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Haitians love fashion. Whether it’s a wedding, a baptism, a communion party or just a Sunday afternoon – we love finding an excuse to put our best foot and fits forward. That’s why it’s no surprise that in this age of accessible luxe and influencers, Haitian millennials would be building impressive brands and platforms. 

Recently, Woy Magazine had the opportunity to talk to Shelcy and Christy Joseph, a pair of sisters who are also the founders of NYCxClothes, a platform which brings creatives together through their love of storytelling and fashion. We spoke to them to learn just how their Haitian identity shapes and colors the amazing work they do. 

Woy: For those who don’t know, please share your story of who you are and how NYCxClothes came to be? 

S&C: We were born and raised in Haiti, then moved to New York in 2010 after the January earthquake. Growing up, Shelcy used to create catalogs made of looks she’d sketched from the streets of Port-au-Prince. She also used to host fashion shows at home and enrolled Chris as her co-host. It was an early exercise in fashion styling and modeling, and her interest only grew from there. But Haiti unfortunately didn’t offer these opportunities, so she went on a different path. Moving to New York changed everything.

Chris’s interest in fashion came later when she struggled to find herself in the Big Apple. We were so used to having a tight-knit community in Haiti that we felt intimidated by this big frantic city at first. Eventually, we regained our joie de vivre and dressing up became fun again. We were chasing trends and having fun, looking to define our style along the way. Then Chris became obsessed with fashion hauls and beauty tutorials on YouTube. Watching these videos became a bonding experience and eventually, we launched a channel. And then began NYCxClothes, our storytelling journey which has already taken us places we never imagined.

Woy: In this age of self-created content, we’re seeing more and more Haitian women emerge as social media influencers. How do you think your cultural identity informs your brand and work? 

S&C: It’s central to who we are and manifests in everything we do. We always say we’re Haitian first, New Yorkers second. From the way we relate to people to our humor, we wear our identity on our sleeve.

We always say we’re Haitian first, New Yorkers second.

Woy: What role do you think fashion plays in expressing the Diaspora experience for women like us who have lived in both the U.S. and in Haiti?

S&C: It reflects our state of mind and personality as we experience those changes. We’re big believers that fashion is an expression of who you are and what you care about (think graphic t-shirts etc.), so your clothes are a natural extension of your mindset (which is shaped by your experiences). 

Woy: Storytelling is such a huge part of NYCxClothes. What stories are you hoping to emerge from your work?

S&C: Really the same stories we’ve been telling, which range from everyday anecdotes to philosophical thoughts. We want to continue sharing parts of ourselves – from where we’re from and how our background has shaped who we are today to our move to NYC and how that has influenced our present reality. We’re hoping to connect with more like-minded people this way and grow our community.

Woy: We live in an age where the cry for representation to see Black women in different settings remains loud and unyielding. How do you think your brand responds to this?

S&C: We feel that in some way, by visually telling our stories, our work helps make representation of black women a reality. We’ll keep pushing for more brands to include us in their campaigns, but we also make sure to portray ourselves on our own platforms.

Woy: Let’s play a speed round of your favorite Haitian things:

• Favorite Haitian song? Too many to choose from! But of the moment: Malad – Kai
• Favorite Haitian food?  Definitely pwason gwo sel a bannann peze e duri djonjon (Shelcy), and diri, sos pwa a legim militon (Chris).
• Favorite place to be in Haiti? This will sound cliche, but at home with our parents in Port-au-Prince.
• Favorite proverb/saying? Two prese pa fe jou louvri (Shelcy) and Chita pa bay (Chris)

Woy: What can followers and supporters expect from NYCxClothes in 2020?

S&C: We’re working on so many fun secret projects, but for now, we can share that we’re working on hosting a lot more events, from small intimate gatherings to larger panels and workshops. We’re also focused on creating more video content, on TikTok (new channel for us), IGTV and YouTube (we’re bringing back our channel).