There’s nothing ordinary about award-winning fashion designer and author Nova Lorraine. Describing herself as “a poet and storyteller at heart,” this Jamaican-born creative entrepreneur skilfully blends psychology, design and media into impactful written and visual content to influence the world of NFTs, Fashion, and the Metaverse.
Nova views the Metaverse as the next iteration of the internet, describing it as ‘a three dimensional expression of online interaction, education, and commerce.’ It is in this space where she consults with Founders of DAOs, Metaverse worlds, and NFT projects as a web3 and Metaverse advisor, public speaker, and podcast host.
After obtaining a master’s in clinical psychology, Nova spent five years studying and working in the fashion industry before expanding her creative pursuits into the Metaverse to include transformational art and fashion design.
Nova is currently involved in several web3 projects. These include expanding Raine Magazine, (which she founded in 2007), by producing and hosting podcasts for the Pink Kangaru podcast network. Another project is Raine Drops, a web3 art house that features transformational fashion and art to create bespoke phygital and metaverse experiences. Raine Drops’ mission is to benefit creatives by increasing their mental, physical, and financial well-being.
The aim of her phygital couture house The House of Nova, is to ‘increase authenticity and originality of digital assets for creators.’ By combining AR, data and storytelling to futureproof digital art and fashion, Nova asserts it will help to decrease fashion waste and improve sustainability.
By extending herself creatively across multiple platforms, Nova has witnessed some intriguing changing trends in the Metaverse and web3 over the past year. Aside from seeing more women entering the space as architects, 3D designers, and founders, she comments, “There’s been an attention shift – from quick turning, hype projects to ideas with clear roadmaps for longevity and organic community growth.”
She predicts that many exciting opportunities will unfold within these spaces in the next five years. These include new education models, less capital requirements to start online businesses, more diverse companies and community-driven business models, as well as more sustainable products and services. Virtual living and phygital experiences, adds Nova, is also likely to become more important, including “medical visits becoming more virtual, real-world experiences co-existing with their virtual counterparts, and increased importance placed on virtual land ownership.”
The Metaverse is not just impacting the world we live in. It is also affecting key aspects of our lives. Nova remarks that “from an economic perspective, the space is driving creativity at an incredible speed, while inspiring new business models and revenue channels”.
As for its role in the future of technology, she predicts the Metaverse will facilitate greater acceptance of AI and help to implement AR/VR in our everyday experiences.
She curbs her enthusiasm with a caution, however, adding that “from a social perspective, it can be a new form of escapism and create additional mental health issues based on possible addictive behaviours”.
Nova believes the web3 space will face obstacles before it’s adopted by the masses. Its up against confusion about whether the web3 space is ‘just a fad’, the fast pace at which it’s evolving, lack of frictionless user interfaces and elusive financial resources to take a project from concept to execution.
New York, USA With the insight of hindsight, what piece of advice would she have given herself earlier? “Never feel you have to put yourself in a box to accommodate what others may expect or feel comfortable with.”
What must surely be a daunting workload does not seem to have dampened Nova’s enthusiasm and passion. And not even being a mom to four kids has changed her seemingly boundless energy and desire to inspire others to never give up on their dreams.
As for the future, Nova hopes it will pave the way to lower barriers of financial equity for all races. “I’m excited at the prospect of creatives being able to do what they love without compromising or letting go of their dreams, because when you set your eyes on something bigger than you, the universe moves mountains to help you.”
NOVA LORRAINE’S METAVERSE & WEB3 TIPS
Website: novalorraine.com
