At NOTO, we’re all about celebrating bold creativity and unapologetic individuality—and Rae Godin embodies both. Based in Brooklyn, NY, Rae is an experimental sculptor who plays at the intersection of fine art and fashion, balancing their personal artistic vision with commercial projects. As a set and prop designer for the likes of Tibi, Rae brings a fearless, authentic energy to everything they touch. We caught up with Rae to talk about their love for skincare, life as an artist in New York, and what it really means to be "universally sexy."
Photo by Reed Young
NOTO: Let's kick things off—how would you introduce yourself?
RAE: I’m Rae Godin, an experimental sculptor based in Brooklyn, New York.
Loves: designer bidding wars on Vestiaire Collective, parties, the iPhone Notes app, negronis, and saying, “I bet I could make that,” whenever I see something I like.
Hates: running late, rushed sex, wobbly tables at restaurants, not being on the guest list.
NOTO: Your skincare and makeup routine seem like a key part of your day. Can you walk us through them?
RAE: I research products that I use on my skin rigorously and I love to try new things, so my cabinet is always in rotation. Skincare is huge for me, partly because I model sometimes, but also because it’s how I take time to care for myself. I wear makeup when I’m going out with friends or on a date. Clean, glossy skin is usually enough.
Morning: Coffee. Vintner’s Daughter Active Renewal Cleanser, M-61 Hydraboost HA Gel Mask, La Roche-Posay SPF 50. Rooted Oil on my hair, neck, and chest (fav NOTO product), CDG fragrance.
Makeup: Second coffee. Brown liner, NOTO Multi-Bene Stick on lips and cheeks in either shades Five or Genet, brows, and a light contour with NOTO Multi-Bene Stick in Fluxus. If I’m going out-out, I’ll do a heavy black liner and add shit tons more blush to my cheeks and eyelids.
Night: Campari and soda. La Roche-Posay Cleansing Oil, Kiehl’s Retinol Skin-Rewind Daily Micro-Dose Serum, M-61 Hydraboost HA Gel Mask, Innisfree Nourishing Cream with Ginger Honey.
NOTO: New York's creative scene is so dynamic. How does the city impact your work as an artist?
RAE: The artists I meet in New York are on another level, which constantly requires me to assess my work and keep it elevated. There are so MANY parties and events, and projects that you can say yes to in New York. Outside of working as an artist, I work constantly as a set and prop designer. I’m a socialite at heart. It can be challenging to carve out time for my own creative process in a physical sense. But I do. And it always pays off. There will always be another party, always another weekend. I put my head down and fucking work, even when I’m exhausted. I’m tired but so, so happy and deeply inspired by everything I see.
When time is limited, I’ve gotten more comfortable designing work and then working with fabricators—a process that is deeply creative and full of TRUST.
NOTO: You work in both the fashion world and more traditional sculptural spaces. How do you balance creating art for a commercial space versus creating art for yourself?
RAE: This is a great question. I’m thinking about the end consumer when I’m at work. When I’m working on my own sculpture, I’m only thinking about what matters to me. The consumer of a fashion brand is not necessarily the same consumer who would buy my work, although there is overlap.
As Artist in Residence at Tibi, I’m so lucky to be constantly creating art and visuals that help tell the story of dressing and the influences behind a collection. A return-on-investment (ROI) is essential to the functioning of a fashion business. For instance, in my personal practice, I can spend three months and as much money as I want to create, say, a black marble spiked chair that no one will ever sit on. Why? Because it will ultimately sell and support my long-term career as an exhibiting artist.
In contrast, on set, I might have three weeks to design a set within the framework of a budget and within the constraints of the space I’m working in. Set design and prop design is really about innovating found materials into beautiful objects in the most convenient, environmentally conscious, and economically responsible way possible. Sort of the opposite of my art process, to be honest. When I design sets and props for an editorial shoot, I’m aware that they’re never going to be sold.
There are folders in my brain where I keep inspiration that feels authentic and fascinating, which I can totally use in a commercial setting. I go to these mental folders when I’m at work. These folders are somehow very separate from the part of my brain that I wander back to when I’m working on my personal sculptures.
NOTO: What does "universally sexy" mean to you?
RAE: Universally sexy. Hmm... I’m trying not to just think about the hot androgynous girls in my life right now. Ok. Let’s break it down. Universal = everyone. And Sexy = a very no-questions-asked cool and comfortable in your own skin. Timelessness, grace, and a lack of try-hard or wannabe mentality is so sexy. Never trying to be someone else. Always being deeply yourself.
Rae’s fearless approach to both art and life embodies the essence of NOTO—being unapologetically yourself and letting your creativity flow. We love watching Rae thrive in their creative spaces, whether it's a sculptural project or set design, and we can't wait to see what they do next.