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 culture-based, multifaceted storytelling stems from their own experiences, blending style with identity. For example, their 2023 series, “The Unbraiding Appointment,” showcased the hair unbraiding ritual, spotlighting this aspect of Black women’s culture as told through their lens. Shelcy and Christy directed, styled and starred in the project.
“Fashion is the entry point,” Shelcy says, “but we’ve grown into different areas. It’s history, it’s culture, it’s travel—it’s just really about fostering curiosity and community.”
For Shelcy and Christy, community is key. The goal of NYCxClothes is not just about successful online content, but also about building relationships with diverse creators and bringing their stories to the forefront. In 2020, they founded NYCxStudio, an influencer consulting agency, to address the pay disparity between Black and white creators. They launched amid the cultural reckoning surrounding the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests that led to brands reassessing their own approach to diversity and inclusion.
While the sisters found many brands were eager to collaborate with BIPOC creators during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, over time, they’ve noticed a dwindling emphasis on inclusion. The landscape is constantly shifting, especially with the current administration’s fight against DEI initiatives, but the Josephs remain undeterred.
“Our focus has always been [on] community and empowering stories online and offline—we’re still doing that. That continues with or without the brands. The vision has always been there, and some brands along the way have come in and co-signed the vision. It’s been great to have that platform.”
Now, five years after starting their agency and over a decade since launching their YouTube channel, the sisters feel established in their industry. The sisters operate on both sides of the fashion writing world: They have bylines in The Wall Street Journal and Forbes, and have been featured in The Cut, Glamour and Elle. In addition to NYCxClothes, they still have day jobs: Christy works in talent partnerships, and Shelcy is a contributing writer at publications including Essence.
Throughout their careers, Shelcy and Christy have amassed their own encyclopedia of recommendations. Below, the sisters share their go-to essentials with Observer, from their wardrobe staples to their favorite spots in New York City.
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