Meet Sarah Akiba

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

Hi Sarah, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

It started with nurture and a feeling. I’m from the fashion capital of the world, Paris France, and come from a family of luxury art, antiques, and fine jewelry – ergo a background built on style and culture. The feeling came from being a Creative. Space for creativity, connections, captivating interiors, crafting styles, and so forth.  I wanted to build something that tied all the parts of me and the roles I possess into something deeper than just one space. THE SPACES offers a clean, minimal, aesthetic and versatile style to bring anyone’s vision to life with ease. A place where people can come and go but feel fully seen and heard while they are here to help create their visions. That’s how I do everything – from styling, to building spaces and pieces, to AWOM; it always began with creating and holding space for others.

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

My art lives in many forms and is very personal. So much of this industry is only seen on the surface – the fashion, the styling, the events; is actually very rooted in feeling. Creating art is emotional. I am constantly reading people, truly hearing what they say, supporting their visions, and holding space for whatever authenticity they bring to the table that day. Someone is trusting you to bring their truth forward – and I don’t take that lightly. I’m most proud of the fact that I do that every day, with everyone, in every venture I take, or any work that is asked of me – it is done authentically. My path was not easy and started with grief. Grief is never stagnant; it is always fluid. Coming and going without your control but I got through it by staying true to who I am and the goals I wanted to achieve. Every challenge thrown my way; I used it as my super-power. I always say, “I turned my struggle into my super-power”, and I really did. The heart of my brand and story is still not done but I guess one thing I would like the world to know right now, is that I lead with love – in everything I do. I will make you feel seen, heard, and most importantly, safe. Safety – that’s love to me. I have so much more to create and offer, so stay checked in to THE SPACES and SOAKIBA for more.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc. In your view what are some of the most fun, interesting, exciting people, places or things to check out?

That’s such a good and interesting question. I suppose I would make it a mix of slow mornings, beautiful spaces, and movement. Most of my best friends are married with kids and creating such beautiful lives for themselves and even though I am not there yet, I truly appreciate the grounding of it all. My mornings are so important to me and I feel I am at my best when I have eased into my day, and I am sure my friends would love to do the same. Just sit out on the balcony in beautiful Miami, and drink our morning brews, while chatting or journaling/reading. Then, we would take advantage of all the beautiful spots we have, Bal Harbour Shops, the beach, etc. Lastly, movement is necessary. It has taken me some time to really believe this, but movement is medicine. Medicine for your heart, mind, and body.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

There are so many people who’ve shaped my story, but if I had to start somewhere, the shoutout would go to all the grievers who joined me in The AWOM Foundation when it first started. AWOM – Angels Watching Over Me- came to be after I lost my father and looked to philanthropy for support and comfort. This began as a support group for eight years, providing a space for those grieving the loss of a loved one. This Foundation then turned into a nonprofit dedicated to empowering communities through support, advocacy, and a helping hand. From AWOM Thanksgiving, which feeds hundreds of families, to The AWOM Girls Club. The Girls Club have become part of my extended family, and I just always want them to feel safe, empowered, and reach their full potential. There is one woman near and dear to my heart that came from almost nothing, who achieved all these hopes the foundation offers by believing in herself and working hard; she is graduating Harvard University this year – she is a special success story for me.

Website: https://bookthespaces.com

Instagram: @soakiba and @bookthespaces

Twitter: @soakiba and @bookthespaces

Other: That’s So Akiba Podcast found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!