You may not know her name, but you've seen Zerina Akers' work. The Emmy Award-winning costume designer and celebrity stylist is best known for her work on Beyoncé's Black Is King. In this conversation, Zerina takes us back to her roots. She remembers growing up between her aunt's strict professionalism and her Panamanian grandmother's early beauty lessons. She shares what interning in the fashion closet taught her about hierarchy, hustle, and never looking idle. She also gives an honest breakdown of how stylists get paid. Brand deals, the emotional labor, and the weeks of unpaid prep behind a single red carpet look may surprise you.
Zerina is also candid about her own style evolution at 40, including a closet that suddenly feels outdated, a changing body, and the search for a silhouette that feels powerful. She shares her wardrobe organizing system, her ruthless twice-a-year purge, and why she believes in investing in designer pieces with resale value over fast fashion. She also gets personal about her wellness routine, her skincare staples, her ancestral prayer practice, and how she protects her energy.
(2:52) The red dress that started it all
(4:13) Beauty lessons from her aunt and Panamanian grandmother
(7:09) Self care when your job is serving others
(8:50) Interning in the W Magazine fashion closet
(14:12) How a celebrity stylist organizes her closet
(17:43) June Ambrose, Missy Elliott and Megan Thee Stallion's "Hiss"
(21:09) Styling Chaka Khan
(22:40) LA style vs New York style
(26:07) How to find your signature style
(28:37) Closet purge and buying designer to resell
(35:02) Tailoring and the details that elevate a look
(38:55) Style at 40 and an outdated closet
(43:38) Behind the looks of Beyoncé's Black Is King
(48:36) Why music videos outlast the red carpet
(51:37) How celebrity stylists get paid
(56:53) The emotional labor of styling
(1:01:03) Wellness, fitness and meal prep
(1:05:27) Zerina's skincare routine
(1:11:28) Prayer, protecting your energy and "I never say no"
(1:15:04) When Zerina feels most beautiful
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