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Zerina Aker is the go-to stylist for all our favorite artists. They have Khloé and Halle Bailey, Lato, Megan thee Stallion, Sawetti, not to mention our eternal queen, Beyoncé, on speed dial. The looks she creates for her clients are always next level. Can we just take a minute to admire the genius behind her Emmy-winning costume design for “The Black King”? Yes, the award-winning stylist is a trendsetter and innovator. she is That’s what he said. daughter.
Additionally, during the 2020 pandemic, she created an IG account, Everything Black Owned, which exclusively highlights fashion, beauty and interior lines from the brand’s creators.
Acres are starting to warm up. Recently, she was selected as the brand ambassador of Express Celebrity Ambassador. Below, she delves into her evolution in the fashion biz and gives us some tips on what we need for our fall wardrobe.
Ebony: How did you get started in fashion?
Zerina Aker: I went to fashion school in Philly and ended up with my first internship at W magazine. I keep going back and forth from Philly to New York. I took all the advice the organizers would give me. I landed my first freelance gig through an internship. W (And after that W And Women’s clothing every day (They were under the same umbrella.) Once you’re in those circles, you meet everyone, and you get a lot of opportunities. I started doing things with Women’s clothing every day and by Harper’s Bazaar. I was able to do all that while I was still in school. I was really flirting. I really wanted to get as much experience as I could before going out on my own. I did an internship at Stella McCartney in the PR department in New York to see if I had an interest in that. I then studied abroad and interned at Stella McCartney in London. This led to me assisting stylists like Camilla Nickerson as a second assistant, at the time at W Magazine, and Derek Rose. I was walking around wherever I could, getting my feet wet as much as I could.
Eventually, I started helping trade statistics, and that kind of changed the game for me. I met a lot of very kind people. I started meeting single women who built their own lives; They had a house in the Hamptons and a place in New York. That was refreshing because many of the women I worked with in editorial often had husbands with money or families with money, but they weren’t necessarily building their own fortunes from the ground up. Even my wrap session with the commercial stylist threw me off at first. When we work 14-hour days in editorial, we finish at 6pm. It really changed my perspective. I learned more about budgeting on an individual, entrepreneurial level, and reporting and submitting only to the accounting department of an organization. I really learned how to run a business.
How did you work with Beyonce?
I met a creative director through a friend and I was telling him my goals or my dreams of going freelance—you know, starting to do my own thing—and he’s like, “Yeah, you know. [Beyoncé’s] I’m looking for someone,” and I’m like, “Yeah, give me a meeting.” It was one of those things that you never thought would happen and it did.
You worked with Beyoncé and that turned into working with Khloé and Hale and other up-and-comers New artists right?
I started working with them because it was a fun project. Anyway, I was working for the Bay company and Bay doesn’t really make rugs like this so it was kind of fun. I felt the outbreak was really their year.
And, Lato was fun. She is very young and we have come to some sort of experiment. She’s always willing to try new things and really gets into it so it’s always fun. It’s fun trying to develop one’s style and image at a time when there are so many rap girls. It’s fun to have a look that sets them apart from everyone else.
What other career highlights are you proud of?
I am proud to be associated with [BS] Of course, to climb that ladder and face adversity and meet so-called “enemies.” People don’t always see something or someone on the road. I am proud of overcoming those obstacles and also learning how to use those obstacles. I mean… I’m happy.
I won an Emmy. Not many people can say they’ve done that, even actors in the acting space have gone decades without getting one. This puts things into perspective but still feels like a departure. You work really hard but you still feel like you’re just getting started.
What inspired you to start Black Owned?
When I first opened the page, I wanted a place where I knew everything was black, no matter what, because there were so many black businesses circulating. So whether I was shopping for my projects or a client, I could go to this page. Eventually, I realized I couldn’t share this with everyone. I actually felt inspired to post on the site. During that time [because of what was going on the world], I haven’t been posting much on my homepage but I felt compelled to share. There was a lot of talk, they were erasing a lot of culture, they were attacking these big companies and I thought that if only about 20% of the energy was trying to disperse these other places, what if we shine our own light. Creators. Even with that small percentage, we can go a long way.
Your celebrity brand ambassador for Express. What are 5 pieces women should have in their closet for fall?
As we move away from the skinny trend and into the wide leg, try a pair of wide leg jeans or trousers in general – whether wide or bell bottom.
Invest in soft bottoms. Try a nice cream bodysuit, they go well with trousers, baggy jeans, anything. Men can also wear it.
Faux fur leather pants are required. Everything is moving in a sustainable direction. There are many aspects to that discussion, such as not using animal products, or raising what is new wave. I have seen many more brands, even big people doing this, which is the art. Many of them have a lot of dead stock that they can use to continuously create pieces.
I’m a ring girl with expressive ears. But for jewelry, right now, I’m really into cuffs. Cuts on the sleeve for men or women add a cool factor. Two beautiful straps will elevate any look.
A nice classic coat to wear with your basic t-shirt and jeans is a must. Buy a classic style but take it a step further by buying it in a nice color to give you a simple look.
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