Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth II among its pin-ups – for a sporty, but no-less-sleek aesthetic. Like a lot of the quiet luxury influencers on the list, she also has an interiors brand, Eagle & Hodges. A keen collaborator, Eagle is a passionate art collector (she gravitates toward female artists).
Rosie Thomas
For the luxury of perfect moments there’s Thomas as your guide. She is a lifestyle blogger who covers fashion, beauty, food and travel with her brand, The Londoner. In Maym she made a TikTok about her trip on the Belmond British Pullman train, which has been viewed over 9 million times. She has since been to the Venice Film Festival with Cartier as well as Portovenere, with hundreds of thousands of people following her journeys, narrated in RP tones.
Hannah Strafford Taylor
Taylor is a model and blogger who shares fashion and beauty content, as well as her life with her daughters – Solei and Winter. From tips on the perfect Portofino spot, to how to wear a Lanvin skirt as a dress and cause a stir, it’s not strictly quiet luxury, but it is fabulous.
Amanda Cutter Brooks
Doyenne of the English countryside is Cutter Brooks. An author, contributing editor to Architectural Digest and founder of Cutter Brooks and Co. – a homeware, fashion and gifts boutique and online store – she celebrates country living, despite her Bronxville, New York roots. Think rams, horses and fashion.
Paula Sutton
Sutton is an interiors writer who produces design and DIY content on her platforms, under the moniker The Hill House Diaries. She’s a Cottagecore convert and her social media features mini vlogs of events she has attended, her tablescaping inspiration, shopping hauls and tips on decorating a period property.
Sabrina Percy
Percy is a life coach who previously produced art and illustrations influenced by luxury fashion. Her Instagram serves as a portfolio of her work as well as sharing coaching, health and wellness advice and recipes. She also has a secondary profile solely dedicated to her art. Fun fact – she’s related to the Duke of Northumberland.
Sabine Getty
International it-girl, Getty is a socialite and the founder of jewellery brand Sabine G. She uses her Instagram to share pictures of her extravagant outfits, luxury travels and family life. She also posts updates about the royal family and inspirational images, often from 50s and 60s films, in addition to charities she is supporting. Born in Switzerland, Getty grew up between Geneva, Beirut and the south of France. She now lives in Mayfair with her husband, hedge fund manager Joseph Getty, and their children, Gene and Jupiter.
Isabel Spearman
Spearman is a brand consultant and founder of the Daily Dress Edit, a platform for dress-lovers aimed at promoting slow and independent businesses, alongside running DDE Consultancy. She is currently an ambassador for Smart Works charity – the Daily Dress Edit hosts occasional dress Pop Ups which often sell-out. Spearman worked as Samantha Cameron’s special advisor for two general elections and helped shape her Downing Street image -this is a woman who understands the power of a dress. She was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2016.
By Emilie McMeekan, features director of CORQ. Picture credit: Amanda Cutter Brooks via Instagram
