We were lucky to catch up with Joelle Everett recently and have shared our conversation below.
Joelle, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
Between whitewashing, commercialization, and reselling, streetwear has become less about authenticity and expression and more about profit. The industry has lost sight of its roots, and the Black and Brown people who created and inspired this space have been priced out and are underrepresented. Furthermore, there is an ever-present need for philanthropy to pour back into the communities responsible for the birth of streetwear. I birthed Potholes NY to preserve the history and origins of streetwear and sneaker culture. The platform was created to protect the stories of how specific trends, styles, and silhouettes came to be and adequately attribute credit where credit is due. Potholes amplifies the marginalized and makes sure there is space for them in the communities they created.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Joelle Everett, I am 24 years old and originally from Maryland. I have always loved fashion and storytelling, and I officially started making fashion content in 2018 when I was still in college. It started casually as a way to document my outfits on Instagram, but I noticed people liked my style, and the rest is history. I eventually branched out to Tik Tok, creating all sorts of videos, whether it be OOTDs or style tips. Now, my latest venture is Potholes NY, a platform I created dedicated to preserving the history and culture of streetwear, a genre very close to my heart.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When I first moved to the city, I was desperate to get involved in the fashion scene, and I specifically wanted to be involved in Fashion Week. I remember my first season in the city; I emailed hundreds of designers and agencies to see if people needed assistance with their shows. I would send at least a dozen emails daily and receive no responses. If I did hear back from anyone, it was to inform me that I could not participate regretfully. I wanted to be a part of something bigger than me, and I refused to take no for an answer. I continued to email until fashion and even throughout the week, hoping to hear back from someone. Finally, I heard back from ONE designer, Someone I respected and admired, and they asked if I was available the next day to help with a casting. It was one, yes, but it was all I needed. I leveraged the opportunity to meet so many people and make invaluable connections that have helped me for many seasons now. I am so glad I persisted and refused to accept defeat, or else I would not have been able to secure so many other opportunities and be in rooms I thought I’d never be in.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I think when you start anything publically, you have a desire to please and impress others. It’s human nature to want people to gravitate to your product or platform and enjoy as much as you do, but something I learned only in the content creation world is that the content you produce for yourself that comes from your heart IS what people gravitate to. I noticed content that I thought other people would like, that I spent so much time on, would do less well than the videos or pictures where I put in minimal effort and instead just made something I liked. Without fail, every time I follow my intuition and create for myself, the content does amazing. You have to trust your gut and not buy into being overly consumed by what everyone might be expecting of you!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potholesny/
- Other: Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@potholesny
Personal IG: @josdigitalplayground
