“Fashion is the thing that we do together”: Models Noella and Nickosha Arnold on staying connected through style

Though they’ve lived in different countries for over a decade, identical twin sisters and models Nickosha and Noella Arnold have managed to stay connected and enjoy their so-called “twin time” through a shared love for fashion. In 2017, “twin time” manifested in a joint Instagram account, @nikandella, which documents their feel good vibes and coordinated get-ups, be it matching sharply tailored blazers or elegant frocks with exploding ruffles. “Fashion is the thing that we do together – it makes us excited,” Noella says.

Hailing from Irish Town, Jamaica, the 41-year-old sisters were scouted in their hometown in their late teens. While neither has opted to pursue modelling full-time, it has granted them both invaluable experiences. “When we started modelling, it was like the world started to open up,” Nickosha explains. “With our Instagram page, we want to encourage people to just go out, do things and explore the world.”

Modelling, studying and work took the sisters to different corners of the globe. However, once they met their husbands, the women settled down in their current home countries, Nickosha in Oslo and Noella in Zug, Switzerland. “Interestingly, I had always been intrigued by Norway and Scandinavia generally, because everybody knows that it's the best place to live and the best place to have a family,” Nickosha says. Noella agrees, noting how spending a lot of time in the Nordics with her sister has given her style a good dose of the signature Scandi cool. “I love the relaxed silhouette, the juxtaposition of textures and style elements,” she says. “I remember my first time in Copenhagen, I saw so many fashion moments.”

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Although both lead busy lives – made busier by their young sons, two each – the sisters make sure to see each other at least three times a year. “We started this thing where we would go on a twin trip and choose a different city. First, it was Paris, and then we did Milan and Copenhagen. That’s when we decided to do the Nik and Ella page, to capture those moments when we have our twin time,” Nickosha says.

By observing their mum’s work as a seamstress, the sisters’ keen interest in fashion started to develop long before they did their first shoots. “I remember being in her workshop, she had all these style and pattern making books. She was always busy with that creative process and we were along with her,” Noella says. “For a lot of the things she made for us, we chose the fabric, the colours – we knew what we wanted and she created whatever we wanted for us. She definitely is our biggest fashion influence.”

Growing up, being dressed in matching ensembles never bothered Nickosha or Noella. As the sisters embarked on separate journeys to university, their sense of style took on distinct influences. “There’s never been a pressure to maintain this ‘twinness’, even though we sometimes coordinate outfits,” says Noella. “We would perhaps like the same items but style them differently. Nickosha’s style is cleaner, more elegant and classic, while I am a bit edgier – she’s more of a Chelsea boot and I’m a combat boot,” she adds with a laugh.

The secret to their polished looks on Instagram? Moodboards. “Then we kind of know what looks we want and allow each other the freedom to style them. You can still see the coordination between the looks, though,” Noella explains. I ask how their Vogue debut feels, and a broad smile appears on both sisters’ faces. “It’s a big validation, even at this age,” says Nickosha. “It’s a huge compliment for us.”

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