Has The Row, arguably fashion's ultimate stealth wealth symbol, dipped its proverbial toe into influencer marketing waters? That's the online chatter after Jonah Hill, Zoë Kravitz, and Kendall Jenner all co-signed the label on Instagram yesterday.
Hill and Kravitz posted the same image on their respective accounts last night, sending Twitter in a tizzy and provoking the never-not-excitable Page Six to ask if a "tantalizing" relationship might be on the cards. Such speculation is unconfirmed, but we do know that both are huge fans of the Olsen twin-helmed label. Hill, for instance, has been wearing it since the first menswear collection dropped in 2018, showcasing their inaugural offering on the cover of WSJ. He also described it as the GOAT brand during an appearance on the now-renamed Failing Upwards podcast.
On the same day, Jenner uploaded a photo of her wearing head-to-toe The Row (what a fit it was, BTW) when out in New York, adding further fuel to the rumors that we might be seeing some kind of orchestrated campaign playing out (actually tagging the brand account was also unusual). If you ask us, it's unlikely a label that has spent years crafting such a precious image and aura of exclusivity would suddenly pivot down the route of full-on, Givchenchy-esque celebrity endorsements, not least in the age of Bottega Veneta and Daniel Lee, who has shown that silence might well be the best way of making noise online. Perhaps this is The Row's way of making a splash — a reminder that it exists as the uber-wealthy get ready to spend again — without really, well, making much of a splash.
In summer 2020, rumors emerged suggesting The Row was facing financial turmoil that could see its menswear line shuttered entirely. That did not transpire — the Olsens instead unveiled a new action plan to show men and women's in January and June. But whether it's back on a pre-pandemic keel remains to be seen.
Subtle PR in a bid to crank up sales, or a happy coincidence where three celebrities (two of them being superfans) happen to wear the same brand on the same day? Either way, people are talking about The Row. We'll wait to see how this one plays out, all the while still hoping it might wind up in TJ Maxx.
