February 24, 2023
Beyoncé Shares Her Stylist, Zerina Akers, With Barbie and the Collection Is Giving!
She’s styled for Queen Bey, and now she’s blessing Barbie fans with her fashionable touch.
The fashion doll brand manufactured by Mattel has partnered with Emmy Award-winning costume designer and stylist Zerina Akers to produce a new set of fan-favorite looks for a new collection of Barbie dolls.
Mattel and Akers dropped the new collection through a series of Instagram posts on Wednesday, Feb. 22, celebrating Black History Month.
According to Akers, the editorial-style series is inspired by sisterhood and solidarity among women.
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“Partnering with Barbie and getting to dress yet another icon is such a full circle moment for me—Barbie and Mattel were such a huge part of my childhood and are so nostalgic for me. I’m so excited to reimagine Barbie’s style and help inspire the next generation of fashionistas to dream big!” Akers said, according to a source.
Reportedly, the collaboration features the iconic Barbie through a reflection of Black culture.
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“Barbie was one of my earliest forms of representation. It was very important to see ourselves in the toys we played with. Whether I was making clothes for my Barbie dolls or styling their hair, I was able to practice different ways to explore creatively as it related to image, appearance, and lifestyle—and I still want my Barbie Corvette!” Akers said, according to the Barbie Instagram page.
Akers has a long list of styling celebrity clients that include Grammy Award-winning artist Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and singers Chloe and Halle Bailey.
As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Akers, the creator of the online platform and marketplace Black Owned Everything, styled Beyoncé’s Black Is King and earned a 2021 Emmy for Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program.