The Luxury of Silence: Why Zang Toi Doesn't Need a Publicist.
Last week, I shared my impressions of my first podcast interview with Zang Toi. But there’s another point I’ve been sitting with: Zang’s approach to publicity, which is—to say the least—completely at odds with the modern playbook.
He hasn’t used a publicist in 37 years, and he doesn’t dress celebrities. The reason? Because Zang is focused on his actual clients.
I think this is an incredibly savvy business move that younger labels should study. So much of the industry is currently devoted to “noise.” Whether it’s social media campaigns or massive runway shows designed for maximum “shares,” the goal is to manufacture momentum and catch the cultural zeitgeist for a few days. The hope is that this attention eventually turns into sales.
Listen to the Episode Here
Zang, however, fosters a much more intimate connection. He uses the trunk show format as the cornerstone of his business. It’s a way to maintain deep relationships with key clients while gaining immediate, honest feedback. I’ve said before that intimacy is the new luxury currency, and Zang’s model proves it.
And he isn’t the only one who understands this. A recent Bloomberg article, “The Row and Phoebe Philo are explaining big bling’s crisis,” outlines the danger of overexposure. While the industry giants spend millions to stay at the forefront of the consumer’s mind, they risk becoming “loud” at the expense of being “special.” As Bloomberg noted regarding The Row’s phone-free runway: “In a world of noise, sometimes silence is superior.”
Likewise, Zang’s approach to celebrity dressing is the same—he chooses to not engage in it. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands on a red-carpet moment, he invests that capital back into his product. That investment creates a physical quality that keeps his clients coming back. It also creates a word-of-mouth referral network, which, in today’s market, is far more valuable than a fleeting Instagram like.
The bottom line: By eschewing the standard PR machine in favor of nurturing client relationships, Zang has maintained something rare: total independence and a solid business.
While his high-touch model may not be the blueprint for every label, it offers a vital lesson for independent designers who feel pressured to act like media companies. For those looking to build a brand world rooted in intimacy and product substance rather than digital volume, Zang’s 37-year journey is a masterclass in staying the course.
