From thrift stores to TikTok fame: How Kimya and Kiyana Ebrahimi are making fashion more accessible

From thrift stores to TikTok fame: How Kimya and Kiyana Ebrahimi are making fashion more accessible

Photo courtesy of Kiyana Ebrahimi

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Kimya Ebrahimi and her sister Kiyana have started a movement grounded in realness, creativity, and budget-friendly fashion. They turned secondhand style into a global conversation within a digital world saturated with luxury labels and algorithm-chasing content. What started as simple content ideas filmed in the suburbs of British Columbia has since evolved into a movement.

Today, the Ebrahimi sisters have a collective audience of over 1M on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, where they showcase secondhand finds and everyday fashion in ways that feel elevated, empowering, and unmistakably real.

Kimya’s journey did not begin on a stage or in a studio, but it started in her childhood bedroom. She was inspired by early YouTube creators, like juicystar07 and Bethany Mota, and powered by a quiet belief in creativity. Growing up 45 minutes outside of Vancouver, she was drawn to storytelling, beauty, and style, an affinity shaped in part by watching her grandma work as a hairdresser and her mom as a master aesthetician.

After earning a degree in marketing and working at a startup, she helped launch a YouTube channel for her boss, which was a turning point that sparked the realization: Why should she build someone else’s dream when she could build her own? She quit, lived at home with her mother’s support, and poured her energy into her own content.

But growth did not come easily. Kimya said that for almost a year, no one was watching. It was hard to stay motivated when there were no results. Her first wins came in the form of fresh, relatable, and attainable thrift haul videos, which were unscripted, unsponsored, and unfiltered.

Her budget-friendly thrifting videos quickly attracted a cult audience. In those videos, she shows followers that style does not have to cost a fortune; it just comes from your own creativity. These videos were among several viral moments that positioned her as a relatable, authentic voice in the fashion space.

The Kimya’s content strength is resourcefulness and creativity she brings to each piece, not in lavish budgets or editorial gloss. Whether she is digging through racks at local thrift stores or styling a $10 find to look runway-ready, her videos consistently carry a clear message: fashion is for everyone.

Her TikTok content includes GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos that walk viewers through the full styling process (from choosing pieces to final accessories). Her Instagram feed balances editorial fashion shots with candid moments that make style feel aspirational and accessible.

The pair with Kiyana has made thrift shopping aspirational, and their shared enthusiasm for vintage gems creates an inviting, communal feel. They do not gatekeep their finds or their process, but they educate and encourage. Kimya even uses her platform to share tips on how to negotiate prices or spot high-quality items in secondhand stores.

Photo courtesy of Kiyana Ebrahimi

They helped normalize secondhand shopping among Gen Z and younger Millennials. It is challenging the outdated stigma around “used” fashion and presenting it as a tool for self-expression, sustainability, and smart spending.

Kimya and Kiyana offer a counterpoint at this time when “style” is reserved for those with disposable income: great style does not require wealth, it requires vision. This makes Kimya a standout voice in the conversation around fashion accessibility.

Kimya democratizes fashion and proves that luxury is a mindset, not a price tag, by spotlighting thrifted pieces styled in innovative ways. Her influence stems from creativity, which has helped her build a loyal and expanding audience.

Her efforts have reached far beyond TikTok as she was tapped by YSL Beauty, who flew her out on a brand trip to promote their new launch in March 2025. That collaboration marked a key milestone because it proved that mainstream beauty brands now recognize the value of authenticity and grassroots influence.

Kimya started this journey alone, but her sister Kiyana joined her in this space shortly after, creating the iconic duo in content creation. Their collaborations feel natural when they style thrifted pieces together and share moments of sisterhood in fashion accessibility. Their relationship adds another layer of connection to their brand. It is rare to see influencers lean into shared spotlights, but Kimya and Kiyana make it work and demonstrate that empowerment grows when it is shared.

The power duo has created a space that celebrates individuality and community. Their platform fosters a feeling of inclusion and executes campaigns that have maximum reach with a combined audience of 1 million followers.

Kimya’s content aims to show how to look stylish with minimum waste within a society increasingly concerned with sustainability. It is fashion with a conscience, delivered through a lens of joy and play.

She has also inspired thousands to rethink their approach to shopping. She is changing individuals’ perceptions by normalizing thrift stores as places of potential rather than limitation. Doing so influences purchasing behavior on a large scale.

Fans regularly tag her in posts showing off their own thrift hauls, often styled using her advice. These community moments serve as valuable testimonials, highlighting ongoing progress. Her YouTube channel is where it all began, featuring long-form thrift guides and “thrift with me” videos designed to deepen engagement and help viewers learn how to thrift with intention.

Now 27, Kimya is far from finished. With over 400M annual views across platforms and plans to expand her YouTube presence through documentary-style fashion content, she is doubling down on her mission: to inspire confidence, creativity, and self-expression in her audience.

With goals to grow her platforms, launch a product line rooted in authenticity, and create campaigns that matter, Kimya says, “If you can dream it, you can build it. And if it can be done from a bedroom in a little suburb in Canada, anyone can.”

Kimya envisions collaborations with mission-driven fashion brands, multi-platform series around sustainable styling, and community initiatives that empower young women to express themselves fully, regardless of budget or background.


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