The One Affordable Brand Fashion People Are Obsessed With (And Why They Don’t Want You to Know About It)

Last month I was scrolling through Instagram when I spotted something that made me do a double-take. There was this fashion editor I follow – you know the type, always posting perfectly curated outfits that probably cost more than my car payment – wearing what looked like the most gorgeous cream wide-leg pants. They had that effortless drape that screams expensive, the kind of thing you’d expect to see at Nordstrom with a four-figure price tag.

Naturally, I slid into her DMs asking where they were from. I mean, I’m always looking for pieces that look more expensive than they actually are, especially now that my clothing budget has to compete with preschool tuition and grocery bills. Her response? “Don’t hate me… they’re from Quince. Like ninety-eight dollars.”

I’d never heard of Quince before, which seemed weird considering I spend way too much time researching affordable brands that don’t look cheap. But apparently, that’s exactly the point. After falling down a rabbit hole of research and actually ordering some pieces myself, I’ve discovered what might be fashion’s best-kept secret – a brand that makes luxury-looking basics at prices that won’t make you feel guilty about splurging on coffee.

Here’s the thing though… fashion people are NOT happy that regular people are finding out about this. I posted about my first Quince order in my stories and got three DMs from fashion industry friends basically saying “shhh, don’t tell everyone about our secret.” One stylist friend literally said, “Great, now it’s going to be sold out all the time like when everyone discovered Everlane.”

But honestly? I think good stuff should be shared, especially when it comes to finding quality clothes that don’t break the bank. And after wearing Quince pieces for the past few months, I can see why fashion insiders have been quietly hoarding this brand.

So what makes Quince different from every other “affordable luxury” brand that promises designer quality at Target prices? Well, for starters, they actually deliver on that promise. Their whole business model is built around cutting out the middleman – they work directly with the same factories that make clothes for high-end brands, skip the wholesale markups, and sell straight to customers online.

I know, I know, plenty of brands claim this. But Quince is weirdly transparent about their supply chain in a way that makes me actually believe them. They’ll tell you exactly which Italian mill wove their silk, which Mongolian region their cashmere comes from, even which specific tannery in Italy made their leather. It’s the kind of detail you’d expect from a luxury brand, not something selling sweaters for under fifty bucks.

My first order was those cream pants I’d seen on Instagram, plus a washable silk tank because I’m always spilling something on myself and needed tops that could survive my lifestyle. When the package arrived, I honestly thought there’d been a mistake. The silk felt exactly like this expensive Equipment blouse I’d been coveting, and the pants had the same weight and drape as designer pieces I’d tried on at Saks.

But here’s what really sold me – I threw that silk tank in the washing machine (on delicate, I’m not completely reckless) and it came out looking exactly the same. No shrinking, no weird texture changes, no fading. I’ve been washing it regularly for three months now and it still looks brand new. Meanwhile, I once spent $200 on a “washable” silk top from another brand that turned into a wrinkled mess after one wash.

The Mongolian cashmere is where things get really impressive though. I ordered their basic crew neck sweater in black – forty-nine dollars, which seemed almost suspiciously cheap. When it arrived, I immediately did the comparison test every mom does: I held it up next to the cashmere cardigan my mother-in-law bought me from Nordstrom for Christmas last year. You guys, I could not tell the difference. Same softness, same weight, same luxurious feel that makes you want to rub it against your face like a weirdo.

I wore that sweater to a school event where I knew there’d be other moms who definitely shop designer, and got multiple compliments. One woman even asked if it was from The Row, which… I mean, I wish I had Row money, but I’ll take the comparison. I just smiled and said “thanks” because I wasn’t ready to blow up everyone’s spot yet.

What’s interesting about Quince is how they’ve managed to fly under the radar for so long. They don’t do flashy marketing campaigns or influencer partnerships or any of the usual stuff that gets fashion people’s attention. No splashy runway shows, no celebrity endorsements, no aggressive Instagram ads. They just make really good basics and let word-of-mouth do the work.

That word-of-mouth happens to include a lot of fashion industry people who’ve discovered that yes, even when you work in fashion, you still need to be strategic about your clothing budget. Turns out editors and stylists are just like the rest of us – they want to look expensive without actually spending all their money on clothes.

A friend who works as a fashion assistant at a magazine told me she’s seen editors literally cut the tiny Quince labels out of their clothes before fashion week events. Not because they’re embarrassed about affordable clothes, but because they want to keep it as their secret weapon. Smart, honestly. Why blow up your go-to source for expensive-looking basics?

The brand focuses on exactly the kind of pieces that are hardest to find at reasonable prices – quality materials in minimal, timeless designs. Think washable silk button-downs, perfectly cut wide-leg trousers, soft cashmere sweaters in classic colors, Italian leather flats that don’t look like they came from Target. Nothing too trendy or attention-grabbing, just really well-made foundation pieces that let your personality shine through in other ways.

This is perfect for my current life phase where I want to look put-together but don’t have time to think too hard about getting dressed. I can throw on their washable silk pants with any top and immediately look more polished than I would in jeans. Their cashmere cardigan works over literally everything and makes even a basic t-shirt look intentional.

I’ve been building my Quince collection slowly over the past few months, and here’s what I’ve learned works best: stick to their core strengths. The washable silk pieces are absolutely worth it – I now own the pants in three colors and several of their silk tanks for layering. The cashmere is legitimately impressive quality for the price. Their linen pieces are perfect for summer and actually get softer with each wash.

The leather goods are surprisingly good too. I ordered their crossbody bag as a test because I desperately needed something that could survive daily mom life, and it’s held up beautifully to everything I’ve thrown at it. Coffee spills, thrown in the bottom of the stroller, stuffed with snacks and toys – it still looks great and the leather is aging really nicely.

What doesn’t work as well? Some of their more trendy pieces feel less special than the classics, and the sizing can be inconsistent between different styles. I had to return and reorder a dress because the fit was totally different from their pants in the same size. Also, if you’re looking for statement pieces with distinctive design details, this isn’t your brand. Everything is intentionally minimal and understated.

But honestly, that’s exactly what I need right now. I don’t want my clothes to do all the talking – I want them to be a great foundation that lets me add personality through accessories or one special piece. Like, I’ll wear their basic black cashmere sweater with vintage jewelry I’ve collected, or pair their silk pants with shoes that have interesting details.

The brand was started by a couple in San Francisco who came from tech rather than fashion, which explains their different approach to pricing and transparency. They questioned why a silk shirt that costs twenty-five dollars to make should retail for hundreds, why consumers can’t access the same factories as luxury brands, why fashion has to be so secretive about its supply chain.

Their outsider perspective shows in the best way – they’re not playing by fashion’s usual rules about artificial scarcity or seasonal trends or massive markups. They just make good products, price them fairly, and let the quality speak for itself.

I’ve started recommending Quince to other moms who ask where I shop, though I always caveat it with “don’t tell everyone because I want to actually be able to order things.” But seriously, when you find a brand that delivers genuine quality at prices that won’t make you feel guilty about treating yourself, it feels wrong to gatekeep it.

My strategy now is to use Quince for any piece where material quality matters more than distinctive design – cashmere, silk, good leather, perfect basics – and save my splurge money for unique pieces from designers doing something special. It’s let me build a wardrobe that looks way more expensive than it actually is, which as a stay-at-home mom on a budget, feels like winning the lottery.

I wore their linen shirtdress to a work event last week and got stopped by three different people asking where it was from. The dress cost eighty dollars and looks like something you’d find at COS or Everlane for twice the price. I just smiled and said “oh, this old thing” because I’m still not entirely ready to blow up the secret.

But I guess I’m blowing it up now by writing about it, aren’t I? Look, I know some fashion people are going to be annoyed that their secret weapon is getting more attention. I get it – there’s something special about knowing about a great brand before everyone else does. And yes, more customers probably means items selling out faster and maybe eventually higher prices.

But here’s the thing – good brands that are doing business ethically and making quality products at fair prices deserve to succeed. The more people who support this kind of transparent, direct-to-consumer model, the more other brands might follow suit. Maybe we can shift away from the artificial markups and toward actual value.

Plus, selfishly, I want Quince to stick around. I want them to be successful enough to keep making these amazing basics at these prices for years to come. And if that means sharing the secret with other moms who are trying to look put-together without spending designer money, then so be it.

So consider this my public service announcement: if you’ve been looking for expensive-looking basics that won’t destroy your budget, Quince might be exactly what you need. Just maybe don’t tell everyone at once, okay? Some of us still need to restock our silk tank collection, and I’d rather not have to fight the entire internet for the last one in medium.