TL;DR: Brands are leaning more into exclusive, limited capacity invite-only events to attract attention from top tier customers and fans. This approach represents a renewed focus on the quality of the occasion itself; the atmosphere, the mental presence of their guests and the experience itself.
Days after his SAG Award win for ‘Best Actor,’ Cartier hosted an exclusive poker night for Timothee Chalamet at LA’s Chateau Marmont last month. Attended by a host of celebrities like Kevin Hart, Kylie Jenner, and Kid Cudi, if it weren’t for GQ’s exclusive coverage of the event, there would’ve been no proof it happened.
The week after, Bottega Veneta put on an equally exclusive affair for exclusively invited guests in Milan: a special edition of Patti Smith and Soundwalk Collective’s intimate performances dubbed "Correspondences."
The common thread? Chances are, you had no idea these events took place—let alone received an invite.
Brands have realised that while social media has made participation and observation a constant expectation, physical access becomes the hottest commodity.
The best in class are no longer concerned with producing culture, they’re expertly curating environments that encourage others to amplify their brand into the cultural discourse for them.
Less Access, More Desire
Luxury brands don’t need to shout, they can wait for you to come to them: when Bottega Veneta deleted their Instagram account in 2021, they deliberately allowed industry press and fans to lead conversation around the brand for them.
The Row followed suit, reducing visual access to their collection by banning phones at their Paris AW24 show, creating a ‘you had to be there’ effect that boosted demand for the brand via word of mouth.
Now, amidst a well reported slowdown in sales, other luxury brands are purposefully reducing the access to all parts of the brand, as well as the circle of customers they’re looking to court in order to justify rising prices.
But even away from the luxury sphere, other brands and projects are following the framework of the secret brand event in order to drive irrational desire and intrigue.
Last year, H&M collaborated with Charli XCX on a secret event in London, selling tickets via guerrilla billboards that popped up around the city with a QR code for a matter of days. Just last week, Richard Russell celebrated the release of his latest Everything Is Recorded album with two secret live shows in the basement of an Oxford Street corner shop. With no obvious entrance, fans lucky enough to spot tickets on ticket platform Dice were led behind a dark curtain for an intimate show from Russell and his collaborators.
But secret events aren’t just about gatekeeping—they serve a purpose, benefiting not only brands but also everyday customers and top-tier clientele alike.
For brands: What secret events lack in width or reach they make up for in depth, fostering loyalty and engagement amongst the most dedicated fans. Limited capacity venues act as a natural filter for the most dedicated fans whose attendance becomes emblematic of their love for the brand.
For most brands, that’s valuable. But for luxury brands, it could even be a lifeline — as the top 2% of luxury customers that drive 40% of luxury market sales globally, making VIC’s feel special often pays off in a big way.
For high-profile invitees: Events with limited access from press and the general public foster see brands create a more genuine environment and higher quality of experience akin to a member’s club. This allows even the highest profile celebrities to feel comfortable, leading to a greater appreciation for the brand and a greater willingness to collaborate with them down the line.
For fans: Though participation isn’t guaranteed, when customers do gain access to secret events, they tend to be more special. When fans are given license to rub shoulders with stars, the moment is often more memorable, increasing their brand loyalty and potential to engage with the brand longer term.
What next?
In line with Edmond Lau’s recent thoughts on ‘Dark Mode’, the rise of secret brand event reflects a broader cultural shift towards a sense of true monetary and social luxury—one defined by genuine exclusivity, displays of wealth, and a guilt-free mindset.
Just last week in Paris, Haider Ackermann’s debut collection for Tom Ford felt like a testament to the aesthetic manifestation of this. Dubbed the ‘Boom Boom’ aesthetic, Ackermann’s show set replicated ‘a gamy club privé’, and the sense of ‘a secret room where everything happens,’ he told BoF.
With shifting economics and social norms giving brands a new found permission to exercise elitism, we’re expecting more to deliberately tighten their circles as they look to trade special access for brand loyalty.