Auburn woman featured on ‘Today Show’ site for viral pickle sweatshirt

AUBURN, Ind. (WPTA) - A Hoosier woman was recently featured on The Today Show’s website for her clothing design that struck a chord with pickle-lovers.

Jessica Slone, owner of Bad Addiction Boutique in Auburn, reached virality for her sweatshirt design featuring 16 pickle jars from briney brands like Claussen and Mt. Olive.

Hundreds of TikTok users, including well-known creators like makeup artist Mikayla Nogueira, have posted videos of them sporting Slone’s work.

Although similar concepts have been shared all across the internet, Slone’s version which launched in January seemed to capture the hearts of pickle fans. Slone tells TODAY.com this level of success feels surreal.

“There are moments it seems too good to be true,” Slone writes. “The whirlwind of going viral on TikTok has introduced a mix of heartwarming and demanding aspects to my life.”

As of Aug. 22, they report the $44 sweatshirt has been sold more than 32,400 times, garnering over $1 million in sales.

She says she started her boutique in 2019 with just herself and her husband before selling her goods on TikTok Shop in January. She says by March, they leaned into content creation and marketed their merch on the app, finding their niche.

Since going viral, she tells TODAY.com they are now a full-fledged operation with a crew of printers, packers, shippers, and virtual assistants.

TikTok leaders say the sweater’s success is simply the app’s algorithm at work, noting that other products have seen similar success through the platform.

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