“There’s also a new clubhouse model for luxury consumers to explore,” Crossley continues. She describes clubhouses as discreet, meticulously designed retail spaces that act as architectural marvels, free from overt branding or product displays. For instance, Gucci’s Salon concept combines the intimacy of a private home with cinematic grandeur, while Bottega Veneta’s Venice residence offers a closer look at its brand universe. Similarly, Zegna’s Villa Zegna in Shanghai exemplifies the rise of these tailored, immersive environments. For Crossley, these spaces are only set to grow.

It’s not just luxury. The latest streetwear disruptors have shown how powerful selective access can be, signalling a move away from the peak hypebeast era. Kelly Acheampong, founder of Undiscovered, an online platform covering emerging brands and streetwear culture, highlights that the most prominent emerging streetwear brands are leveraging digital communities as modern-day secret societies. He cites streetwear label Years of Tears by Sliksyd as a prime example, known for its highly sought-after Discord group, which carries a strong “if you know, you know” aura. “You could only find it if you actively went out your way to, or someone had to invite you,” he explains. London-based brand Loho Kur also leverages Discord to house its most loyal customers, offering its dedicated customers exclusive benefits such as early access, special discounts and private drops.

Curation over virality

“As Big Tech platforms become more politicised and saturated with ads, people are seeking out corners of the internet that feel more positive, curated and focused on discovery,” says Maya Torseke, digital marketing and growth specialist at Arca, a curation-focused social media app whose growth has been fuelled via invite-only codes. She adds that as smaller niche platforms start attracting users, brands will follow. “I’m surprised a brand hasn’t done an activation on [film-focused platform] Letterboxd or [literature-focused platform] Goodreads yet, I think there’s a lot of opportunity tapping into digital culture outside of traditional fashion spaces,” she says.

“As social media becomes just another facet of entertainment media, people are seeking out spaces to celebrate their niche and shared interests, and this is where they are making judgements about what’s cool or not,” agrees Corser. “Finding fans on their Discord servers, on Bluesky, Reddit — these are where brands can tailor gatekeeping to groups already defining themselves as distinct.” She adds that the platform to watch is Substack, with The RealReal already making moves, having launched its own newsletter this January, titled The Real Girl, aimed at deepening connections with dedicated resale shoppers.