Samuel Onuha is the co-founder of Icon Amsterdam, a modern menswear brand built on the principles of “quiet luxury.” From starting out with nothing but a dropshipping model and a clear vision, Samuel has grown Icon into an internationally recognised brand operating between Europe and the Middle East.
Known for his sharp eye for detail, customer-first mindset and data-driven marketing approach, he represents a new generation of fashion entrepreneurs redefining what luxury looks like today.
What Is ‘Quiet Luxury’ And How Do You Define It?
There’s been a big transition in fashion. If I look back at the early days of Icon, we had a lot of standout pieces: bold jeans, paint splashes, loud details. Nothing was quiet back then. But fashion has shifted. Big logos and loud branding don’t resonate the way they used to. People want pieces they can layer, mix, and match items that feel refined rather than flashy.
For us, quiet luxury means offering the same level of quality you’d expect from top designer brands, but without oversized logos or unnecessary noise. The focus is on fit, fabric and versatility. Everything works together effortlessly.
How Do You Make Quiet Luxury Stand Out In A Crowded Market?
Europe and the Middle East are extremely competitive fashion markets. Starting a fashion brand anywhere is difficult, doing it here even more so.
The way we stand out is by deeply understanding our target audience. Every detail matters: the models we choose, the way garments fit, how products are styled and how campaigns are shot.
People don’t buy clothes to look worse. They buy them to feel better; more confident, more put together, more like the person they want to be. That’s what we sell. Not just clothing, but the dream outcome of how someone wants to look and feel.
That’s why we don’t rely on flat product shots. Our content, ads and storytelling all focus on aspiration and that’s been a major reason for our success.
Are Men Becoming More Invested In Fashion Than Before?
Social media has made everyone more self-aware, including men. How you present yourself matters more than ever.
Online shopping has also removed a big barrier. At first, e-commerce fashion skewed more female, but today men are very comfortable buying clothing online.
At Icon, around 99% of our customers are men and about 50% are returning customers. That says a lot. Men tend to be extremely loyal. Once they find a brand they like and trust, they’ll buy multiple items, multiple colours, and stick with it for years.
We have customers who’ve been with us for almost eight years now.
How Has Icon Evolved From A Single Product To A Full Brand?
Icon actually started as a trousers-only brand. We sold nothing else. Men are very particular about trousers and jeans; they’ll own just a few pairs and wear them all year. But over time, we realised customers wanted complete outfits.
Now we offer shoes, tops, jackets; a full wardrobe. The idea is that a man shouldn’t need to shop across multiple brands. He should be able to build an entire look with us.
How Do You Compete With Traditional Luxury Brands?
The big luxury houses: Zegna, Gucci, Loro Piana have incredible quality, but their prices are inaccessible for most people. That creates an opportunity. With the rise of quiet luxury, people want the look and feel of those brands without logos or extreme pricing.
We also don’t treat Europe as one market. Germany is different from the Netherlands. Spain is different from Italy. You can’t apply one strategy everywhere. I always advise entrepreneurs to master one market first before expanding. Focus beats scale in the early stages.
How Does Seasonality Affect A Fashion Brand Like Yours?
Summer is the hardest season for fashion. People spend more on travel, and outfits require fewer layers, a t-shirt and shorts and you’re done. Winter is easier because people layer more. But summer also has opportunities: holidays, social events and the desire to look good. The key is timing. You don’t launch summer collections in peak summer, you launch in May, ahead of demand.
How Do You Approach Marketing In Such A Fast-Moving Digital Space?
At heart, I’m still an e-commerce marketer. I’m always looking for an edge. We’re deeply involved in advertising, constantly testing angles, analysing competitors, and adapting to what’s working right now. People are numb to ads. Attention spans are short. Fast-paced, dynamic content works. People’s dopamine levels are high, you have to grab attention immediately. Nothing is too “out of the box” for us.
What Challenges Come With Being A Mid-Luxury Brand?
Pricing is one of the hardest parts. You don’t want to rely on heavy discounts, that destroys brand value and longevity. The challenge is attracting customers without constant promotions. The only way to do that is with exceptional products and presentation. Fit is everything. I’ll stop a shoot if something doesn’t fit perfectly. If the product looks perfect on the model, people believe it will look perfect on them too.
How Important Are Models and Visual Presentation?
You can have the best product in the world, but if it doesn’t look good on the model, it won’t sell. My brother and I are very particular when choosing models, body proportions, posture, presence. If a model doesn’t work, we’ve literally stepped in ourselves to save shoots.
The product deserves to be showcased as well as it was designed.
How Did You Transition From Dropshipping To A Full Brand?
This is something I’m extremely proud of.
I started dropshipping because I had no money and no experience. It allowed me to test products without huge risk. But I didn’t stay stuck in that mindset. Less than a year in, I saw Icon had brand potential. Dropshipping is easy to copy, I wanted to build something defendable.
So I invested where others wouldn’t: better models, top photographers, international shoots. I kept reinvesting profits instead of playing it safe. Once I saw repeat customers and strong reviews, buying inventory became a no-brainer. It allowed faster delivery and better service, which led to even more repeat purchases.
What Was The Hardest And Best Part of Scaling Up?
The hardest part was inventory risk. When you buy stock, you’re betting on your judgment and sometimes you’re wrong. Some products move slower than expected. Others surprise you and become bestsellers. That’s part of the game.
The best part? Building a real brand. You can’t do that with long delivery times. Fashion relies on repeat customers and repeat customers rely on fast delivery and trust. If you removed our returning customers, the business wouldn’t be profitable. That’s how important they are.
What Defines You As An Entrepreneur Today?
I combine modern digital marketing with traditional business values. Customers matter. Loyalty matters. Quality matters. I’m still a hustler by nature. I’m always asking: Where can I gain an edge? How can we do this better than everyone else?
In today’s world, your competition is everyone. To win, you have to stand out and you have to care deeply about what you’re building.
