How a Teen Model Left Sweden & Built a $100M Fashion Empire From Her Garage (ft. Anine Bing)
The Burnouts with Phoebe & Sophia
Intro
This chapter follows a young model's journey as she builds a successful fashion brand from the ground up. It highlights the challenges and triumphs of maintaining authenticity while navigating the competitive fashion industry.
Danish-born model, blogger, and entrepreneur Anine Bing went from selling her secondhand clothes online to building one of the fastest-growing contemporary fashion houses in the world. With 40+ retail stores, a global online presence, and a signature rock-and-roll yet timeless aesthetic, Anine has redefined what it means to be a creative founder in fashion.
In this episode of The Burnouts, Anine Bing sits down with Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni for an intimate, unfiltered conversation about her entrepreneurial rise — from moving to Milan at 14 to model, blogging before Instagram was a thing, and launching her brand out of a Los Angeles garage while raising two kids.
She opens up about the early hustle of packing orders by hand, finding confidence amid constant naysayers, and building a brand that puts authenticity and creativity above quick money. Anine shares stories of her viral fashion moments (like Kendall Jenner’s Coachella bralette), bringing Kate Moss into her campaigns, navigating burnout, and raising venture capital while staying true to her vision.
Plus: how she blends fashion with music (including her upcoming album Chapter Two), her creative process behind collections, the power of founder-led marketing, and why her ultimate mission is to empower women through timeless design and self-belief.
Whether you’re a fashion lover, aspiring founder, or just seeking the motivation to follow your gut and block out the noise, this episode is packed with lessons on resilience, creativity, and building a brand that lasts.
👜 SHOP ANINE BING'S FALL COLLECTION
Chapters
00:00 – Anine Bing joins The Burnouts
01:00 – Leaving Sweden at 14 to model in Milan
03:00 – From blogging to selling her secondhand clothes online
07:00 – Starting a fashion brand out of a garage while raising kids
09:00 – “Fuck the rest”: dealing with naysayers and self-doubt
11:00 – The creative process: mood boards, playlists, and designing the Anine Bing woman
13:00 – Why retail presence still matters in the digital age
15:00 – Raising kids while building a global brand
18:00 – Burnout, balance, and finding self-care as a founder
22:00 – From Rosie Huntington-Whiteley to Kendall Jenner: viral celebrity fashion moments
24:00 – Founder-led marketing vs. personal branding
26:00 – Music as therapy and the making of Chapter Two
29:00 – Taking VC funding and scaling globally
32:00 – Iconic pieces: denim, blazers, boots, and beyond
35:00 – Mistakes, resilience, and why you can’t give up
🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTS
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LinkedIn
📲 Support What We’re Building
Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping you find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app.
About The Burnouts
The Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders, Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to share the real stories, lessons, and mindsets that define your 20s.
Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and other visionaries redefining the brands—and the blueprints—of our time.
Subscribe now for the insider playbook to build your dream career.
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