Erin and Sara Foster’s life inspired a hit series, and their clothes might inspire yours

Erin Foster’s real life inspired the hit series Nobody Wants This. The fashion brand she started with her sister fits right in with the protagonist’s style choices.

Sara and Erin Foster's fashion label Favorite Daughter is for women who want a capsule wardrobe that won't break the bank.

Beyond the realisation that former The O.C. star Adam Brody remains your eternal crush, Netflix series Nobody Wants This starring Brody and Kristen Bell, was also an exercise in great, wearable clothes.

Bell’s character Joanne is loosely based on the show’s writer Erin Foster, who really does have a no-holds-barred podcast with her sister, Sara (titled The World’s First Podcast) and she really did convert to Judaism for love. Some key differences – her husband is not actually a Rabbi, and Foster and her sister Sara, are not only podcasters but also investors in female-led businesses and entrepreneurs who started a fashion brand, Favorite Daughter. The brand has gone gangbusters since it launched in 2020, first with a covid-era mask friendly hoodie before branching into separates, denim and tailoring. The sisters also happen to be the daughters of songwriting great David Foster, who has written for everyone from Barbra Streisand to Andra Bocelli and Madonna. Before the podcast the sisters had a scripted quasi-reality series titled Barely Famous, chronicling their Hollywood adjacent life.

Back to those great on-screen outfits, yes some of Joanne’s chic but approachable outfits included Favorite Daughter, among other cool yet attainable labels like Australian brand Christopher Esber and French high street label Maje.

This is because it’s a brand, points out Erin, for the kind of woman who “wants to feel proud of how she presents herself. and doesn’t want to miss rent because she bought a blazer.”

Nobody Wants This. (L to R) Michael Hitchcock as Henry, Kristen Bell as Joanne, Justine Lupe as Morgan, Stephanie Faracy as Lynn in Nobody Wants This. Picture: Stefania Rosini/Netflix

The sisters launched the brand -worn by celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Gigi Hadid and stocked in some 210 stores in the US and 30 internationally, with online stockists including Moda Operandi and Shopbop – because they felt there was a gap for it. The pieces are inspired by their own personal styles, and the kinds of pieces they’d want to buy and wear, over and again.

“We both felt that we were missing timeless and unique pieces in our closet at a price point we could afford and that could still hold their own against top designed brands,” says Erin.

Favorite Daughter finally arrives in Australia this week, launching at David Jones with a pop-up within the store from January 13 to February 22 to celebrate the launch.

The sisters believe the brand – which features cheeky slogan tees, good shirting and T.shirts and slouchy tailoring – resonates with the Australian customer.

“The Australian girl is cool, confident, hard working, kind, and takes care of herself. We see Australian brands and girls dictating a lot of trends and we want to be part of that,” says Sara, who adds that going to the Australian Open in Melbourne a few years ago remains a memorable moment for her.

A suiting look from Favorite Daughter.

The pair are used to working together. Which is not to say it’s always easy. The banter and bickering, the fact that your sister is sometimes the only person who will tell you something straight that was a hallmark of Nobody Wants This translates to their real life too.

“Working with family is so hard because you don’t have a filter with each other and you know all the buttons to push,” says Erin.

“We have no filter with each other. That can also serve you though,” adds Sara.

That said, they admire each other too.

“Erin is a straight shooter with zero Interest in doing anything that isn’t with integrity,” says Sarah.

While Erin says she admires Sara’s ambition and ”ability to remember everyone’s names, where they’ve worked, and how many times they’ve been married.”

Nobody Wants This, one of Netflix’s buzziest 2024 shows, has been renewed for a second season, out later this year. The success of it, both sisters say, feels hard-won – and a great pleasure.

“So much work and time and energy went into it that people don’t see. So for the final product to be received how it has been, is so deeply satisfying,” says Erin of seeing the show attain such fervour.

So has the show changed their relationship with each other?

Well, both agree that “everyone is nicer when they are successful.”

Adam Brody and Kristen Bell, right, in a still from Netflix series Nobody Wants This, written by Erin Foster and inspired by her real life.

As for the success of the Favorite Daughter, their ambition for it is big. The Industry publication WWD recently outlined the duo’s plans to turn it into a billion dollar brand.

Expansion will include new categories and as both insist, maintaining the quality of the product.

“Favorite Daughter lends itself to every category. We are only scratching the surface,” says Sara.

“Our hope is to fill in all the gaps in your life that we can, whatever that looks like,” adds Erin.

Favorite Daughter arrives in David Jones on January 13. Nobody Wants This is slated to be released late 2025.