Meet Sarah Akiba | Fashion Stylist | Creative direct | Entrepreneur | & Philanthropist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Akiba and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
There is so much about running a non profit that people are unaware of. So many small details, logistics and forms that need to be done in order to make sure it is regulated. Being super organized is one of the most important things when running a non profit! The giving aspect is definitely the best part, but the logistical part is of such importance and not the most fun. Thats the part that people don’t get to see. Also, there is a lot that goes into giving back. People rely on you, call you at different times of the night, hard situations that can’t be shown via socials is very hard. You have to really be there for people when you give them your word. Its not only the cool events and the schools, its everything that comes with that! My students rely on my day in and day out, and so do their families.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Everything I do stems from passion and compassion, which I feel is an art in and of itself. What separates me from others whether its my wardrobe styling work, creative direction, or philanthropy is that its all built off of the foundation of inspiration. People, things, moments, conversation, colors, pictures, friends, and more are my inspiration on the daily. From that I use my imagination to build whatever I desire. I have no limits. I imagine what I want the moment or whatever im creating, whether it be a support group meeting, womans dinner, a look for a client, or event for the foundation I bring it to life with a feeling and with intention. Building this definitely did not come easy. It took many years for it to work, but I knew that it would because I was consistent and I believed in myself. I got a lot of “youre crazy” “who do you think you are?” “this won’t work”, but that never stopped me, if anything it pushed to me to make sure that it would work, that my crazy ideas were crazy enough, and I knew exactly who I was so I used that to fuel me. Ive learned that if you believe in yourself and know who you are you can do absolutely anything. Ive also learned that surrounding yourself with the right people that support you and your vision is everything. I want the world to know that Im just a girl that had many dreams and wanted to bring them to life by bringing joy to others. Thats who I am.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was coming for the weekend I would probably start by having a coffee at Aroma in Aventura followed by an amazing walk on the beach. I would probably spend my beach day at Soho House and just sun bathe and have their house cocktail Picante De La Casa. Id end the night at Layla in Miami Beach for a nice Mediterranean dinner and good vibes!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I will start by saying that my parents are the people I can thank for being who I am today. They taught me to be hard working, loving, compassionate, giving, and when you see something wrong do something about it. My fashion side definitely comes from my Mom and my philanthropy work stemmed from the loss of my dad. They are my muses… its all for them and in honor of them.

Website: www.awom.org, www.soakiba.com, www.awomlab.com

Instagram: @soakiba @awom @awomlab

Image Credits
Omar Cruz – personal image