Big Goals, Bold Choices: Dr. Giovanna Graziosi Casimiro, Head, Metaverse Fashion Week | Entrepreneur

This article is from a special edition of Entrepreneur Middle East created for the 2024 edition of the Women’s Empowerment Convention (WE Convention), staged by the WE Council. Check out the full publication here.

“A producer’s life isn’t glamorous,” declares Dr. Giovanna Graziosi Casimiro, a Web3 strategist with a Ph.D in extended reality (XR) technologies, who is also the Head of Metaverse Fashion Week, a role she started while working at 3D virtual world browser-based platform Decentraland. “For me, a typical day is hands-on, dealing with client and brand crises, and finding unexpected solutions for last-minute challenges.”

And given her specialization in XR solutions, virtual worlds, and physical computing, Dr. Graziosi Casimiro is uniquely positioned to lead the Metaverse Fashion Week, which annually takes place across multiple metaverses, housing virtual storefronts of numerous global brands. Dr. Graziosi Casimiro’s involvement with Web3 traces back to 2017 when she began exploring the crypto anarchy movement and open-source culture, and it was in 2021 that she formally entered the Web3 realm as Head of Events at Decentraland, subsequently assuming the role of Head of Metaverse Fashion Week.

Since 2022, she has also been a faculty member at the Paris-based higher educational institution Institut Français de la Mode, where she teaches courses on innovation and immersive technologies.

Related: Big Goals, Bold Choices: H.H. Sayyida Basma Al Said, Founder, Whispers Of Serenity

Dr. Graziosi casimiro therefore seems the right person to ask how embracing bold choices leads to innovative breakthroughs, and she replies by pointing out that humility is essential in her line of work. “In an innovative space, you must be prepared for a volatile environment, where ideas are constantly revisited,” she says. “Discourses like ‘I’ve been doing this for 20 years’ may not always be effective. It’s not about the length of your experience, but your ability to change, adapt, and collaborate. Moreover, in the Web3 space, new ideas require patience, and not everything should revolve around money. Good ideas flourish before capital, and eventually, they become self-sustainable.”

Dr. Giovanna Graziosi Casimiro, Head, Metaverse Fashion Week, and Professor in Technologies For Fashion, Institut Francais De La Mode, Paris. Source: Dr. Giovanna Graziosi Casimiro

Such a paradigm would also explain the ethos that governs Dr. Graziosi Casimiro in her career. “There’s still so much more I aspire to contribute to this community, and I hope to leave a lasting legacy beyond my time, resonating with future generations,” she says. “My personal motivation extends beyond the confines of this universe’s physics and theories. As a passionate fan of science fiction and theories like the multiverse and string theory, I’ve always been intrigued by the possibilities they suggest for transcending the limitations of our reality. Additionally, I’ve been fascinated by the intersection of technology and the human body, contemplating how our definition of humanity will evolve in this era and beyond.”

Insider Insights: Dr. Giovanna Graziosi Casimiro shares her notes for Web3 enthusiasts

Put effort into both diligence and efficiency “Devote time to study and broaden your knowledge. Challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone, and explore new territories beyond what you already know.”

Embrace critical thinking “Resist jumping on trends simply because they’re popular. Instead, challenge the status quo, and lead the way by questioning everything, and pioneering new ideas.”

Web3 revolves around people “Web3 is not just about tools, which are bound to evolve and become obsolete over time. Therefore, prioritize collaborative efforts, community engagement, and collective project development. Establish a robust and reliable network of talented individuals to collaborate with.”

Related: Big Goals, Bold Choices: Mishaal Ashemimry, Founder, Mishaal Aerospace