How a Teen Model Left Sweden & Built a $100M Fashion Empire From Her Garage (ft. Anine Bing)

0:00Anina Bing, founder and chief creative officer, model and blogger, and building one of the fastest growing contemporary fashion labels. And Nina has redefined what it means to be a creative entrepreneur. We launched a brand with 10 styles. We built a cheap website on Shopify. We packed the orders. I did customer service and I never thought the business would get as big as we are today. We have 40 retail stores around the world. What you learn early on, if you do it really from scratch like we did, you really learn every aspect of the business. To me, it's really important that we stay true to who we are as a brand.

0:32And you really have to believe in yourself and not listen to all the naysayers. It's about staying focused on your journey and then fuck the rust. That's the long lasting way of building a great fashion brand. I'm Nina Bing and this is The Burnouts. I'd love it if you could take us back to your 14 years old. You decide to move to Milan by yourself to model. That's like your entrance into this world. What were you thinking at that time? What did that look like? I wonder what my parents were thinking sending a 14 year old away to Milan. But, you know, I was a young girl, woman with big dreams, and I just wanted to get out in the world.

1:10I lived in a little village in Sweden, and I'm Danish, but I grew up in Sweden. And I just wanted to discover the world and make some money. So I went on my summer break to Milan, and then I barely finished high school because I was traveling so much between Milan, London, South Africa, like different places for modeling. And when you were starting out and doing modeling, you also started blogging, right? When did that fit in? You know, so that just came naturally. That was before Instagram and influences was a thing, right? I just started a blog to kind of report back to my family and friends what I was doing, what I was eating, what I was wearing.

1:48And it kind of just slowly built from there. And I built a small community. People wanted to. Yeah, they were very interested in what I was doing and wearing. And when you had that community around, how many people did you have before you started your business? I mean, God, it was small. It was only in Scandinavia. So I don't know exactly the numbers, but this was 20 years. Well, 20 years ago, I started the blog, right? I don't know. Not very big. I think when Instagram launched, whenever that was, 14 years ago, I think I had 2 ,000 followers, right? When I launched the brand. So it was very small.

2:23And on the blog, I probably had a 50 ,000 or something. I don't know. Nothing big. Wow. And so when was the decision when you realized, OK, I have this existing community? We were reading that you first started by selling your secondhand clothing and that was your initial foray. Why did you decide to do that? We're, of course, in the secondhand space. We really are excited to better learn. You know, I was home with my daughter, Bianca, and I had my blog back then. And I think I was just a little bit bored that day. And so I had a little closet clean out. And I think I put 100 pieces up on my blog.

2:57And I just needed something to do. And after one hour, everything was sold out. And then my husband came home later that day. And I was sitting on the floor packing up all these orders. And this was before PayPal, I believe. So they all just transferred money directly to my account. And there was an instant kind of trust. they trusted me like I was their sister or something right they bought my clothes they transferred the money and so that was like where the idea started if if they can buy my used clothes that I'm only selling in one size what could we do if we actually had a bigger offering do you think you've always had this like kind of edgy rock and roll but business attire style or do you feel like your taste has evolved over time like as you look back at those nine first pieces you sold are you like oh I can't believe that was my style or are you like wow this has always been my taste in a thorough line.

3:47Of course, my style is evolving and I'm fine tuning as we go, but I always had my style. It was always rock and roll with. Yeah. And now I guess as I'm getting older, I also love the Blazers and it's a little more sophisticated now, but it always had that rock and roll effortless vibe. And you started the business, you were working out of your garage. What did those early like hustle days look like? Wow. So back then I had a toddler and I was pregnant with my son Benjamin it was a lot of work we did everything ourself we didn't hire anybody right so we launched a brand with 10 styles we built a cheap website on Shopify and and we packed the orders I did customer service you know we did everything um it was a lot of a lot of work and uh you kind of need to put on all different hats and get to know every aspect of the business because there's nobody else there to do it for you, right?

4:41So it was such an important, I think, part in the journey and what really shaped me as an entrepreneur. Are you still like modeling at this time or is your husband still doing another job or when did you guys decide to go all in on this? We decided to go all in pretty much right away. I guess I still had my blog back then and made some money on that. But yeah, no, but we went all in and just did it. We went for it. What do you think, like, foundationally, you learned during those early days? Like, are there any decisions that you made early on that you're like, wow, this was really foundational to how, you know, you've continued the business over time?

5:21I think what you learn early on, if you do it really from scratch like we did, you really learn every aspect of the business. And so today when I have 200 plus employees, I have a better understanding of what is this team doing? Because I've been there myself doing it on a smaller scale. Right. So I think it's it's just, you know, that you're not too good to do anything. Right. You just get your hands dirty and and and really work your way up. And as you guys, you know, are building this, how do you think about the first hire that you're making? What did that look like? How did you go and find this person?

5:52The first hire, I think the most important when you hire the first person is somebody that can do a little bit of everything. You don't go out and hire a CFO on day one, right? You hire somebody that can do a little bit of everything and just have that hustler mentality. And that's ready to roll off their sleeves and get to work. One of the biggest things I tip my hat off to because I can't imagine running a business that involves marketing plus logistics, you know, plus thinking about what in-store retail looks like. For someone who's just starting out, can you walk us back to like finding your first supplier?

6:24What did that look like? My business partner, Nico, he's incredible. So he knew everything about manufacturing, about retail stores. He knew about the business side. And I knew so much about the creativity and all. So we were such a good team. So I guess my advice, when you start a business with somebody, if you want to team up with somebody, find somebody that complements you and your strengths or weaknesses. Then I'd love to understand. So when it first starts out, you first start to launch these products. What do the next few years look like? Like walk us through the initial growth. Yeah. So the beginning, it was so fun.

7:01We launched with 10 products and I was just wearing everything myself because I loved every single piece. Right. So we didn't plan to make this a big business. It was just a little garage brand. We started out of our garage with a website. But then, you know, I wore the product and I walked into different boutiques around in LA and the buyers and they were like, what is that? what are those boots it was our charlie boots and so they started buying in the products so all of a sudden we had wholesale a wholesale business right and two years later we opened our first store because the customers wanted to come in and feel the products so they came to the showroom in downtown first and we realized wow we could maybe have a retail store so the growth of the brand came very organically um yeah one little step at a time it's not like we had a whole business plan and had it all figured out.

7:49We started very small and then we just grew from there. And I think that was good because I would have been overwhelmed. I think of the thought of how big the brand would get one day. I must say, like for people who are listening, Anita walks in here with her bag and literally with the logo on her coffee mug. This is a great marketing lesson. I'm honestly learning from you from the second that you walked in, that everything is like a marketing opportunity. And it's interesting to hear you say that from the beginning, you had that where you're walking into stores and you had this unique style where people would take notice and you would learn.

8:23I'm curious for you, you know, this podcast is called The Burnouts, which is kind of a joke because we feel like, you know, in our 20s, we're asked to do everything, whether that's, you know, relationships, business, figuring out how to actually be an adult and manage everything. Early on, were there moments where you said to yourself like, hey, I don't know if this is going to work and what is your, you know, way that you deal with insecurity or when you doubt yourself? Like, what is your routine for managing burnout or kind of the self, you know, advice that you give? So I guess so many examples.

8:54I think in the beginning when I was pregnant also, that's really hard on the body and your mind, right? You're carrying a child and you're building a life. You're building a life and a business. So that was really hard. Like, I was tired. But then there was all the insecurities, of course, people doubting what I was doing. So you really have to believe in yourself and not listen to all the naysayers because there's a lot of them out there. I think it's just about staying focused on your journey and believing in yourself and then fuck the rust. I love that so much. And was there ever a moment for you where you were like, wow, this is doing so well.

9:31This is going to take off. Did you see the business that it is today? I never thought the business would get as big as we are today. We have an office in Paris, New York, LA, and we have 40 retail stores around the world. No, never. But I'm really grateful for where we are. And I'm grateful it took the time to get like, so we could all slowly adjust and build the amazing team that's behind this brand together with me. What would you say are the biggest things that have stayed the same for the business? And what are the biggest things that have changed? The creativity has stayed the same. It's really like brand first.

10:04Brand over revenue, we always say. And to me, it's really important that we stay true to who we are as a brand and not do something just for quick money. I think that's the long lasting way of doing building a great fashion brand. Probably just the structure of the team. It's becoming one more corporate, right? We started in a little garage in Silver Lake. And today we have very professional employees and offices and everything, right? So it's just very, that's very different. And for you, obviously, you're so stylish, so creative. I want to better understand what does your creative process look like when you're coming up with these designs?

10:41So I have a design team and a design director. So before they start on a new season, I send them a playlist of the music that I am listening to right now. I send them a mood board of what I'm inspired by. So I always constantly collect little pictures. And then when it's time to send it off, it's a mood board, a playlist. And then I write a story who the Annine Bing woman is that season. And then from there, they go back to a drawing board, start sketching and finding, diving deeper into that research. Can you walk us through that? What is like, you know, the woman from last season? Who was she versus like other seasons that you've done?

11:17So right now we're working on Fall 26 and that woman is in her power. She's super independent. She she lived her life for herself and what makes her happy and satisfied in life. and she's international. She goes between LA, New York, Paris and she lives a really fulfilling life and she's just in her own power. One thing that's really unique about your brand is the retail presence. You guys have had that since the beginning, opening stores and maintaining that. You now have 30 plus locations across the world. Can you walk us through what was the process of opening your first store like? It was amazing opening the first.

11:55Our first store was here in LA and my business partner, Nico, he's incredible with retail he can spot like the right locations and he's such a doer so he'll make it happen and he's a hustler so he just finds the space and then he make it happen right so we have in LA, New York, Paris, we have five stores in China now we have Paris like yeah I said that already everywhere it's crazy it's and it's fun I think it's important to have the retail presence I think it's important for women to walk into a store and experience the brand and try on the product feel the product i'm all about great qualities and and the fit of the product so i think retail is really important once you start to expand like what is the inner teams on a fashion business look like i imagine you have like a merchandising team a marketing team how does it kind of break down you know so we have our amazing ceo julie and she is and then a amazing executive team right and then underneath that we have the retail team the wholesale team the marketing team finance yeah all these different departments right and we all just try to work really closely together but also focus on each area and i kind of float in between everything mainly on the creative but i i make sure to touch base with all of them are you still doing some customer service today No, but sometimes if I get some feedback on Instagram, I will forward it to the team, because it's important to me that we take really good care of our customers.

13:29So if there's any negative feedback or positive, I send it their way. I'm curious, for other young women, it obviously can be really daunting when you're starting out, when you're going into an industry where other people might be older than you or more experienced. What would you say for people that could help to develop that level of confidence to step into these positions of power? I think confidence, it comes the more you practice something, right? But you also need to believe in yourself. I think I had a confidence within myself since I was a kid, just wanting to get out in the world, right?

14:01And that confidence keep growing into different areas of my life. But just believe in yourself and observe and learn from the best, right? And don't be afraid to hire people that are smarter than you and know, like, I want to learn and continue to be curious and I want to grow. That's a really good piece of advice. I think one thing my mom always told me, she's like, do not be afraid to be the dumbest person in the room and ask as many questions as you can. If you were to go back to yourself just starting out the business and you could talk to the woman you were then, what advice would you give yourself?

14:34Don't be so hard on yourself. I would say everything is going to be okay because I tend to worry a lot. And I did when I was younger, even more. So just everything is going to be okay and work hard, stay focused. That's amazing. I was listening to another podcast and you talked about raising your two kids while building this brand, raising VC funding. How did you manage raising your children and doing this? You know, I love being a mom. It's the best thing in life. So since I was a little girl, I wanted kids. So for me to be able to have done both is everything. But that's all I had, right? I was a present mom and I was really good at my job too, but I didn't have time for a social life.

15:19I didn't have time to go on girls trips, sit and eat lunch in the middle of the week, right? It was really super focused kids work. And that was my life for a very long time because I wanted to be there with the kids. Yeah, work-life balance has become such a hot topic. What do you say on that? You know, there is no such thing, I think. But I'm also trying to teach my kids to work hard. I came from nothing and really have built the life that we have created today for them. And it's important for me to teach the children what hard work is. And if you want to achieve something in life, you've got to work hard, right?

15:53So they see both their parents work really hard, but we also prioritize them and really just love being parents. And for you, if you look at your kids right now, what do you think are the biggest things that you would hope to see for them, the biggest lessons that they learn? I just want my children to continue being kind. They're super kind and great kids and they're creative in their own ways and super smart, but I'm not that kind of parent. You have to go to this school. You have to do this. I just want them to be well-rounded, do what they love and whatever that is, right? If they want to be a lawyer, go for it.

16:27If you want to be a stay-at-home mom, great. I think it's important just to nurture your children and let them be what they are. And do you and your daughter agree on style taste? Because I'm thinking back like, oh man, like me in high school, the things I wore, like my sister used to call home from college and was like, she's get help. Like someone who is letting her out of the house with these things on. And I can't imagine having a mom who's like, well, my mom is very stylish, but I can't imagine having a mom who's like active within the fashion world. Does she ever, you know, get on your tail about, oh, I don't like that jacket or you should do this?

17:02No, she's so sweet. She called me this morning. She has her first day of school tomorrow. She's going to high school and she's like, mom, what should I wear tomorrow? And we had a FaceTime this morning and she picked out her outfit, one of my opinions. So she has her own style and a great style. And yeah, and I think she's proud of me too. We really, we're a good little team. That's beautiful. That's so special. And when you think about just generally this idea of style and finding your own personal sense of style, especially for people who are young, I feel like we're all experimenting and trying different things out.

17:33Do you have any general style or fashion advice? I think number one, dress for yourself, not for others, right? So for me, I feel my best with when I wear a pair of denim, a t-shirt and a blazer. That's my uniform, right? But each woman should find out what is her uniform? What makes her feel confident? Is it putting on heels or sneakers? Is it and then less is more. So organize your closet with the pieces you love and get rid of the rest. And then it's so easy to get dressed in the morning because you have just just the essentials. And I know you mentioned I was listening to a lot of interviews you've done in preparation for this.

18:09You mentioned that you moved to New York first and then you moved to L.A. And one of the questions I was asked of you is like, hey, have you, you know, was it hard? did you have naysayers when you were first starting out? You said there's a word in Scandinavia for people who are like naysayers or who don't believe in you. What was that word? Lagom? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, everything in Scandinavia. And, you know, I love Scandinavia, but it is a little bit you cannot dream too big or. So, yeah, I had a lot of naysayers always when I was modeling. People like, no, you you shouldn't do that. When I started my blog, people had opinions.

18:44When I started singing in my band, you know, and when I started my brand, they will always be naysayers. So that's why you really got to build your inner strength and kind of build a shield around you. I love that. And a good blazer does help. Yeah, 100%. And if you were starting all over today, what do you think would be some of the first things that you would do? I don't know if I would have done much different. The only thing I would maybe have done a little different is I would have taken better, a little more self-care. I didn't, there was no time for myself. So I do recommend like for young women starting out, it's also important that you take care of yourself, eat healthy, work out, do all those things.

19:22Cause I was just going, going, going for so many years. And I did burn out a few years ago where kind of had to take a break for a good six months. So I don't recommend that. So trying to find somehow balance, even though it's super hard work, starting a business. You do so much from, you know, music, you just dropped, you know, your album and you talk about, you know, focusing on the creative aspect of the business. You completely there. And you talked about, you know, going through the different segments of the business, whether that's marketing, merchandising. How do you balance your time? Do you have any hacks or things that you do for productivity?

19:56Do you time block, you know, creative work versus other work? No, it's kind of just a flow. It's some days I am exhausted and I just want to ask. Then I stay in bed all day, do my emails from bed all day. Other days, okay, I feel inspired to write music. Then I go into the studio and do that. And of course, I have my office hours also, right? So it's not just a flow and everything, but it all brings me so much joy. And I think the music, for instance, that's really my therapy. It's how I get it out of the system. So I get different things from the different things, but I think I love all the things that I do.

20:27And I think that's the key in life for a happy life or fulfilled life that, at least for me, that you can do many things. You don't have to just do one thing. Are there certain things right now that you're finding inspiration in? God, I find inspiration when I travel. Just sitting here with you guys, you look amazing. We're in your clothes. That's why we look amazing. I love to see how you style it, right? Every woman has their own style, right? And bring things to life. I love music, movies, books. I just moved back to LA. I haven't been here for a few years and moved back here and I found inspiration just renovating my house.

21:04There's so much inspiration in nature. As you think about the fall collection, are there certain like objects or things that you're inspired by when you're designing? The fall collection is my favorite thing to design. I love fall. And I think when I can go a little more rock and roll with the collections, I love blazers, leather jackets, boots. So when it comes to fall, I always go into the music scene and go back to the 70s and like see what were all these cool rock stars wearing. What about trends today? Are there any trends that you've seen where you don't really like them? You know, I don't really follow trends, neither in my brand or in the way I dress or how I do things in life.

21:43I have a timeless approach, I think, in my work, but even just in general. So, of course, trends can be crazy or they can be good, right? And I try to stay away from trends because it's not as timeless, I think. That makes sense. And also definitely reflects in the types of people who have worn your clothing. If you were to look back over the last few years or just generally, was there ever a time where you were incredibly excited, like someone wore one of your designs? Oh, so many times. I remember this was still in the garage days and Rosie Huntington-Whitley came in and Kate Bosworth. And they were the it girls back then, right?

22:20And I got so excited when I saw them wearing our leather jackets and leather pants and all the paparazzi photos. And then throughout the years, you know, Kate Moss wearing the products. And we have also shot in our campaign so many amazing women. But I get equally excited if I drop off my kids at school and see another mom like wearing one of the products. So just walking down the street in New York and spotting one of my products. I love any woman that wears the brand. Have you ever gone up to someone and complimented them? Sometimes. I'm like, nice, nice sweatshirt. And my kids get so excited when they see somebody.

22:54they're like mom you should say something oh really yeah oh sweet that's so beautiful yeah because I'm curious also as we've seen marketing just evolve so much over the last few years what is your guys's approach to stuff like influencer marketing or just generally campaigns we do a little bit of both right um I think it's important to do it all I for me I love a beautiful campaign shot by an amazing photographer and like really bringing out that creativity of the brand but I I equally also love just seeding products to cool women that I love and admire. So I think a combination of it all is important.

23:38And what would you say are the biggest things that you've learned also kind of balancing your own personal brand with building a business? That's definitely something that's been a huge lesson and learning for me. And Phoebe, of course, is that we've really leaned into this concept of founder-led marketing. But it can kind of be a tricky slope to balance. So what does that look like for you, of course, with a brand that's named after you? My number one focus is the brand and the brand and innovating. And then my personal brand, I don't think too much about that. I just try to be myself. I do my music.

24:11I do things that makes me happy. if I have partnered up with some beauty brands or whatever too. But I just do things that feel so authentic to me. But the brand, Anina Bing, is my number one priority always. I totally agree. That's definitely really good advice. Because I was curious, I wanted to learn more about where does music fit into your life right now? I'm working on an album right now. I'm going to name it Chapter 2. Very personal album. And whenever I have time, I will go into the studio and I write. I have my journal with me everywhere. and I just write whenever I have something I need to write down and then it turns into music.

24:46And I also love bringing in the music to the brand. Music is a very important element, not only my own music, but music in general for the brand. So we use my music in the campaigns and just try to bring it all, the creativity together. That's so fun. I feel like that's how we feel with the podcast, where it's this nice creative outlet and release for us, but then being able to mix it with the company and being able to do cross collaboration campaigns has been really, really interesting. What are some of the biggest things you've learned from doing that? Kid Moss was the face of our brand and I wrote the music for those campaigns.