Has Quince Created a New Generation of Luxury?

If you scroll through Instagram or TikTok, there's a good shot you've seen an advertisement from Quince. The budget-friendly ecommerce brand has surged in popularity, but it's not just another clothing retailer.

Quince is known for selling simple, classic items: Think cashmere sweaters, linen pants, or silk pajamas. These may sound like premium items, but they don't have the price tag to match.

That's because the business uses a direct-to-consumer model that cuts out the middleman and keeps prices low. And the idea of getting a $50 Mongolian cashmere sweater seems to be really popular. In 2025, it was estimated that Quince was bringing in $1 billion in annual revenue, and in mid 2025, the brand was valued at $4.5 billion.

Apparently, Quince's catalog is so good that even celebrities are buying in. Many of the items appear luxurious, but can Quince really be a luxury brand when it seems to use a fast-fashion business model?

Quince's high hopes for a low-cost goods

Quince was founded in 2018 by Bay Area entrepreneur Sid Gupta. He had an unconventional but successful business career that included the 2012 acquisition of Lolli and Pops — a struggling candy chain that he grew to 37 locations and nearly $50 million in revenue by 2016.

The idea for Quince came from an unexpected place: hotel sheets. Gupta said he spent five nights a year in luxury hotels, and they had better sheets and towels than the 360 nights he spent at home. So, he wanted to bring the luxury to his bedroom without having to pay a premium.

Quince sought to keep quality high and prices low by cutting out the middlemen. It works directly with the same factories that produce for high-end brands, then ships products straight to consumers. This factory-direct approach allows Quince to sell $50 Mongolian cashmere sweaters that might cost $150 at another retailer.

Quince goes viral

For its first few years, Quince generated minimal buzz. In 2020, the brand pulled in just $221,600 in earned media value (EMV) — the monetary value of social media and press coverage. Then, social media changed everything when Quince went all-in on influencer marketing. The brand partnered with lifestyle creators on Instagram and TikTok and won people over with its cozy fashions in fall 2023. By 2024, the brand had generated $19.3 million EMV, a 366% year-over-year surge.

This viral momentum hasn't slowed down. Quince became inescapable on millennial and Gen Z social media feeds, with its cashmere sweaters, puffer jackets, and linen sheets becoming fan favorites. The brand has since raised over $450 million in venture capital funding, in addition to its $4.5 billion valuation in 2025, proving that the direct-to-consumer model can be a lucrative business when combined with strategic social media marketing.

Quince's double trouble

Quince's marketing strategy earned it a lot of attention, but that can be a blessing and a curse. It helps the brand seem like an affordable option without compromising quality, but it may also leave the impression that the brand lacks originality.

If you search online, there's no shortage of comparison articles. You can find posts showing Quince's handbags and comparing them to luxury brands that sell them for three times the price. Or, you can stumble upon an article identifying a name-brand coat that's 565% more expensive than a similar product at Quince. Shoppers may love this; the legacy brands, not so much.

In 2025, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. filed a lawsuit alleging Quince was being deceptive when comparing its products to merchandise sold at its subsidiary, Pottery Barn. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. argued that Quince inflated Pottery Barn's prices to make its own products look like a better deal by comparison. Further, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. alleged that Quince's quality is not comparable to items at Pottery Barn.

While this may seem like a serious accusation, it should be expected based on Quince's business model. The brand built its identity on comparison, and basically every item on the website compares its price to "traditional retail." At some point, another brand is going to be upset — especially when Quince is trying to undercut the competition.

Can Quince keep growing?

In a few years, Quince went from an unknown premium brand to a mainstay on social media feeds. Its direct-to-consumer model has earned fans, but its growth has been accelerated by influencer marketing. It feels like Quince has found its stride, and it's aiming to sustain that momentum.

There's no doubt that social media will continue playing a major role in this, but you might see influencers promoting new products. Recently, Quince landed a partnership to sell wine on its site. Beyond that, the online retailer has its (perfectly mascaraed) eye on the beauty industry, with plans to grow its selection of skin care products and cosmetics.

This isn't the first time Quince expanded. Even though hotel sheets inspired the brand's creation, it didn't dip its toe into home goods until 2021. It started with bedding and towels, but it later grew to items like furniture, drinkware, and rugs. However, many shoppers may not have seen this growth; awareness of the brand expanded significantly in 2024 and 2025.

Quince's continued success seems to be dependent on two things: demand for affordable luxury and adoption of the direct-to-consumer model. Based on its growth over the past few years, it appears there's a strong demand for affordable cashmere, silk sheets, and low-cost leather handbag dupes. But shoppers have become accustomed to buying these products online. If Quince wants customers to buy beauty items and wine, the direct-to-consumer model may pose some challenges.

Has Quince redefined luxury?

Quince compares itself to luxury brands, but make no mistake, it is not a luxury brand. The company clearly says, "quality shouldn't be a luxury" on its website. Sure, you'll see the name Quince in publications like Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and People, but that doesn't make it a luxury brand. It just means it has fashionable and trendy items.

Despite comparing itself to high-end brands, Quince is dedicated to using premium materials to build items that can last a long time. This model caters to working millennials and members of Gen X, and 80% Quince's customers are women.

Realistically, Quince is trying to take customers from brands like Banana Republic, J.Crew, Anthropology, and Nordstrom. It also has that budget-savvy element that could lure in some Marshalls and HomeGoods shoppers. This means quality fabrics like cashmere, silk, and linen will be a big selling point, but clearly, Quince is not the only brand fighting for this demographic's dollars.

So, what makes Quince different from its competition? The brand lives online — a necessity for its factory-direct approach. It also sells premium fabrics, and these are often investment pieces people may want to feel or try on. Quince wants you to feel good about buying these items, which is one of the reasons the brand prides itself on sustainability.

Quince is using influencers to show millennials and Gen X that they can buy premium fabrics online — and those demographics tend to listen to brand-direct messaging. While its products aren't new, Quince's blend of quality, affordability, and convenience might be new to some consumers. And for them, the real luxury is getting a reasonably priced cashmere sweater without leaving their home.