Seattle's Personal Stylist Akia Ronai Reimagines Spring Style with Vibrant Collection on Back2Besa
This segment was initially aired on Back2Besa on FOX 13 Seattle. Past episodes and segments can be found at whereweconverge.com/back2besa and on the FOX Local app. Instructions for downloading the app are available at bit.ly/watchfoxlocal.
A creative force in Seattle's fashion scene and beyond, Akia Ronai has carved out a distinguished career as a personal stylist, a fashion engineer, and a businesswoman. Her portfolio includes singers India Arie, Choklate, and Converge's very own Besa Gordon among her list of styled personalities. Recently, Ronai joined Gordon on Back2Besa to unveil a collection of spring essentials curated by her aimed to upgrade anyone's outfit with a colorful blend of comfort and style, offering a glimpse into the latest trends set to redefine wardrobes this season.
"I believe in layering. You can remove or add as needed. I'm really big on making certain that your textiles are seasonally appropriate in terms of fabrication," Ronai said. "For this season, now that we're in Spring, it will be your cotton, linens, tropical wool, poplin, khakis, and things of that nature."
Ronai's love for personal styling originated in her childhood. Before creating looks for celebrities, influencers, and artists, she sketched her visions on paper.
"When I was a little girl, I would take a piece of paper, draw a line down the middle of it, and make someone look ugly," Ronai said. "On the other side, I would make them the new and improved version. It was something I did subconsciously all the time."
Hailing from Generation X, Ronai reminisced about her upbringing in 1980s Seattle, which has been integral to her career and style.
"I come from an era when it was about being original. I encourage originality, authenticity, owning that, and taking our power back with how we dress," Ronai said. "It's how we show up in the world, so it's important."
The city provided a playground for creative exploration, and Ronai often frequented big box stores such as Nordstrom and the now-defunct Frederick & Nelson and I Magnin.
"That was when downtown was very upscale [and] prestigious. I was enthralled with window displays and going to luncheons and fashion shows," Ronai said. "That stayed with me."
A native of the Central District, the various cultures and backgrounds that made up the neighborhood in the 80s left a mark on Ronai, with her citing influences of grunge and, more importantly, hip hop.
"Hip-hop is who I am. We were celebrating 50 years of hip-hop," Ronai said, having been the creative director for the Friends of the Waterfront Hip Hop 50 fashion show just last summer. "It's been encompassed and infused into my whole life."
In addition to the cultural impacts, Ronai acknowledged the city's longstanding commitment to environmentalism as a driving force behind her approach to styling.
"What I love about Seattle is it's a very eclectic city. We have always been at the forefront of sustainability, so I'm always very conscious of that, and it's a big part of how I style," Ronai said, attributing those values to growing up with Seattle's Earth Day front and center on a national front. "I do a lot of repurposing, thrifting, deconstructing, and recycling fashion."
For Ronai, these factors converged to shape her career trajectory.
"It's a melting pot. I do fashion, and I pull from all those pieces," Ronai said. " I'm the sum of many parts."
Ronai later moved to Georgia to pursue her passion for styling by studying design and marketing at American Intercontinental University in Atlanta. Her career journey was paved with various roles within the fashion industry, including retail sales and management positions at Saks Inc., personal styling for five years at Nordstrom's Seattle Flagship, e-commerce endeavors with Amazon Fashion, costume design, and fashion consulting. In 2002, she took the step to start Shopping Butterfly LLC, marking the inception of her entrepreneurial venture.
"I was an eBayer, and I would find cool products from all over. It was great because I got to interact with customers globally," Ronai said. "That was really when we started to see the world get smaller through eBay and being able to find sources at the touch of a button in the early 2000s."
Since the beginning of her career dressing clients, Ronai has taken pride in her role as a trendsetter.
"I like to think outside the box. When people are sourcing, they have to source what's available. That's where the trend pieces are pulled in to help guide them. I like to forecast. I don't like cookie-cutter or things for the masses," Ronai said.
She emphasizes that her approach extends beyond simply coordinating outfits; it involves creating personalized experiences that connect her clients with their authentic selves.
"Every customer is going to have their unique look because I like to extract their personality and understand what they aspire to [and] who are some of the influences they want to emulate. I like to empower people to reimagine themselves."
While every interaction may differ, trust remains the cornerstone. The same principle applies to Gordon, whom Ronai works with weekly, styling her for her hosting role on Back2Besa and her appearances on Good Day Seattle.
"I'm trying to support her because she's such a high visibility, finding pieces that she can mix and match, fabrics, textiles, and natural fibers that feel good on her skin," Ronai said.
She continued, "For me, it's about them understanding the composition of their body and what's going to look good. Often, you don't see yourself truly. We have a very morphed sense of what we look like. It's important I guide clients in that direction and empower them to do it for themselves once they have those tools."
Regarding her recent Converge fashion show, Ronai stressed alternative approaches for those seeking to refresh their Spring wardrobe and where they can begin.
"Start with your closet. Those trends are probably in your closet. If something inspires you, how can you reinvent it," Ronai said.
Ronai emphasizes the importance of letting go of items that no longer serve their purpose, urging individuals to repurpose them in line with the theme of sustainability.
"A lot of times, we are emotionally attached to things that just aren't working anymore, so repurpose them," Ronai advised. "You can trade your clothes at a thrift store or consignment shop and refresh your wardrobe. Pieces you love but are not wearing because a button is missing; get them altered. Get them fixed and make sure they're the right size. Start there."
Click here to stay updated on Ronai's latest fashion ventures and to inquire about styling services.
"Now that we've stepped out of the pandemic let's put our clothes on again. Let's become more intentional about grooming ourselves and feeling good. For a while, we were all just kind of wearing sweats, gaining weight, and feeling depressed," Ronai said. "It was a difficult time. But now that we've evolved and are back outside, with things to do and concerts happening. There is fashion out there for us. Get dressed."
