Sisters Shelcy and Christy Joseph aren’t just fashion influencers. On their social media platforms, NYCxClothes, the duo subvert the traditional idea of content creation, opting for an amalgamation of high-quality editorial photos, fashion journalism, and an emphasis on cultural storytelling. At the same time, the sisters use their platform to tackle the lack of diversity in the influencer space, raising awareness around minority-owned brands and spotlighting underrepresented voices.

No matter how you feel about the TikTok discourse surrounding “boring” New York City influencers, NYCxClothes still offers a refreshing change from the increasingly uniform content being churned out by so many influencers in the digital age. (For those that aren’t well-acquainted with TikTok drama: A user shared a video complaining that all NYC influencers look, act, dress and post alike, and in a less than surprising turn of events, many a New York City creator took offense.)

The Haitian-born, Brooklyn-based sisters didn’t always intend to go into fashion. Shelcy, now 31, and Christy, 28, moved from Port-au-Prince to New York City after the 2010 earthquake. Shelcy enrolled at Hunter College, graduating in 2015 with a degree in psychology with a concentration in neuroscience. She nurtured an interest in fashion while in school, sketching in her free time and writing for Cult. Magazine.

Christy wasn’t particularly interested in fashion; she wanted to pursue a career in film. She was, however, inspired by the no-filter honesty of rising YouTubers, like lifestyle creator Bethany Mota, and wanted to launch her own channel. Combining their skills and interests, the two debuted their YouTube, NYCxClothes, in 2014. The focus was style and the city, and the sisters started out creating videos including fashion week recaps, seasonal lookbooks and New York City recommendations.

“I've always loved sketching, and even imagined at some point I could become a designer. Christy was drawn to the visual communication and visual art aspect of clothes. When those two merged, NYCxClothes was born. We discovered that there was such a thirst for honest, refreshing content from a point of view that you didn't get a lot,” Shelcy tells Observer. Soon, they expanded to other social media platforms, including Instagram and TikTok. Over time, the sisters moved beyond recaps and outfit recommendations, using their platforms for more in-depth storytelling.

Much of their........

© Observer