Once upon a time, luxury was a physical thing — exclusively. You had to be somewhere to experience it. A flagship store, a Parisian showroom, an invite-only party. Now? Luxury’s gone digital, and the old rules don’t apply. Physical presence? Optional. Style, however? Still mandatory.
Take Gucci. They didn’t just join the metaverse, they designed their own! Gucci Town on Roblox is a pastel-slicked world of mini-games, digital art installations, and virtual boutiques where you can pick up exclusive items for your avatar (some of which have resold for more than their physical counterparts). Dolce & Gabbana did it too with Collezione Genesi – a hybrid NFT drop featuring both physical pieces and digital twins, auctioned on UNXD. Oh, and it sold for nearly $6 million!
Legacy houses like Prada and Balmain aren’t missing out on the action either. Prada’s Timecapsule NFT series offers monthly drops linked to real-world merch. You get access to events, experiences, and private communities, it’s almost more exclusive than the real-world alternative. Think of it like a fashion membership club… just one that lives inside your crypto wallet. A whole new dimension of luxury.
Gaming, but make it couture
If you’re still thinking video games are all pixelated plumbers and shootouts in space, then I’m delighted to be the bearer of good news — you’ve missed a glow-up.
Riot Games kicked things off with Louis Vuitton’s 2019 collab, which included both in-game skins and a real-world capsule collection. It was sleek, it was futuristic, and if you blinked, you missed it. The whole collection sold — and fast. Then there’s Fortnite — arguably the MVP of this whole crossover moment. Not only has it partnered with Balenciaga (complete with a digital store and physical merch), but it also launched a Moncler collaboration with reactive clothing that changes with in-game elevation.
So futuristic, also, so chic.
Luxury as a lifestyle, even online
High-end living used to mean ticking off a standard checklist: designer wardrobe, chic dining, business class flights — you know the drill. But the definition’s evolved. Now, luxury can be something you experience through your screen.
LVMH has backed multiple virtual platforms, all through its La Maison des Startups accelerator. They’ve backed all kinds of tech startups, specialising in everything from scent mapping to virtual styling.
Fashion is about more than clothes though. It’s nothing without an experience, atmosphere, and attitude. That’s why luxury is thriving in unexpected corners of the internet. Take the Hippodrome’s online casino experience, for example: it’s cleverly used the slick and sophisticated black and gold branding from the actual casino to bring a bit of heritage glamour to its online offering. You can even play at tables from The Hippodrome with their ingenious live streaming options. Taking these heritage venues and creating a digital way for them to be experienced is no mean feat, but it’s one that’s been super successful here.
The result? A high-gloss lifestyle that moves with you. From your phone screen to your game console to your VR headset. The very definition of luxury is changing. It’s not so much a physical thing, but an HD-streamed experience — and we are so here for it.