The fashion and music industries tend to overlap quite often. Musicians love to express themselves through their passion for music but will also go a step further to create a unique look in order to encapsulate their persona. However, most artists are either too busy or not knowledgeable enough in fashion to craft the perfect look themselves. This opens the door for stylists to work alongside music artists in order to make their vision a reality.
Whether its for a concert, press conference, or a simple night out, fashion stylists are the backbones of a musician’s public appearance. They are the ones who understand the music artist the best and can confidently style them for any given situation. As someone who is currently studying fashion, I love to learn who is responsible for some of pop culture’s most iconic looks. A particular stylist who I think deserves all of the flowers and applause is the fashion-forward, Zerina Akers.
Who Is Zerina Akers?
From Landover, Maryland Zerina Akers has an extensive passion for fashion. Her background of creating garments for school fashion shows pushed her to attend The Art Institute of Philadelphia. Later, she earned an internship with W Magazine. This allowed her access to a network of celebrities such as Alex White and Shiona Turini. Following the internship, she went back to school at LIM College and scored herself an adavnced internship with Stella McCartney.
Alongside her internship and freelance work, Akers went on to assist stylists Lori Goldstein and Camilla Nickerson. This allowed the young artist to break into the styling career path. She moved on to work for Brooks Brothers as a photoshoot coordinator and stylist for their catalogs! Akers acknowledged her talents and went on to assist the iconic Bea Åkerlund. After this, Zerina Akers soon became one of music’s top stylists.
Iconic Looks and Styles
When most fans picture Akers’s work they always think of her many projects with Beyonce. Yes, the Queen Bee herself! Zerina Akers left her mark on a multitude of work alongside music’s most iconic figurehead. What started as styling for Instagram shoots, grew more intensive as Beyonce began to release larger projects. One of my personal favorite looks from Akers is for the “Formation” music video! I’ll never forget the super wide black brimmed hat that covered the top of Beyonce’s face. Alongside with the stacks of beautiful jewelry, it’s a look that no one could ever forget!
Working alongside Beyonce allowed Akers to collaborate with the R&B duo Chloe and Halle Bailey! These sisters are the definition of true inner and outer beauty. The messages they send through their music are both fresh and inspiring. Zerina Akers does an outstanding job capturing the duo’s essence through their style and makeup. She has taken Chloe and Halle to the next level in photoshoots, red carpets, and award shows. My favorite project would be the #MeAndMyPeekaboo campaign with Fendi. By Fendi giving full control to the artists and stylist allowed this collaboration to be true to them.
The work of a celebrity stylist could honestly make or break an artist’s appeal to their fans. Zerina Akers does a phenomenal job allowing her clients to express their creativity in other elements aside from music. Is there a certain stylist you love most? Or do you think there are some music artists who could use the help of a stylist? Feel free to speak your mind in the comments!
