When Michelle Obama’s stylist called Chari Cuthbert a few weeks ago to order a custom necklace with charm that pronounced the word VOTE, the designer was delighted.
“But we had no idea where she was going to wear it,” Cuthbert told The Daily Beast. “We just knew she wanted it.”
It was not until Monday afternoon that Cuthbert learned that the former first lady was wearing the $ 430 gold chain ByChari – a literal statement chain – for her speech at the Democratic National Convention.
“There was a piece from her DNC speech on CNN and my mother sent it to me,” Cuthbert said. ‘I could not believe it. Out of respect, I did not post it or something because I did not want an advantage. “
Hours later, when Cuthbert saw the convention, her phone started ringing. People tagged them on social media and called to ask if Obama was sporting any of his creations.
“Michelle Obama! If you’re talking about your ideal diner, she’s the one for me. And to see her wear my necklace is crazy.”
– Chari Cuthbert
“It was surreal,” she said. “I was sitting at my desk crying.”
“Michelle Obama! If you’re talking about your ideal diner, she’s the one for me. And to show her that I wear my necklace, it’s crazy, ‘said the designer, getting up.
Cuthbert said her company – which consists of five female employees – had seen what she humbly called “a significant uptick in sales” in the hour after the speech.
“My financier just tasted me a bunch of exclamation points, so I guess that’s a good thing,” she said. “He said, ‘I’m so happy for you, this is all you’ve worked for.’
Cuthbert, 36, was born in Miami to Jamaican parents. In 2012, the self-taught artist left her office job and moved with $ 100 to Hawaii to start her own business. Four years later, they moved to Los Angeles.
That was 2016. Cuthbert said they normally avoid mixing politics and business, but decided to create a VOTE chain and post it on the ByChari Instagram page.
Cuthbert is not sure if Obama as her stylist saw it then or just came up with the idea for a VOTE necklace on her own this time. What they certainly did not know was that Cuthbert had a plan to use the VOTE chain to promote political activism and in the process was making a bundle of them to give celebrities to wear before the election.
“I’m wearing mine right now,” she said.
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