Social media influencer De’arra Taylor hit the scene in 2014 to debut her relationship with co-influencer Ken Walker via YouTube. Commonly labeled as “goals,” the couple shocked fans as they broke off their engagement in 2021, following speculation of Walker cheating. Since their break up, Taylor has continued to level up with the launch of her eyewear collection Lorvae.
Taylor tapped in with rolling out to discuss the details of her latest collection.
Since your relationship was so public, was it hard transitioning to solo?
I wouldn’t necessarily say it was a hard thing to do. I think I was more so nervous about what to expect. [Walker] and I were together from when I was 18 until 25. Not too many people like change, and that was a big change for me because that’s what I did for so long. The relationship, the YouTube channel, the relationship goals, all of that. That was what I got stuck into, so I was nervous because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen after that relationship.
What was the motivation behind Lorvae and its unique name?
I’m the queen of accessories. In my opinion, no outfit is complete without the bag and sunglasses. I wanted to do sunglasses because it’s different and new. I knew that was something I would enjoy because accessories and fashion are what I love the most. The name, Lorvae, is the combination of my middle name which is Vaeshae, and my last name which is Taylor. In honor of my late grandfather, I wanted to incorporate my last name to represent my roots.
BET just premiered a reality show called “The Impact” surrounding the life of influencers. Would you ever consider doing a show like that?
The producers of BET did reach out to me before the show even launched and asked me if I wanted to participate. I didn’t say “no” right away because I had to think about it. At the moment, I didn’t think it was a great fit, because I wanted to focus more on my YouTube channel. I know when you get into these shows, and you have to sign these contracts, you pretty much can’t share too much and have to give a lot of the ownership over to them. I want to take off with my YouTube channel first before I go into the TV world, but I would consider it later down the line.
Can you see yourself ever collaborating with any major celebrities or brands for future business endeavors?
Most definitely. The Weeknd is someone I would want to collaborate with. Drake is another celebrity I would work with. I look at his brand, OVO, and I don’t think he’s released sunglasses before. I think OVO and Lorvae would be a dope collaboration. Another dream collaboration of mine is Coca-Cola. It has always been a dream of mine to have a sponsorship with them.
