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Louis Vuitton is adding a new layer to its Web3 strategy. Today, the crown jewel of LVMH will open up a Discord server designed to forge a stronger connection with online communities, especially its NFT holders.
The Louis Vuitton Discord server, essentially a dedicated chatroom with various themed threads, will be “immersive and interactive”, the company says. It will focus on virtual reality, gaming, Web3, esports and technology, and professions related to these topics. The new Discord channel will serve as a showcase of Louis Vuitton’s expertise, giving members access to exclusive content and a place to share their views. Some of the conversations will be accessible only to those who hold NFTs from its Via NFT project; this thread will invite its Via community to participate in the development of new ideas and contribute to the experience.
Discord has come under criticism for its user experience and aesthetic, but proponents say the platform is valuable because access to conversations can be token-gated, meaning that only people who own certain NFTs can access them. It also has an existing audience among gamers, as the platform began as a place for gamers to chat; gamers have, naturally, been among the first to feel comfortable in virtual worlds, and have graduated into a core audience for virtual goods and branded NFTs. Discord has become a key platform for brands to communicate about Web3 projects as a result.
“It is so directionally correct for the future of brand and consumer communications,” says Matt Maher, founder of M7 Innovations, which advises luxury brands and closely tracks Web3 fashion strategies. “The levers you can pull — such as token-gated channels, specific user roles for digital clout, support tickets, watch parties and gamified elements to engage — are fantastic.” Additionally, he says, signing into a server essentially serves as an “opt-in” for communications at a time when Apple’s “Don’t allow to track” option has limited brands’ digital marketing efforts.
Still, while interactivity has become expected among Web3 communities, this represents a new horizon for luxury fashion, where comfort often lies in highly polished, intricately planned moments and products. Additionally, the timing of Louis Vuitton’s arrival on Discord could be seen as unexpected. While a number of early adopter brands have opened Discord servers, including Gucci, Prada, Adidas and Diesel, these announcements came during the initial NFT heyday more than a year ago. Since then, the conversations have quietened, or become limited to news events.
Announced in June, Via is an ongoing project that provides exclusive access to physical and digital products and experiences via NFT ownership. It started with sales of a $39,000 “soulbound” Treasure Trunk token, and ownership cannot be transferred. The rollout tapped five influential personalities in fashion and Web3 to help communicate the project. The first available product — an orange monogram duffle bag — was revealed soon after, during Pharrell Williams’s debut runway show as creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear.
The timing of the Via launch was notable in that it was seen as a major endorsement from a top luxury brand at a time when fashion, and culture more broadly, has shied away from splashy NFT launches. The value of cryptocurrencies has fallen from a high in late 2021 (ETH 1 was once more than $4,800, is now around $1,500), and the frenzied trading and hype cycle has been replaced by more steady, strategic projects.
Until now, the primary communications channels for Via have been Twitter, Linkedin and a dedicated website. (Instagram hasn’t had much traction for NFT communities, having abruptly cancelled its integration of NFTs in March of this year, just seven months after announcing it.) Louis Vuitton’s investment in Via, and now Discord, indicate long-term intentions.
Still, it comes with challenges, including mixed messages from digital communities. Discord is often criticised for a user experience and an aesthetic that is discordant with fashion and inhospitable to new users. “It’s aesthetically ugly, busier than a Bloomberg terminal, difficult to learn quickly and can quickly turn into a ghost town or cesspool of ugly rage,” M7 Innovations’s Maher says, and brands can struggle with cadence. SamJ, an artist whose works have been featured by Gucci, Givenchy Beauty and Christie’s, has been using Discord since 2016. They say the platform is great as a casual social hub for small groups of friends, but “anything Web3 or brand-related is a nightmare”.
Additionally, the platform’s audience of Gen Z and gamers doesn’t necessarily translate into an audience for high-value NFTs. In addition to the original cost of the Via key, holders must also purchase exclusive-to-them Louis Vuitton items; the duffle bag, for example, was more than $9,000.
On the other hand, it can be valuable as a source of truth for NFT projects, including being used as a customer service tool even after sales are live, says Julien Rosilio, head of growth and NFT lead for digital fashion company DressX, which maintains an active Discord server with 4,400 members, two administrators and two moderators. “The key is to constantly have private and exclusive perks in the channel,” Rosilio adds, such as co-creation, clear impacts on brand strategy, early access, discounts and more.
As with the advent of e-commerce and social media, brands are undergoing a transition in this new realm, including hiring Discord moderators and adapting communication strategies to be suitably transparent and receptive to feedback. Maher, of M7 Innovations, advises brands to be realistic in managing fan expectations in terms of number of channels and in maintaining an ongoing presence. “You need to have rock solid strategy, support and a roadmap before you go live,” he says. “It demands a thoughtful and strategic investment of time, energy and dedicated support.”
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