When it comes to #goals for a brand, making Oprah’s Favorite Things is likely somewhere on that list. Without a doubt, it’s an accomplishment that’s game changing. This year, Oprah’s list was all about highlighting small businesses, women-owned brands, and goods created by people of color. There’s a well-rounded roundup of 110 finds—everything from food to fashion to accessories to beauty. Finding out you’ve made the list is cause for celebration enough. But when the news comes from Oprah? Oh boy. The folks behind these three brands were lucky enough to receive that special surprise. And it was all captured on video. Here’s a little bit about their stories and their magical moments of surprise and delight.
CLARA SUNWOO
A few things make the jackets from Clara Sunwoo special. For one, they’re created by a mother-daughter duo who started the brand in 1997. Secondly, mom Clara and daughter Roseann innovated a special material called liquid leather that’s not actual leather but rather a knit fabric that’s soft, stretchy, and made to fit like a glove. “We wanted to make clothing that truly speaks to women of all ages, and we are both obsessed about creating the perfect fit,” says Roseann. Available in sizes small to 1X and multiple shades, the jacket makes a great gift, and providing perfect presents for everyone on your list is what Oprah’s Favorite Things is all about. For Oprah, the jacket felt like the perfect fit. “When Oprah surprised us, we stopped breathing for a second and had a moment of ‘Is that Oprah and is she really at this meeting…wait, did she just say our names?’” says Roseann. “We have worked so hard to build our business, we went through so many obstacles, and then the surprise meeting with Oprah? We felt we came full circle. It’s the best feeling.”
TOTE&CARRY
One fateful day in Las Vegas, two Tonys met at a trade show. The rest was history. Atlanta-based Tony Dennis, also known as Stitch, is known for, well, stitching custom fashion pieces. Taiwanese native Tony Rey has a background in manufacturing and business development. The two came together to create Tote&Carry, a collection of bags for travel and every day made of vegan leather and in cool textures, colors, and prints. This year, their weekender made the coveted cut. “Shock. Disbelief. Gratefulness and overwhelming excitement. That’s how I felt when the incomparable Oprah Winfrey appeared on our Zoom call to confirm that our bags had been chosen for her famous favorite things,” says Rey. “Having our company recognized by an icon—there are really no words!”
SAYSH
Saysh sneakers aren’t your average athletic sneakers—they were created with the attention to comfort and performance that only a world-renowned athlete could bring. The brand is the brainchild of Allyson Felix, the most decorated American track-and-field Olympian, and she put all her know-how into shoes that are designed for women and even take into consideration the form of the female foot. All eyes were on Allyson when she ran in a bespoke pair at the Summer Olympics and won. Enter Saysh One, the style for us regular folk that caught Oprah’s attention and are as comfortable as they are stylish—the crisscross design is meant to nod to the crossing pattern of a wrap dress, and the lines on a track, of course. These sneakers have soul thanks to Allyson’s dedication to putting out a brand to support women on their journeys every step of the way. As Oprah said, “When we stand in her shoes, we realize what it means to stand up for yourself.”
Holly Carter is the style features director at O, The Oprah Magazine. Obsessed with all things hair and any shoe with studs, she’s currently working on upping her social media skills and decluttering her apartment sans Marie Kondo.
