Luxury brands have been breaking new ground in web3 since 2019 when digital couture house The Fabricant forged a partnership with blockchain game developer Dapper Labs to create the “first digital-only dress” underpinned by blockchain technology.

Since then, all sorts of iconic brands like Louis Vuitton, Prada, and McLaren Automotive have experimented with emerging web3 technologies to pave the way forward for luxury NFTs. Even with fluctuating markets, high-end items remain some of the most well-suited use cases for NFT technology, due to their focus on rarity and built-in scarcity. In addition, the ability to track the provenance of both digital and physical items on blockchain mirrors the tradition of using seals, markers, or certificates of authenticity with physical collectibles and luxury products so that people know they are authentic.

In many ways, you could say luxury brands are reinventing old classics, such as the VIA Treasure Trunk from Louis Vuitton which replicates the fashion house's luggage staple. Doing so brings them into the digital world in ways that connect with audiences both old and new.

Here are 16 luxury NFT collections that have evolved the way customers interact with their favorite high-end brands.

mmERCH's quiet-luxury generative hoodies

In September 2024, neo-couture hoodie brand mmERCH teamed up with NFT influencer Seedphrase and the Austrian crystal company Swarovski for a cutting-edge NFT drop that blends fashion, technology, and art. The collaboration featured a generative hoodie modeled after Seedphrase’s famous seven-trait Cryptopunk and adorned with Swarovski crystals, uniquely designed and paired with an NFT that functions as a "wearable wallet" giving buyers access to exclusive digital experiences. This generative hoodie is as much a high-fashion statement as it is a record of digital ownership.

Yves Saint Laurent's Black Opium drop

In early 2023 French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) unveiled two NFT opportunities for its community to collect luxury digital items. The first drop was in January. Anyone who purchased Black Opium, a signature YSL fragrance, would also receive an NFT. The collection had 2,000 original editions and 14 ultra-rare editions. Its utility varied based on the NFT’s rarity but could include everything from a curated makeup kit to access to YSL’s second drop of the year, YSL Beauty Night Masters. 

For the Night Masters collection, YSL collaborated with three artists — Ivona Tau, Natalie Amrossi (aka Misshattan), and Laura Sills — to creatively interpret the theme of “the thrill of the night.” The second NFT collection supported an important cause, with all proceeds allegedly donated to nonprofit organizations focused on preventing and fighting intimate partner violence. Buyers of these luxury NFTs received exclusive perks, including a metal print of the NFT and a bottle of YSL’s signature Black Opium fragrance.

Glenlivet Distillery's NFT and AI whiskey collection

In February 2024, the famous Scottish whisky distillery Glenlivet launched an Ethereum-powered NFT collection featuring some of the brand’s oldest and rarest spirits ever released. Entitled "The Twelve Elements," the collection included 12 bottles of 50-year-old whiskey crafted from 12 essential factors and ingredients recognized for their role in making Glenlivet’s legendary single-malt whiskey. Designers reportedly used generative AI to create the collection's unique commemorative label, and every bottle came with an NFT documenting the sale.

Panerai's digital passport NFTs

In October 2023, Panerai, the Italian luxury watchmaker, integrated NFTs into its business model by offering blockchain-based digital passports for all its watches. These luxury NFTs serve as certificates of authenticity which allow Panerai owners to verify the provenance and ownership of their timepieces much like a physical certificate does. Owners of these digital passports can also access exclusive content and experiences, further upping the enjoyment of their new Panerai timepieces.

The Fabricant x Dapper Labs, the first digital couture

The Fabricant, a pioneering digital couture house based in Amsterdam, made a splash in 2019 by partnering with blockchain game developer Dapper Labs to create the “first digital-only dress”. The move established a new frontier for luxury NFTs. By allowing fashion to exist solely in the digital space, The Fabricant introduced the concept of blockchain-backed fashion, which set the stage for other luxury brands to explore NFTs. This collaboration was a pivotal moment for both digital fashion and NFTs because it demonstrated the possibilities of creating high-value digital items that consumers could own and display.

The Fabricant’s early adoption of blockchain technology opened the door for other luxury brands to integrate digital items into their business models, offering unique digital couture pieces that act as exclusive collectibles. These outfits, crafted from pixels, can be used in virtual spaces like gaming worlds or on social media platforms, allowing consumers to showcase their digital personalities in innovative ways.

McLaren F1 Team 23/23 Collectibles

At the start of the 2023 Formula 1 season, McLaren unveiled its new collection, "McLaren F1 Team 23/23 Collectibles." The luxury car brand had released an exclusive collection before, but this time around, the NFTs were free to mint. The collection offered fans the opportunity to get in on the fun of collecting an NFT for each of the 23 races, so long as they claimed their NFT within the specific time frame each race weekend. Those who collected and kept all 23 NFTs through the end of the season were entered in a giveaway to win anything from a chance to attend a race next season to a signed poster.

Louis Vuitton's VIA Treasure Trunk 

Louis Vuitton brought its iconic trunk to the NFT world with its "VIA Treasure Trunk collection," a soulbound NFT that cannot be sold in a secondary market once purchased. The $41,000 NFT is a key to the LV universe, allowing those who own it to participate in future drops and exclusive community opportunities. 

While the collection was available for public purchase, there were some hoops that potential buyers needed to jump through. The eligibility criteria for getting on the waitlist included owning other collectibles from LVMH brands or other luxury brands, having a crypto wallet with a portfolio value of over $1 million, or owning a collectibles portfolio value of over $200k. Once potential buyers submitted their eligibility information, Louis Vuitton invited a chosen few from the waitlist to shop the trunk.

Louis Vuitton's Speedy 40 VIA Bag by Pharrell 

Louis Vuitton also dropped the "Speedy 40 VIA Pharrell Williams," marking the brand's first activation for VIA Trunk owners. The NFT centers around the iconic 1930s “Speedy” bag, redesigned by Pharrell Williams, Louis Vuitton’s new Men’s Creative Director.

Unlike previous Louis Vuitton NFTs, the Speedy NFT is not soul-bound. Owners can redeem this NFT for a physical bag in 2024, adding a tangible element to the digital collection.

Gucci x Christie's, the generative art collection

In July 2023, Gucci teamed up with Christie’s to introduce the generative art collection, "Future Frequencies: Explorations in Generative Art and Fashion." The luxury NFT collection features a who's who of digital artists, including Tyler Hobbs, Emily Xie, Botto, William Mapan, and more. Each artist created a generative art NFT that speaks to their interpretation of the theme. Christie’s explained that the collection combines fashion design with generative art and artificial intelligence, using algorithms and data to mimic human creativity in producing the artwork.

SYKY’s spatial-reality app

SYKY, a digital fashion platform founded by former Ralph Lauren and Burberry executive Alice Delahunt, shook up the scene in July 2024 with a spatial-reality app for Apple Vision Pro. The app offers an immersive experience where users can interact with blockchain-based creations from avant-garde digital fashion labels.

Burberry x Blankos Block Party

In collaboration with next-gen game studio Mythical Games, Burberry brought its classic British sensibility to the metaverse in 2021 with Blankos Block Party, a multiplayer game that allowed players to collect and customize unique digital characters. Mythical Games eventually said farewell to Blankos and shut the game down in 2023, but not before users enjoyed buying cute, limited-edition Burburry character NFTs, including the unicorn named Minny B. While the experience was, in hindsight, a flash in the proverbial gaming pan, seeing luxury NFTs pop up in a metaverse game demonstrated how players can grow fond of the characters and enhance their in-game experiences.

Prada's Timecapsule Collection

Like Lamborghini, Prada also delights its customers with an ongoing experience called the "Timecapsule Collection." This monthly drop is available for just 24 hours on the first Thursday of each month when the company releases a limited-edition physical item paired with a gifted NFT. The garment selection for "Timecapsule Drop #57" was a shirt created with a print exploring the theme of memories, all brought to life with bold strokes of color.

Mercedes-Benz’s Maschine Collection

Mercedes-Benz kicked off the summer of 2023 with a generative art NFT partnership with digital artist Harm van den Dorpel and the virtual art collective known as Fingerprints DAO. Together with Harm, Mercedes-Benz introduced “Maschine,” a collection of 1,000 unique NFTs featuring what the website describes as a “mesmerizing radial pattern of complex and constantly changing illusions that occur when certain objects spin and accelerate.” At first glance, each unique artwork feels reminiscent of a colorful and dynamic pinwheel. 

Maison Margiela’s MetaTABI shoe

In May 2024, French luxury brand Maison Margiela entered the web3 space with its MetaTABI Collection. The line featured physical hand-painted Tabi boots and leather wallets, each accompanied by an NFT that unlocked exclusive virtual experiences inside metaverse worlds like The Sandbox and Ready Player Me. Margiela collaborated with The Fabricant, which we've already acknowledged is a digital fashion pioneer, for this one-of-a-kind release.

OTB Group's on-chain authentication efforts

In early 2024, OTB Group, the parent company of designers Maison Margiela and Jil Sander, began implementing on-chain authentication to fight the growing issue of counterfeit goods. Using blockchain technology and near-field communication (NFC) chips embedded in products, customers can now verify the authenticity of their purchases in real-time. OTB is a member of the Aura Blockchain Consortium, an industry consortium that has already registered over 1.2 million products on an Ethereum-compatible blockchain. Counterfeiting costs luxury brands billions annually, but OTB's use of blockchain technology gives us a model for transparency and proving provenance.

One more time: What are Luxury NFTs?

Luxury NFTs are unique digital items representing ownership or proof of authenticity of high-end items or exclusive content. They use blockchain technology to create a unique digital record for either a physical item, a digital item, or both (known as a "phygital" item).

How NFT technology has evolved the future of fashion and luxury brands

The integration of NFTs into the luxury market has several transformative effects:

1. Digitization of fashion: NFTs are digitizing fashion, allowing luxury fashion brands to create digital-only or hybrid "phygital" garments and accessories that can be worn in virtual environments. This shift opens up new possibilities for fashion expression and interaction in digital worlds. Think like Snapchat and TikTok filters, only designer.
2. New business models: NFTs are paving the way for innovative business models, such as membership clubs and ultra-exclusive collections. These models disrupt traditional notions of ownership, offering consumers new ways to engage with luxury items.
3. Increased transparency and authenticity: Thanks to the nature of blockchain's globally accessible digital ledger technology, NFTs provide increased transparency and authenticity in the luxury industry. Brands can now more transparently verify the provenance and ownership of their products, ensuring that customers receive genuine and exclusive items.
4. New forms of creativity and self-expression: NFTs are unlocking new forms of creativity and self-expression for both brands and consumers. Luxury fashion brands can experiment with unique digital designs and experiences, while consumers can showcase their digital collectibles and express their personalities in virtual environments.
5. Sustainability: NFTs promote sustainability in the fashion industry by reducing the need for physical production. Luxury fashion brands can create digital-only products, thereby minimizing waste and environmental impact. This practice aligns with the growing demand for eco-friendly practices in the luxury sector.

Loyalty programs are evolving thanks to luxury NFTs

From art lovers to fashionistas, luxury NFTs create fresh experiences that make owning high-end pieces more dynamic than ever. Luxury brands are using digital items as both records of ownership and perks for their most dedicated customers. By holding a specific NFT, collectors can unlock benefits like early access to new collections or invites to exclusive events. This digital-first approach helps brands keep customers engaged over the long term.

As luxury brands evolve, NFTs are proving that exclusivity and innovation are a match made in the blockchain.

Note: This is for informational purposes only and is not intended as financial or investment advice.‍