Marrisa Wilson's NFT Designs Are Straight From the Future

Published on March 10, 2022 at 10:35 AM

On the second-to-last day of New York Fashion Week, the gallery at Spring Studios was transported into the future. Drenched in red and purple light, models sporting braided updos, NFT bomber jackets, and skirts in digital prints danced down the runway. It was the Marrisa Wilson fall 2022 show and the designer's debut presentation on the Fashion Month calendar.

Raised in New Jersey by Guyanese parents, Wilson knew her fashion show would be different. Where models appeared stoic and even solemn at other NYFW shows, Wilson encouraged her cast to "turn up [their] energy" and show up as their authentic selves, she told POPSUGAR backstage. That materialized in an extra sway of the hips, a twirl before disappearing into the wings, or a powerful pose struck in full view of the photographers. Their confidence was palpable.

And while the clothes were wearable — colorblock turtlenecks, printed skirts, knit vests — the beauty look felt straight out of an Afrofuturism photo shoot. Locs and braids were fashioned into intricate styles — some pinned up, some flowing freely — while the shimmery makeup would fit right in on "Euphoria." "It's how I incorporate my essence and culture into all the collections," Wilson said.

The color palette was rooted in Pantone's color of the year, Very Peri, with touches of red, black, gray, and brown. One of the most compelling designs was a purple blazer with a single black lapel: a wardrobe staple that Wilson somehow made exciting and special again.

The bomber jackets, which featured phrases like "Power On!," will become a staple for celebrities looking to show personality with their street style looks. ("I feel like Rihanna can work this jacket with her baby bump," Wilson said.) Each jacket featured a thumbprint that unlocked access to an NFT (nonfungible token) of Wilson's fashion illustrations.

"I know you've seen what a lot of these NFTs look like, and they are auto-generated and [have] editions of hundreds or thousands, but I wanted to incorporate my craft," she said. "I still believe in old-school fashion illustrations, and that's part of my process." It was a peek into the future as Wilson envisions it.

Read on for the inspiration behind her collection, her career highlights, and her thoughts on the state of Black representation and inclusivity in fashion.

POPSUGAR: What was the inspiration behind the collection?

Marrisa Wilson: The inspiration was about the convergence of digital and physical identities. With everything going on with the metaverse and NFTs that feels far and out there, I wanted to make sure there was space for women and particularly women of color to be able to play and participate and explore those spaces.

Throughout this entire process, it's really about ownership and being able to own your identity, your art, your craft. The models in the campaigns and shoots came to casting and asked, "How do you want us to walk?" And I said, "I want you to do you, turn up your energy," and immediately, when I did that, the clothes just popped.

So, it's really not even just about me, it's about having the model wear the clothes and feel good in what she's wearing, and it just comes through.

PS: How are you incorporating NFTs?

MW: To enter into the NFT space, I really wanted to do it in a way that makes sense for me. So, I still love hand drawing and rendering my illustrations.

I know you've seen what a lot of these NFTs look like, and they are auto-generated and [have] editions of hundreds or thousands, which is totally fine, but I wanted to incorporate my craft. I still believe in old-school fashion illustrations, and that's part of my process as I develop each collection.

So, that was a way for me to feel most authentic showing up in these spaces, not doing a drop because everyone else was doing it.

PS: With Black History Month in full swing, what are your thoughts on the state of Black representation and inclusion in fashion? And I saw your culture interwoven in the hair look specifically, so tell us about that.

MW: My parents were here, and it was really emotional. I come from an entrepreneurial family and I'm Guyanese American, so that's how I incorporate my essence and culture into all the collections.

As far as diversity and inclusion, I'm really indebted to Lindsay [Peoples-Wagner] and Sandrine [Charles] for the Black in Fashion Council. I showed through their showroom space a year ago, two seasons ago, and I really owe it to them to allow me to have that type of visibility and get me out in front of press and retailers. It really made a difference in my career.

I believe that we're having a lot of conversations and we're headed in the right direction. It's definitely a long game and a lot of work to be done. It's less about fixing one particular thing and more about that pipeline and giving people the opportunity and leveling the playing field.

PS: Looking back at your career, what are some of your proudest moments?

MW: I was on a segment of the "Tamron Hall" show, and after, there was a Guyanese family that was in the audience, and they said, "We just wanted to give you a hug and say that we're rooting for you." And it was this feeling of having your aunties and uncles and cousins rooting for you. It wasn't even the segment, it was the fact that people felt seen and they connected with me.