Sara and Erin Foster are operating their own cinematic universe.
The two show business natives (their father is prolific music producer David Foster) began their careers in acting and modeling as teenagers. Today, they run something of a joint empire. The sisters co-executive produce the Netflix hit rom-com series “Nobody Wants This,” about a non-Jewish woman who falls in love with a rabbi in Los Angeles (Erin Foster is the creator and co-writer). Their five-year-old womenswear label, Favorite Daughter, is set to cross $100 million in annual sales this year. They co-host a podcast called “The World’s First Podcast,” that attracts high-profile guests like Gwyneth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian as well as invest in consumer businesses such as beauty companies 10Beauty and Exponent through their venture capital fund Oversubscribed Ventures.
Each individual business, they said, feeds the success of the others.
“The same girl who’s listening to the podcast is buying the clothes, watching the show, buying the consumer products that we invest in,” said Sara Foster.
That connective tissue will be at its most visible this week, when the second season of “Nobody Wants This” drops. The duo say they look for ways to incorporate their brand into their show without crossing the line into oversaturation.
Favorite Daughter pieces — a mix of practical garments including denim, blazers, sweaters, tops and more that feel equally suited to a brunch out as they do the office — can find their way into characters’ wardrobes. Sometimes as part of a natural into a story arc (Kristen Bell’s character, Joanne, for example, wears the brand’s Favorite slip skirt in red with a matching sweater, an ensemble meant to draw in Adam Brody’s character’s eye when he notices her from across the synagogue) or would be what a character might wear (not such a stretch, given that Bell’s character is partly based on Erin Foster herself). This season, around 10 pieces from the brand’s main line will feature in the show’s 10 episodes, including a custom dress created by costume designer Negar Ali Kline that will be available to buy online.
“There’s an intrinsic association with the show, but it’s not something that we are ever going to hinge the success of Favorite Daughter on,” said Erin Foster.
Off screen there are more opportunities, including a premiere party at the brand’s Beverly Hills store and cross promotion on social media. Erin Foster wore a custom Favorite Daughter dress to the Emmy Awards in September, where the show was nominated for three awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series. This month, Favorite Daughter is dropping a “Nobody Wants This” merch line, including T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase “Matzoh Ballers,” the name of Brody’s character’s basketball team, and sweatshirts with the show’s name and logo.
Though the Foster sisters have massive reach of their own — over 1.4 million followers on Instagram between them — it’s hard to compete with Netflix’s impact. The first season of “Nobody Wants This,” landed 15.9 million views within its first week on the streaming service, earning the much-coveted No. 1 spot on the platform’s top ten list. The streaming service has heavily promoted the second season.
While it’s undeniable that Favorite Daughter has benefited from placement in the show, the brand has plenty of momentum on its own too. E-commerce sales are up 60 percent this year, and the brand is projecting sales crossing $150 million next year. It has two shops in Los Angeles, with a store scheduled to open this autumn in New York and early next year in Nashville. Footwear arrives this fall.
Beating the Celebrity Brand Odds
The Foster sisters say they aren’t fashion people — but feel that in starting a fashion brand, that’s actually been an advantage.
“We see a lot of celebrity or influencer-founded brands where they [actually] want to wear Celine or Chanel,” said Sara. Favorite Daughter, she added, doesn’t have that same disconnect. “I have no interest in going to a vintage store in Paris to buy Chanel. It’s just not who we are. We want quick, easy staples that are going to last.”
Starting a womenswear brand wasn’t on their radar until a one-off product they made during the pandemic — a sweatshirt printed with the words “Favorite Daughter” quickly sold out; they still sell a version today. Soon after, they heard from Jennifer Stender Hawkins, who heads direct-to-consumer at Centric Brands, a licensing and retail holding company that produces everything from Hervé Léger bandage dresses to Tommy Hilfiger’s children’s wear. Favorite Daughter is a joint venture, with ownership split 50-50.
Both Sara and Erin have a close relationship with their followers, projecting a relatable, unfiltered version of their lives. They’ll share off-the-cuff mirror selfies, record videos in their car or tape the podcast with hair still wet out of the shower. Though they occasionally carry a designer bag, on Instagram, they’re usually in jeans, sweats or of course, Favorite Daughter.
“No one’s running our socials. It’s not that curated, it’s a little messy,” said Sara Foster. “Sometimes I’ll go crazy and post 30 slides of different outfits.”
Still, for all their online relatability, the two undoubtedly benefit from their Hollywood connections. Recently, Favorite Daughter made cameos in Netflix’s “Running Point,” which stars Kate Hudson, a close friend. The brand will appear in the upcoming “Devil Wears Prada” sequel and on “Law and Order: SVU,” (which they said was a particular highlight as it’s one of their favorites shows).
Perhaps because they’ve been exposed to fame for so long, they know that celebrity alone doesn’t automatically mean a lasting business. And while growth has come relatively quickly, they want it to be steady,
“We all know what it’s like to go buy the sweater you bought two years ago for the same brand, and wonder why it’s changed, and we don’t want to do that,” said Erin Foster.