The Row AW24 Look 2. Photo via Therow.com

At an elite Paris Fashion Week runway show, one can expect to see the who’s who of the industry in attendance: editors, buyers, celebrities, and influencers. Noticeably absent at The Row’s Autumn/Winter 2024 show, however, was one small, but often ubiquitous guest: the cell phone. Attendees were asked to refrain from sharing or capturing any content at the event. Instead, they were given Japanese pencils and notebooks to write their thoughts on the collection. While there were no images of the collection on our screens, The Row was certainly on everyone’s lips.

From a marketing perspective, the no-tech ban was masterfully on-brand. The Row is known for its “quiet luxury” positioning: chic and elegant wardrobe basics at eye-watering sums, with nary a logo in sight. The ban further reinforced this brand positioning.

The Row AW24 Look 9. Photo via Therow.com

Social media’s ubiquity and accessibility have made it a difficult space for luxury brands to navigate effectively. Luxury thrives on rarity and exclusivity, the very antithesis of the highly democratized social media landscape.

Renowned luxury house Bottega Veneta completely removed its social media presence in 2021, but returned solely to Weibo, a major Chinese social platform in 2023. Evidently, some degree of social media absence does seem to make the heart grow fonder, as Bottega continues to flourish. Even though attendees weren’t allowed to use their phones, The Row didn’t intend for everyone to sit around twiddling their thumbs. The notebooks and pencils provided allowed guests to document their fashion show experience in the old-fashioned way. That is, by endorsing the use of pencil and paper to jot down one’s thoughts, The Row signaled a return to analog and tangibility as symbols of luxury.

The Row AW24 Look 28. Photo via Therow.com

However, many felt that the no-phone approach was exclusionary and elitist. Retired fashion editor Shelton Boyd Griffith decried the ban on X, saying “Like yes [sic] The Row has proven they don’t need social media to reach their customer, but idk [sic] no phone policies just feel regressive and elitist. So many people engage with fashion through those at shows, they get to sort of experience things they otherwise would not get to.” By restricting access to the collection in this way, The Row seemingly reinforces the divide between the haves and have-nots, and excludes all but the privileged few from the conversation about the collection. This discussion about accessibility also raises the question of if everyone should have access to these runway shows. Many theatrical performances and artistic showcases prohibit photos and video recordings, so why not a fashion show? Shouldn’t artists be able to control how their art is experienced?

Some say yes. On X, content and brand strategist Steve Salter expressed hearty approval for brands exercising such control over their presentation and the lack of images made him all the more eager to see the collection. “Of course,” he added, “fashion month would be weird if all brands banned shares to social media....”

The Row AW24 Look 11. Photo via Therow.com

The application of a no-phone policy across the board for all fashion shows would pose an issue for the industry at large, but in The Row’s case, it aligns closely with the overall rarity of the brand. The Row is already inaccessible to many in various ways: its high price point, its limited online visibility, and its few physical locations (situated only in London, New York, and Los Angeles). As such, limiting the visual experience of their Autumn/Winter 2024 collection only to those present in person feels like a natural extension of the brand’s ethos.

The Row AW24 Look 22. Photo via Therow.com

As is to be expected, not everyone is a fan of this school of thought. A notable critique of the no-phone policy was raised by fashion journalist Odunayo Ojo, who goes by the handle @fashionroadman. In his YouTube video entitled “Is The Row Becoming Too Elitist?,” he notes that many girls and women are interested in The Row but may not be able to afford the brand’s pieces yet. And by restricting access to their show through the no-phone policy, The Row is closing itself off from potential customers. Nevertheless, this restriction was lauded as a means of enabling attendees to be in the moment and to place their focus on the clothes, not on capturing images for their followers to gawk at or flaunting their whereabouts for clout. X user @championistic stated that the ban “serves as a symbol of appreciation for the analog, while encouraging attendees to enjoy and live in the present.” In this way, by removing widespread access to the clothes, even greater emphasis was placed on them. Ironically, much of the discourse surrounding The Row’s collection took place in the very space from which its images were excluded: social media.

The Row AW24 Look 6. Photo via Therow.com

Reviews of the collection have been slow in coming, and understandably so. Images of the collection were shot on film, and, as a result, many journalists received the photos days later and only completed their reviews nearly a week after the show. With writers often being expected to provide reviews within mere hours of a runway show’s conclusion, The Row offers a refreshing change of pace that allows for a more considered and thoughtful review of their work. Such an approach communicates that time is indeed the ultimate luxury. A brand like The Row has no need to rush.

The Row AW24 Look 3. Photo via Therow.com

In conclusion, overall, the no-phone policy is one which works well for The Row and can be useful for others of its ilk. However, for such a policy to become standard throughout the fashion industry would likely reinstate many of the inequalities of access that the past few decades have sought to dismantle. The absence of social media coverage could also prove fatal to a brand’s bottom line if the brand’s identity is not fully aligned with such a move. In this way, just like access to The Row’s Autumn/Winter 2024 collection, the no-phone policy itself is simply not for everybody.

Article by Ren Wilson, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Alexa Dyer, Graphic Designer, PhotoBook Magazine

The Row’s No-Phone Policy Causes A Row