CHRYSTAL AKAKPO
              WORK                                                                                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 






ABOUT ME  


Chrystal Akakpo is a Ghanaian-American multidisciplinary creative working across fashion styling, photography, and visual communication. Originally from New York City, she is currently based in London, UK.

Her work lives between commercial and contemporary spaces as she explores diasporic identity through a research-led and visually driven approach. 



EDUCATION

ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART  
MA Visual Communication

UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS LONDON
Short Course in Spatial Design

HOWARD UNIVERSITY
BA in Strategic Communications 
Minor in Graphic Design 


EXPERIENCE


SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT CREATOR
Royal College of Art 
Sept. 2025 - July 2026

EXHIBITION CURATOR
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Royal College of Art Africa Society
April 2026 - July 2026

LUXURY SALES ASSISTANT
Loro Piana
Oct. 2024 - Jan. 2025

FREELANCE FASHION STYLIST
Jan. 2023 - July 2025

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT
Washington Gas Utility Company
June 2022 - June 2024


SKILLS

ART DIRECTION
Concept Development
Visual Research
Creative Production

PHOTOGRAPHY
Editorial
Documentary
BTS

DESIGN
Brand Identity
Spatial Design
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      




WORK



Aug. 2025

Photography
Ghana, Africa | Exhibited at The Africa Centre, London UK


wo f3 gble

THE SEA NEVER DRIES


A personal project documenting a visit to my mother’s hometown of Ningo, Ghana, and a journey to Cape Coast Slave Castle. The work reflects on place, memory, and the enduring connections between Ghana and the African diaspora, shaped by the history of the transatlantic slave trade and the resilience of contemporary Ghanaian communities.

Wo fe gble is an adangme expression used by fishing communities in Ningo, Ghana to express hope, resilience, and abundance.

Rather than offering a single narrative, the images invite viewers to consider how memory and cultural knowledge are carried across generations and how communities continue to shape their own stories. 

Though we cast our nets on different shores, we share the same sea.




June 2026 Graphic DesignThe Africa Centre, London UK


TRANSLATION ISSUES?

Created the exhibition flyer and postcard design, as well as crafted the exhibition text, for the Royal College of Art Africa Society’s “Translation Issues” exhibition.

The visual identity combines collaged textile patterns from across the African continent with Swiss-inspired typography, creating a contemporary visual language that explores ideas of cultural translation and exchange.


June 2026 Exhibition Curation and ProgrammingThe Africa Centre, London UK


TRANSLATION ISSUES?


From concept to creation, collaborated with a team of architects and artists to develop the programming and curation for the Royal College of Art Africa Society’s ‘Translation Issues?’ exhibition. 

Applied spatial design skills to plan and lay out the exhibition space, developed a social media content rollout with participating artists, and coordinated installation and takedown.

Collaborated with The Afro Niche Society to develop an activation as part of the exhibition, alongside a series of workshops and a panel discussion exploring its themes.


July 2026 Writer and DirectorScreened at The British Film Institute | London, UK


ON BECOMING


Authored and directed the creative development of the project, writing the voiceover and shaping the film’s visual and narrative language. Coordinated the location, sourced and customised the garments, and built and led a creative team spanning composition, modelling, and lighting. Completing the edit, post-production and colour grading, preparing the final film for cinematic screening.

An experimental short film exploring identity as an ongoing process rather than a fixed destination. Through autobiographical narration and symbolic domestic spaces, it reflects on the tension between inner calling and inherited expectations, asking what it means to continue becoming in a world that demands certainty.
                                                                                                                                                     
Dec. 2025Art Direction and Graphic DesignRCA MA Visual Communication


HIGHLIGHT REAL


Created a scaled model using miniature dollhouse pieces, customised to construct and visualise a prototype of ‘On Becoming‘ short film. Photographed the model and miniature set separately, then composited the protagonist into the constructed space using digital imaging techniques.

A mixed media installation that investigates how identity is performed within lived spaces, where the self is constructed, curated, and presented rather than naturally expressed. The protagonist’s enactment of daily life becomes a form of protection against an uncertain society.

Mixed Media Installation
297 × 420 × 420 mm, Mountboard


July 2025Fashion StylingDeeds Magazine


DEEDS MAGAZINE
FACES EDITORIAL


Lead Fashion Stylist for FACES Editorial ft. Halimotu Shokunbi


Sept 2025 Fashion StylingNew York City, New York, USA

Adidas Spec Ad

Lead Fashion Stylist for Adidas Spec Ad



Oct. 2023 Fashion StylingWashington, DC, USA

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