Black creativity is the bedrock of American culture.
To celebrate this legacy, Lexus and Complex partnered to create The New Guard: a three-part editorial series highlighting the new visionaries engineering a future we’ve yet to see—but will no doubt benefit from. For 24-year-old Sierra Rena, her genius was always among the stars—literally and figuratively. After earning a highly coveted NASA internship, she pivoted to a career in styling, where her tenacity and attention to detail earned her the opportunity to work with some of today’s biggest stars.
Rena didn’t settle for the “safety” of pursuing a career in science. She pushed to create a life of styling. Lexus understands that greatness means taking a risk, which is why spotlighting Sierra Rena is the perfect fit.
****
Sierra Rena is making her mark on the fashion world by incorporating the tools needed to succeed within the industry. She brings a sharp eye for details, a keen sense of trending aesthetics, and intention. The 24-year-old DMV-bred wardrobe stylist, burgeoning designer, and creative force has collaborated with global brands such as Adidas, Puma, and Converse across campaigns and editorial spreads. Her eye-catching work has also earned her opportunities to style SZA, Tyla, and Monet McMichael, showcasing a gift for creating culture-defining looks.
Sierra’s path to becoming a sartorial superstar wasn’t linear. She began her professional journey pursuing science, driven to become a neurosurgeon. However, her urge to create beyond the confines of the lab demanded her attention, making a change of heart and career inevitable.
With a fire to pursue her passion, coupled with support from her loved ones, Sierra had the confidence to step away from science and toward styling. She represents a new generation of Black visionaries—a group of creatives who are redefining what’s possible. Through her exceptional work in fashion, she is contributing to a legacy of Black excellence, pushing ideas forward, and allowing others to follow in her footsteps. Her diverse background and exceptional discipline stand as a testament to her own standard of amazing.
Sierra’s experiences have shaped her perspective, helping her develop guiding principles that allow her to move through the world. Read on to discover what her North Star is, and how she uses it to help her create, inspire, and build a lasting legacy.
Rule Number 1: Don’t Fear A Spiritual Shift
Sierra’s initial goal was to become a neurosurgeon. She even earned a coveted NASA internship. However, Sierra says she experienced a spiritual and mental reckoning, which revealed that a future in science may not be in the cards for her after all.
“I was planning my life: ‘I'm going to go to medical school, I'm going to get a residency, and then work at a clinic,’ ” Sierra explains. “To become a neurosurgeon, it takes 12 years. I had an epiphany. I was like, damn, I don't want to do this for the rest of my life.”
The decision to pivot into fashion wasn’t without resistance. Early disapproval from her mother, in particular, tested her emotional fortitude. However, once both parents recognized her undeniable talent, passion, and love for fashion, she was able to garner their support and fully commit to her new path.
“It was just a matter of time before getting into fashion,” the self-proclaimed sneakerhead says. As the granddaughter of a seamstress, Sierra says her career pivot “just came very naturally.”
Rule Number 2: Bring All Parts Of Yourself
Though Sierra is no longer working in the science field, aspects of her rigorous educational background inform her approach to her work within fashion. She credits her discipline in her previous professional endeavors, such as AP classes and her lucrative NASA internship, as the preparation needed to succeed.
“I was always an organized kid,” she recalls. “My discipline [and] my work ethic, translated into the other side of my brain, the creative side. Being able to creatively express myself [through fashion], it added to the organization [and] the discipline,” she continues. “I was just expressing myself in a totally different way.”
Rule Number 3: Curiosity is king
Sierra Rena prides herself on her ability to remain curious in the fashion world. To find her personal style, she says she experimented with bold patterns and colors to get out of her comfort zone.
“Allow yourself to be uncomfortable,” she says, noting her approach is rooted in fashion exposure therapy, a concept of personal style and self-confidence. “Put yourself in front of something that's making you uncomfortable, and you have to try not to fix it.” She adds that to continue to find her style, she would then wear her creations to see how she felt.
“[Try] things that might shock you to understand how your body reacts,” she says. “Then, to really test how well [the experiment] went, go outside, walk around in the outfit, and document how you feel.”
Rule Number 4: Put The ‘Try’ In Trial and Error
Before the budgets, brand relationships, and high-profile clients, Sierra learned the art of creation without constraint. She didn’t always have access to luxury threads, fabrics, and patterns, forcing her to become thrifty and resourceful to find one-of-one pieces that made her style her own.
While finding her footing, Sierra’s trial-and-error era also helped to build self-confidence. She didn’t allow presumption to dictate her self-expression.
“I don't think I ever struggled with being scared to put on an outfit, but I think [the fear came from] how I'm perceived,” she explains of early hesitations regarding her style. “Genuinely, a lot of [opportunities] came to me because I wanted to [dress how I wanted]. Because I had such a passion for it, I didn't let the outside noise affect me.”
Rule Number 5: Pay It Forward
For Sierra, there is no shortage of inspiration from the Black community. She celebrates her community for giving her the space to grow, as well as her team of Black creatives for empowering her. She salutes Rihanna and stylist June Ambrose as inspirational women who bring awareness to Black stories and art in a way that celebrates beauty and power.
At 24, Sierra’s list of accomplishments is still growing, including designing a collection of custom bags just in time for Black History Month. However, she’s not above dreaming of how she plans to pay it forward for the next generation of creatives. She aspires to orchestrate programs and safe spaces for creative communities to learn and grow.
“[It’s] a blessing to be able to [provide] for someone else that may not have the resources, or not be able to get into certain rooms,” she says with a smile. “I would love to teach people how to network, share my connections, and knowledge. There's space for everyone to win.”
It’s this particular care and commitment that defines Sierra Rena’s standard of amazing. As part of the new school of Black creatives, she is carving out her legacy through producing her own major styling moments, as well as ensuring the next wave of fashion creatives are similarly prepared to redefine the culture.