So This Is My Why

Francine Ballard is the Houston-based founder of Metagolden, a modern brand for a modern consumer who values physical and digital status equally. A web3 emporium showcasing the finest phygital (physical and digital assets sold together) collectibles by way of collaborations between luxury labels, artists and digital influencers/creators.

Ballard worked in fashion publishing for many years at Time Inc (InStyle), Conde Nast (Lucky magazine) and most recently as style editor at PaperCity magazine working with fashion and jewelry brands Hermès, Gucci, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, Cartier among others before transitioning to the technology space.

An avid crypto investor, in 2021 she entered the blockchain space with a line of fine, 18k gold jewelry tied to NFTs. Since then, the company has expanded via partnerships with THEORY, Kwiat Diamonds, Decentraland, Moda Operandi and Fred Segal, successful NFT projects with artists Ashley Longshore, Jonathan Seliger and editorial features in ELLE and Architectural Digest.

Her next collection- HW3 (House of Web3) will be a community-owned, operated and financed fashion house with the best and brightest from both worlds (Web3 and IRL) rooted in forward thinking operatives of ideation, collaboration and innovation. As one of the first female-led blockchain brands and a founding member of the BFF, along with Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson, Paris Hilton and founders Brit Morin and Jaime Schmidt, Ballard has become a web3 thought leader and expert, paving the way for women and female-led projects in the space.