How the Super-Rich Signal Their Wealth to Each Other

Gauche display is out. The .1% use a subtler set of cues and signifiers to mark their place on the totem pole.

Sturdy red curtains cordon off the lives of plutocrats at play. To better hide their gilded world from the 99.9%, the super-rich avoid high-end labels, favoring "quiet luxury" and "stealth wealth." When this affluent army enters our world, they camouflage themselves with earthy-colored cashmere and luxurious suede.

Yank back those curtains, however, and a quandary emerges for the highest of high-net-worth individuals. How to signal to each other where they rank on the totem pole?

Today, especially with talk of new wealth taxes heating up on the campaign trail, gauche display is out. A subtler set of cues and signifiers is required.