The Funk Boutique: Zerina Akers and Black Owned Everything Partner with Nike and Nordstrom

Zerina Akers—TGU 50 2021 honoree and Emmy award-winning costume designer—has just launched a collaboration between her company Black Owned Everything, Nike and Nordstrom to promote the work of four Black-owned businesses in fashion and beauty. The collaboration, which debuted Thursday, curates the unique style of these brands alongside the season’s newest Nike and Jordan drops. The collections will be featured in select Nordstrom stores as well as online through February 2022—and will feature a range of clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories between $40 and $325.

Per a press release provided to The Root, the collection stars Black-owned brands Brandon Blackwood, L’Enchanteur, Sammy B and William Okpo. Brandon Blackwood has been working towards normalizing Black luxury with a focus on handbags that are on-trend yet timeless. L’Enchanteur’s mission statement is “Transform Your Lifestyle” while twin sisters Dynasty and Soull “redefine the meaning of an heirloom and timeless” piece. Sammy B creates “limelight-worthy” pieces cementing them as an “It Girl” favorite, and William Okpo celebrates women who have a cultivated sense of style.

From Akers:

When we launched Black Owned Everything back in February of this year, partnerships like Nordstrom x Nike were exactly the type of activations I had in mind to amplify the reach of the Black designers whom I work with and mentor. This intersection of well-established brands and emerging designers is where the progress of Black Owned Everything’s mission takes place. The inclusion of these selected designers are a big step for their individual career paths and an even bigger step in the right direction for the American marketplace and beyond. This curation is a fun mix of fashion and lifestyle pieces for the people who are keen to street trends and enjoy functionality.

As we’ve previously reported, Nordstrom has set goals to increase the visibility of Black and Latinx brands, including delivering $500 million in retail sales from said demographics and increasing managerial roles by 50% by 2025. The new campaign was shot and directed by Brooklyn-based photographer Myesha Evon Gardner.