Anine Bing: You Know When You Know

This week, Rachel Zoe speaks with designer Anine Bing. She's the Founder & Chief Creative Officer of her Los Angeles based fashion brand Anine Bing. Anine speaks about how she grew her brand from a tiny online blog, to a makeshift store in her garage, to now having over 20 stores around the world.

Sponsors:

Genesis GV70 - Turn heads with stunning design inside and out. Discover intuitive technology inside including Navigation with a 14.5-inch HD screen. Learn more at Genesis.com. Genesis. Keep Beginning.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Every Genesis is a reminder to try something new, to
keep growing, keep hustling, keep beginning. At Genesis, they harness
that mindset into their performance suv. The GV seventy turn
heads with a stunning design inside and out. Discover intuitive
technology inside the GV seventy with a fourteen point five

(00:20):
inch infotainment system. The Genesis GV seventy is for those
who are making their mark on the world and want
to enjoy the luxurious amenities while they do it. So
go on and enjoy an exhilarating drive in the GV seventy.
Your Genesis GV seventy is waiting for you. Learn more
at Genesis dot com Genesis Keep Beginning. Hi everyone, I'm

(00:51):
Rachel Zoe and you're listening to Climbing in Heels. The
show is all about celebrating the most extraordinary superwoman who
will be sharing their incredible journeys to the top, all
while staying glamorous. Today with me, we have clothing designer
a Nina Being. She's the founder and chief creative officer
of her Los Angeles based fashion brand, Anina Being that

(01:14):
embodies the most effortlessly cool pieces with a genuine rock
and roll Twist. On this episode, Anina speaks about how
she grew her brand from a tiny online blog to
a makeshift store in her garage to now having twenty
stores around the world. Anina reveals her fears and challenges
when creating a company and fashion brand, but she also

(01:36):
takes a moment to acknowledge where she is now and
how balanced she feels. Hi, honey, I'm happy to see you.
I'm s happy to see you're in the studio. It
looks like, yes, I'm in the office here. Yeah, so
basically climbing in heels. I launched this podcast because I have,

(01:58):
just like you do, the most powerful, badass, fucking female friends,
And as I sit around tables wherever we go, I'm like, honestly,
everyone's story is so completely different, and it's so interesting
because my followers or listeners, like they see you as
like a Nina Bang right, They're like, Okay, oh my god,

(02:19):
she's amazing, like whatever, But it's like, how the fuck
did you get here? Right? Because I think, like, for me,
that's always the interesting part, because I think the thing
for me that I've always been asked the most is like,
how did you get to where you are? Or like,
how did you go from like growing up in this
suburban town to like even getting into the world I'm

(02:41):
in and you know whatever. And so I think it's
important to share the path, the journey, the story because
I think it really helps people, and I think people
are fascinated to know. And I think having this insanely successful,
amazing brand, you know people that are fans of it,
I think it's really interesting to sort of hear how

(03:04):
it happened because I met you literally, I think when
you had like ten pieces, well, I really do. I
think that's like when I first met you, and it
was funny because you know, I was thinking about the
first time we met and it was probably in baby class,
but I don't think I ever registered it into me.

(03:26):
I feel like I met you on a preschool tour
when we were touring schools first guy in Bianca. That
was like my first memory of meeting you and Eico Yeah, okay,
So but I think before we get into that, I think,
you know, and I just remember it's funny. I'm like,
who is this beautiful, cool couple. I was like, I was,

(03:48):
it was funny. Roger and I looked at each other,
We're like this preschool is too cool for us. I
was like no, I did. I was like, no, I
knew who you were, and I was very impressed were
there on the same tour and looks so shake in
your high heels and like super No, you were so beautiful,
and it was yeah, I remember you. I remember that moment. Well.

(04:09):
It was very funny because I remember you were in
if I remember correctly, like a biker jacket and like
some kind of like white tea or like rot you
were you, you know, in like your ankle boots, And
it was so funny because I remember Roger and I
leaving and we definitely were like this school's too far
of a commute to bring a three year old for

(04:29):
sure for us. But I remember us leaving and then
I and then I saw you in baby class at Rebecca's.
But I think it's important that we go back to
and I always like to start a little from the beginning.
I don't want to make you tell your entire life story,
but I do think it's important to get some kind
of feeling for like, who were you as a child.

(04:51):
You grew up in Sweden, right, your dance book grew
up in Sweden? Or is that a lie. It's not
a lie. Okay. So it's funny because Roger and I
always had this thing, we're like, she's Danish, she's Sweedish,
She's well, i'll tear myself. So I'm born in Denmark,
but I'm born in Denmark, but my family moved to
Sweden when I was ten. So I grew up ten

(05:12):
years and then then ten in Sweden, and now I've
been twenty years in America. So oh my god, that's crazy.
Quite a journey. And so I feel like very international.
I feel home in so many places. Well okay, so,
and I feel like I already know the answer to
this question, but I want to say if I'm right, um,

(05:33):
and what were you like as a little girl? Were
you like fashion obsessed? Were you tomboy? Were you outgoing?
Were you like a party kid? Were you center of attention?
Or were you shy? Because I feel like the answer
is going to be painfully shy, But tell me I
wasn't painfully shy. But I was not like the popular
girl anything. You know. I grew up in a family

(05:54):
were five siblings, three brothers, and I had a sister,
and and I was you know, I just always did
my own thing. I wasn't hanging out with the public girls.
But I just did my own thing. And I knew
from early on what I wanted to do and didn't
want to do, and so I didn't really follow the crowd.
I just went my own way and not overly shy,

(06:14):
but but not. It's so funny. I see you being
really shy. Well, I am a little shy because you're
I think that you're shy if you I think you're
shy in like a new situation, probably not as much now,
to be honest, but I think I think now, I
think now you don't come off as shy to me now,

(06:37):
but I feel like when I first met you, you
felt more shy to me. Yeah, I can be a
little reserved, like when I don't know if I don't
feel comfortable yet with somebody, or but then when you
know me, and I don't feel like I don't feel
like you, like I don't feel like you need attention,
Like I don't feel like you're like a look at
me kind of center of room person at all, which

(06:58):
is super interesting because you know, and we'll get into
that later, but I think, Okay, So you go through school,
did you go to college. No, I did not go
to college. So it's funny because Harvard asked me and
Niko to speak at the Business School in a week
or two from Oh my god, me too. Let me too,
Me too. But I was like, are you sure what?

(07:20):
So Bianco was like, my daughter said, Mom, you didn't
even go to college. You know, what are you going
to talk about? And I was like, That's what I'm
going to talk about. You know, neither Meaniko went to university.
We self taught. I think what we have in common,
me and Niko is that we just from earlier on
had a work ethic. We wanted to get out in
the world, and we were not afraid to rule up

(07:41):
our sleeves. And I think, you know, that's what we're
going to talk about. So, No, I did not go
to college. No, but I but I think it's very
important to talk about because, first of all, listen, I
am that I am never going to judge about anyone
who did or didn't. Some of the most successful people
I know didn't even graduate high school. Yeah, so I

(08:02):
and I think that's a big part of what I
like to talk about because I feel so strongly that
your education does not define you, and it certainly does
not define your path in life. And I think that
it's always interesting for me to ask that question because
I think it's important for people to really know that
and how different everyone's path is. And had my parents,
I hate to say this out loud. I don't know

(08:23):
that i'd say it to my kids just yeah, but
I would say that if my parents had given me
the option, I would have started working when I was
seventeen one hundred percent, because I was the same totally.
But you know everybody, as you say, it's so different.
For some people, you know, soferent school ways a way

(08:44):
to go, and they become extreme and successful that way, right,
and others they just need to get out in a
world and learn by doing. And that was the path
I chose one hundred percent, Okay, So clearly it had
no effect on anything in your life. And what I
would say is, I think the most important thing to
talk about with your story is, so you and Nico

(09:04):
moved to were you married yet when you moved to La? So?
I moved to LA when I was twenty, so that's
twenty years ago, and I didn't here by myself for
many years before I met Niko. So I met him
when I wasn't that I didn't know. I think I
was when I met Nico. I met him in Europe
and he came to visit and he never left. So
shortly after we had Bianca and I got married and

(09:28):
then we started the company in two thou twelve. That's
incredible because see, this is what I love about doing this.
I didn't know that. I actually thought that you were modeling, obviously,
because you're beautiful and everything else. But here's the thing.
I actually thought. You guys met in Europe and moved
here together. I moved here. Well, that's that's really interesting.

(09:50):
Earlier I was making back then, and then then I
got into music and I started a band and I wrote,
I did a record, and I did music and I
did so many different creative things. And then I started
the company with Nico, and we're gon we're gonna get
into that later, because I kind of vaguely recall a

(10:11):
little whisper that maybe your might be getting back into
that a little for fun. Yes, I was into yesterday
recording how in scene is that? So okay? So okay.
So there's a lot of things I want to talk
about here. Because so you moved to LA. First of all,
why do you move to LA and not New York?

(10:32):
I asked that question only because but I started in
New York, and then modeling agencies told me you are
more La, go to La. So I guess I wasn't tall, name,
not edgy en up, all these things. So so I yeah,
I came to La and and and I actually loved
it here. I love the creativity and it's a different
vibe and that I love New York. Don't get me wrong,

(10:54):
but there's something I really love about LA and the
music scene. They all bent it, shopping fame markets, yeah, yeah,
So so I really loved it here, so I decided
to stay. That's so interesting because well, it's so dumb
to me. It's like you're all those things, I mean,

(11:14):
the not pretty enough, not skinny enough, not tall enough.
The good news is none of those things, none of
those things apply anymore, which I think is so beautiful. Yes,
about the industry right now, and I'm very happy to
see all of that change now, But I think it's important.
I want to understand a little bit. What were some
of the scariest parts to you for you about starting

(11:37):
a brand? Because it's terrifying and it's hard, and did
you start it once you met Nico or did you
start it by yourself? And then he came into life
and just was like I got this part kind of thing.
We started together. But it happened really organically, so before
there was even Instagram, I had a fashion blog. Blog

(12:00):
was a big thing back in Scandinavia before everybody became
an influencer on Instagram, right, And I had this block
in many, many years and I just wrote about my
life in La and what I was wearing. But I
was in the studious enis world. Oh my god, I
love it, okay, so yes, I report it back and

(12:23):
people were always asking what I was wearing and if
I bought something at the flea markets, they wanted those pieces, right,
So I think I was really good at finding unique
pieces and styling them in a simple, cool way. So
that's how that I started to launch a brand, because
it just happened organically. And Nico, my husband, he has
a background in manufacturing, so that was super handy, right.

(12:44):
He knew how to make the products. I knew how
to design them and how to get them out of
the world. So it started just with ten pieces out
of our garage in Silver Lake, with a little website
that we built. I think it cost twelve hundred dollars
to build this website and uploaded the products, and we
did it all. We packed orders from our garage, we
did customer service emails, we designed, we did manufacturer we

(13:08):
did it all, and then we slowly grew it from there.
It's incredible because it's like, well, first of all, you know,
I can speak firsthand because I've been on all sides
of this industry, and I would say that doing a
clothing business brand is the hardest part of this industry, period,
full stop, no questions asked. It is the hardest business

(13:32):
ever in fashion, in my opinion, And anyone who wants
to fight me on that, I wish them luck. But
I would say that one of the most impressive things
to me. You know, something we've always connected on is
that we work with our husbands. Husbands are our partners,
and that comes with its own set of hell yes,
challenges and issues. But I do think that the thing

(13:54):
about you and Nico is that you have a very
clear line of what your role is, what his role is, right,
which I think is very helpful but I also want
to say that I think the most impressive thing to
me about your brand is that it truly is you, right, Like,

(14:14):
it really is you. So I think you've managed to
turn your blog, which is so funny because it sounds
like blogging just sounds so like archaic now, but I
think into this brand that's obviously global and you have
a goajillion now stores. It's not just D two C.
And I think that it is so true to you,

(14:38):
which I think is amazing because I think for me,
one of the biggest challenges was being able to have
success in creating what I loved, and you clearly create
what you love and having tremendous success at it. So
I think there's this great infusion of this rock and
roll girl and like with an edge and some grit.

(14:59):
But I also think you've jumped more into like lady dressing,
which I love, you know, so not that I'm such
a lady, but you know what I know, But you
know I am inspired. But all you know, I love
all the iconic fashion houses, right and as you know,
as a brand is growing, you know, we have all
our tweet jackets and and you know we I think
we really have hit a good market of creating affordable luxury.

(15:21):
You know, it feels really timeless and beautiful these pieces,
and I think that's why the brand is also growing
so fast because so many women can relate to it
and maybe they like a stripe T shirt or they're like,
you know, our blacers, and maybe they love the Denimo
the sunglasses. There are so many different ways you can
dress in the pieces, so it is you know, fless

(15:42):
but with a rock and roll twist. Now, I want
to talk about what made you want to start like
keep rolling out brick and mortar stores, because that's something
that you know, in the pandemic and this whole like
director consumer universe that was really really daring, and I
remember talking to you guys about it and being like

(16:04):
they work right, well, they really work. Yeah, they work
really well. So tell me about that because you're obviously
continuing to open more and more. You had your ten
year anniversary last year, which is insane to me because
it also showed me how long I know you were
getting old. So we can measure it by how old,
by how old our kids are. That's how we know, yeah, exactly, Well,

(16:25):
now we're the same age as you know, so finally,
exactly finally, and if we go back to retail. You know,
it happened very organically. When we launched the business ten
years ago. It was just with a eCOM side, right,
and but then people they wanted to touch and feel
the products. And so yeah, two years in we opened
our first doore in la and then it worked really well,

(16:46):
opened one in New York and in Paris, and today
we have over twenty stores around the world and it's
doing really well. And I think it's a good balance
between having the eCOM, having the our own stores, and
then the important wholesale accounts, right, because that's also how
many people discover the brand. Yeah, and who I want

(17:10):
to want to say, who what scares you like, what
keeps you awake at night? What wakes you up in
the morning with the butterflies? If anything? If anything, because
I like to talk about that, like challenges, nobody's and
fears and it's so challenging, right, you know, Yeah, especially
the first many years. I feel now ten years into it,

(17:33):
it's a much better. Like we have an amazing team.
We have figured things out, right, we have a recipe
now for what works and what doesn't work. We've been
through all the hue and everything, so so I feel
like right now and it changes every day, but right
now we're in a really good place team wise and
good financial wise. Everything is like working really bit of well.
But tomorrow it could change, right. So that's the ups

(17:56):
and now about having your own company, sure and buts,
and that's being on entrepreneur sure right, and what gives
me butterflies so many things. You know. I just love
creating and I love my team. You know, I'm surrounded
by so many women. I think we are over one
hundred and fifty m please, and most of them are
like these incredible women, and they just inspire me on

(18:16):
a daily basis. I love being here in the office
in LA and just get to work on fun projects.
We have so much fun coming out this year, as
I'm just truly excited. Yeah, entrepreneurs now climbing to the
top starts at the beginning. A Genesis. They're all about beginning.
It's right there in the name, because the beginning is

(18:38):
where the action is. Sure, things are up in the
air in the beginning, but that's what makes them thrilling.
Genesis has harnessed all that excitement into their performance suv.
The GV seventy turnheads with stunning design inside and out.
The GV seventy features the silhouette of a coupe and
the capability of an SUV. Discover intuitive technology inside the

(19:00):
GV seventy with a fourteen point five infotainment system, fingerprint recognition,
and available Lexicom Premium audio. Enjoy an exhilarating drive in
the GV seventy, featuring standard all wheel drive and available
electronically controlled suspension, plus exceptional handling and agility. I used
to dread driving around LA because of the traffic, the

(19:22):
stop and go, the blaring sun always getting directly into
my eyes no matter what time of day it is.
But thanks to Genesis and their GV seventy, driving around
here isn't too bad, especially when I'm driving in style.
Every Genesis is a reminder to try something new, to
keep growing, keep ustling, keep beginning. What will you begin?

(19:45):
Learn more at Genesis dot com. Genesis keep beginning. And
how about like you made a huge move in the
pandemic and you moved out of the city. Yeah, you
moved out of the city. Um, you seem blissfully happy there.
I'm so happy, so happy. So the Monesito, which is

(20:10):
like the dream place. It's like it's like, I feel
like that's we're going to meet you there when in
in in our next phase, we're going to meet you
a Montesito. But um, but I feel like I feel
like you're able now to live in this piece and
then come in for the noise and then go back
to the piece and come in for the noise. Great. Yes,

(20:30):
because it's to be honest, like the past ten years
has just been nonstopped. There's been no no balance whatsoever. Right,
it's just been boom boom boom, and so living you know,
moving to Santa Barbara Monesito has been life changing for
the family but also for my my personal well being
mental health, yeah, because there was no balance. And now

(20:50):
I work from home most based when I come down
to La once or twice a week, and it's perfect.
And I travel a lot, of course for work, and
I feel like I get the best from all worlds.
And it's not that it's not busy now, but I
get to do it in my own little space and
it's not it's not as stressful as a hund And

(21:12):
you have these two amazing kids and I'm lucky enough
to know personally, and you know, I feel like, you know,
I always say the beauty of my husband being my
partner is that we get to always roll as a family,
right Like, you don't have to be pulled away from
them and pulled from your husband, and you're not always

(21:32):
kind of divided in what you have to do, and
you also can like cover for each other, right like
in certain ways. But tell me about that, Like, tell
me about being you know, because you had kids young.
I mean I feel like you had them young, but
I also had them late, so to me it feels young.
It's probably normal, but I feel like you really, over

(21:54):
ten years were in the critical part of building your
business and also parenting, Yeah, whereas I kind of did
the critical and then had my kids, you know, and
so I for me, I think it's a little bit different.
But I think I'm curious to know how hard that

(22:17):
was at times and if it was or if you
just felt like this was their time, because I would
see you like running to school and like it was
like it was like the race. Basically, I felt like, no,
when I look back and you lived far, Yeah, when
I look back at it, like what was I doing
what the because you know, like it was waiting. I
wouldn't recommend to anybody, to be honest, and I wouldn't

(22:40):
do it again the way I did. You know, I
went back to work for three days after I had Benji.
That's you know, that's not okay, right, But when you
when your own company, we didn't have a huge team
back then, we like it was just back back to work, right,
And and it all floats kind of together that your
private personal life and the work life when you work
with your husband, and um, it was super challenging, especially

(23:02):
when I look back. Yeah, it's I can see how
stressed I was when I like look at photos and yeah, yeah,
but we wouldn't be where we are today if I
hadn't worked as hard as it did. Right, So it's
a hundred percent paid off. But and now now I'm
catching up on the mental health, right and and that's

(23:23):
the same. No, but it's true, and I think I
think that's why it's important. That's why I bring it
up because I think for me, you know, the question
I get asked the most is how do you jog
all these things and be a mom and da dada?
And I'm like what what everybody kind of doesn't realize
except that people like it. Really in my life is
that I worked twenty four seven for fifteen years without children,

(23:48):
and then I had my kids. And it will always
be that thing in my head of either I wouldn't
have built my business or I wouldn't I would have
been more like an absent mom. I don't know how.
I don't want to say absent, but like, you have
to make harder choices, right. I think when I look
at you and I think about it as we're talking,

(24:10):
I'm like, shit, she literally did those ten years of
building the brand, well the ten years of her kids
being and I watched it and you know, listen, they're
in school and this and not like you're still with
them all the time after school, but like it's still
internally and emotionally. Yeah, that struggle for sure, and it
was so sure, I guess. I remember when they were

(24:31):
little and I had to travel a lot because we
were opening source in Australia and Europe every right, right,
and I had to be away from Benjamin when he
was at baby. You know, that was that was really hard.
That was the hardest part. I think traveling now it's
easier in than nine and twelve, you know, because FaceTime
you can text them. It's a better understanding. Totally, one

(24:51):
hundred percent. Yeah, it's one hundred percent. I didn't have
time to It's a balance. I didn't have time to
have lunch with girlfriends and go for drink, Like, I
didn't have that whole personal life, right. It was either
family yea, or or work. So you got to sacrifice somewhere.
You can't have it all at all times. So but
I chose my kids, and I agree with that. I

(25:11):
agree with that, and now look and now look at you.
You get to live this beautiful life with them. Yeah,
on your time. Yeah, right, And so I think that's
really important to really understand because I think for women
it's really hard and I look, it's harder in general
for women because we have to choose, right, but to
choose it's like Serena Williams said, like, if I was

(25:32):
a guy, I wouldn't be leaving tennis right now, right,
Like that's what's so interesting. But I do want to know.
I think coming into this from you know, being in
Sweden versus growing up here and knowing kind of everyone
in the industry, I think you were always able to

(25:52):
sort of do your own thing and be your own
person without probably a lot of the petty caddy girls
stuff that comes with I hate to say girls stuff,
but I would say industry stuff that I think, you know,
I've been faced with, and a lot of women that
I know that are successful have had to deal with. Yeah.
So I guess my question is are there moments that

(26:17):
you remember of obviously don't name names, but people that
tried to knock you down, people that tried to cut
you out, people that were incredibly jealous of your success
or your you know, what you were doing, competitors, things
like that. Did you have to deal with that? And
contrary to that, who kind of was your like north

(26:42):
Star in saying I see what you're doing, I believe
in you, and I'm going to support and help you.
And I think I know who that was, but like
I want to, I want to hear from you if
if there were any like for sure it actually, you know,
I don't know. In Skandinavia they have the like it's
like you don't want others to succeed, right. So for me,

(27:04):
it was actually easier to start to Brandon Los Angeles
because all the nasaers and all the haters. It was
actually a lot of skin naming people that that had
the attitude, who do you think you're ana? And like,
good luck starting this. That's so funny, by the way,
because it's so nice to know that it exists in
other countries. I'm not just here because I feel like
it's such an American thing. No, I feel the opposite,

(27:27):
and maybe because which is much stronger there. I felt
like doing it in LA people didn't judge, judge that
I was in a band before I or was a model,
like you know, starts like you're not a designer, you're
not right, Yeah, I just did my thing here. But
also I didn't give a shit, like you cannot listen
to all these voices, right, because then you will not succeed.

(27:49):
So so of course you can. I'm a sensitive person,
and of course I could get hurt, but you know,
hearing how some women would talk. But but then today
I'm great for the life I'm living and what I
chat and I'm glad I didn't listen to any of that, right, Yeah,
And that's so interesting and it's and it's good and

(28:10):
it's it's also great that you're still so young have
had this success, You've worked your ass off for it,
and like it's also just such a good example for Bianca,
you know, I mean for both your kids, but I
think also for your daughter, it's it's so nice to
see that you built this yourself. You didn't listen to people,
and you did your own thing and made your own path, right.

(28:31):
And I'm really trying to teach her that. You know,
she's off to middle school next after the summer, and
and you know all the friends they're going to different schools, right,
but she I'm teaching her, you know, go your own way,
because she knew what schools she wanted to go to.
She applied only to that school and then all her
friends are going somewhere else. And I'm proud of her
for choosing her own way. And I'm just following the crowd, right,
And I think that's important to teach them earlier on that. Yeah,

(28:55):
that's yeah, that you go your own way and even
if your friends fallow necessarily it's it's okay. Yeah, still
yeah thing, I mean, it's true. And also I think
I think for our kids, as long as they know
that they're safe with you, I think their decisions like
that are easier for them to make, right. Um. And

(29:18):
I think obviously having you as her mom is you know,
I think she watches you do your thing and she's
probably like, yeah, I'm not scared. Yeah I hope so,
you know, I hope to inspire her. She's the coolest
kid ever. Um, they both are the coolest kids ever.
But I but I think, um, I mean, it's it's

(29:39):
it's very interesting for me to hear that because like obviously,
you know, like in London that obviously all that that
pettiness and the talk and the talk that exists, but
you wouldn't think in like Denmark or Sweden that that
would really be a culture there. But I think that's amazing. Okay,
So then who what was the turning point for you
in your career year where you were like okay, Niko,

(30:03):
were good, like this is real? Like this is real?
Like was it five years in? Was it seven years in?
Was it four years? Like? Because there is a pivotal
point in building a brand that you have to either
stop and pivot or you power through and you keep
going right, And I think you guys have been very uh,

(30:28):
I think you've been very what's the word like flexible,
You've been very you guys have changed directions a few times.
You've you've gone deeper into one thing and not in another.
But I think looking at the brand today and over
the last five years, for me, it's like it's just
going up, up, up up, And so I think there

(30:49):
obviously was is there a person that was like, guys,
I'm in, like, I support this, this brand is incredible
and I want to see what it can do. I
feel like it's been so many little turning punts along
the way. Right the first time like Rosy Huntington, like
wore our leather jacket, right, and then that trickled down

(31:13):
to all the cool girls wanting to wear their brand,
and then ye opening our first store in la but
then in Paris, I remember opening store in Paris. That
was a big moment, right, And then yeah, all these
investors started reaching out and wanted to invest in the company.
We didn't even gonna, you know, go out and search,
fight and no, and yeah, so many amazing little moments

(31:35):
have led to another. And and that has been our
whole Like we didn't have a business plan when we
started this business. It's been really organic how everything came
together and still today, Um we have a really you know,
not relaxed approach, but like we we work. So you
found your grooms, yeah, and and and so lucky to

(31:59):
have so many amazing supportive women along the way, you
being one of them. Well, and I think, well, listen,
I love you, and I love the brand, and you know,
I think and I think, as I said earlier, I think,
being having been in clothing and creative directing and stuff,
I prefer to do it for other brands, if that

(32:21):
makes sense, because I think to do what you do,
I think it's so important that people understand and I
say this so often, it's so important it has to
be your full time job. Yeah, I think, meaning when
I started doing clothing, it was supposed to be part
of my business, not my whole business. And I think
that what I have learned is really to succeed in

(32:44):
it fully, it really has to be your job. This
is your this is your baby, this is your brand.
And I think that for me to watch people succeed
in it and keep their vision so clear and the
brand true to who they are, and keep that DNA
so so consistent, I think that's the dream, right, And

(33:05):
I think for me to sort of watch that success.
It's so well deserved. And I think that's the thing
Roger and I always say every time we leave, you
and Nika were like, they deserve every bit of this success,
and it's really fun to watch it. And I think
one thing I always say on this podcast is, you know,

(33:25):
in any interview, I can't I can't scream it at
the top of my lungs enough, because I think the
biggest mistake young people make is they try to really
architect their life. They really try to plan out at
by age eighteen, I'm doing this. I'm going to this school,
I'm going to go to here, and then at twenty
two I'm gonna do this, and at twenty five I'm
going to launch my own this or I'm going to

(33:46):
meet my husband at this and then I'm gonna have
a baby at thirty. And I'm like, stop, you have
to stop doing that. You have to let life just
happen and roll, because I think opportunities hit you at
different points. Yea, and sometimes this this dream you had,
that dream changes so much, you know, And I think

(34:08):
that's okay, And I think it's it's a danger zone
to get stuck in those plans, you know, And and
I think mess is your mental health, not for sure.
And one thing and it's not that I dream. I
have moved boards since I was a little girl. I've
been writing down like my goals and dreams and of
course and cutting out little Yeah, so I have big dreams.

(34:32):
But it's also going with the flow and listening to
your gut feeling and just go with yes. Yes. And
I think that's a really good point. I think it's
important to dream and important to live those dreams, but
don't try and make bullet points exactly of your life. Right. No,
that's because because I get point, I think thank you.

(34:54):
And that's what I always say is like that sets
you up. And I think that really impacts your mental health.
And I think that, along with social media, really can
affect your mental health. And so yeah, so it's it's
nice to hear that from you. And I think, um,
what is next? Like I feel like every you know,

(35:15):
several months, there's a whole new thing happening, So please
tell me, like what anything you can share and and
like what the sort of end? I don't want to
say end because I had to choose the word to end,
but like do you say, not over planning your life
or your world. But are you like, Okay, in five

(35:37):
ten years, I'm going to be here, Like are you
going to move back? Are you going to stay in
the US? Do you want to sit on a beach
like you like? What? Like? Do you ever think about that?
I do? And I like I live like I am
there now where I've been dreaming about, Mahomi. You know,
so I feel really grateful, like I s are love
my job and love creating. I'm so happy in Montecito

(35:58):
and having that work life balance. Um. And you know,
when I started the company ten years ago, I could
not dream up how big it would be today, that
we would have stores all over the world, right, Um,
So it's hard for me also to think where we
will be in five or ten years from now because
stempt of where we would be today. But we have

(36:21):
a really exciting year head for the brand. I can't
share everything. Um, you have new category launching, We have
the most incredible news that's going to be the face
of our brand that I can't talk about quite yet.
We signerships, you know, it's just really exciting time and running. Yeah,
at least five more stores this yere um, it's we

(36:44):
just yeah, I'll go with its incredible and enjoy this
moment for me personally and for the brand. You should
enjoy every second of it. Well, I love you, madly. Um.
I love having you on climbing in heels because you
do climb even if your heels a biker right like

(37:06):
I mean, as they shouldn't be, because you're genetically blasted
on all accounts, but also with hight Um. But but yeah,
I mean if you put mine and Anina's foot next
to each other, she'd have like a biker boot with
a like a little like two inch heel, and then
I'd have some like stilts on of some sort. I
still talk to Nita about camping with the class, and

(37:28):
you showed up like these super high heels. You know,
we all came in our camping he goes, and of
course Rachel comes in there and her she dress and
high heels. Yeah, you are forever I am. Just it's like,
you know, you get to that point in your life
where you go, all right, I am who I am,
for better, for worse, This is who I am pants surrender. Nah. Well,

(37:53):
I love you, madly. I'm so happy you're on and
I love your story. I love watching you win. Um.
I love your family and those beautiful kids. I think
you know. Secretly, me and Nina really hope that Cry
and Bionca get married. So let's let's make it happen.
That would be so fun. Um, that would be so
fun because then i'd have someone to give my clothes too.

(38:16):
That was yes, that's she would be very, very knucky.
I want your clothes and your jewelry. Rachel, listen, it's
all yours. I got boys at this point, So let's
let's let's see. Um, it's here, it's here to share,
all right. I love you. Have a wonderful day some
I love to everybody, and um, and I'm excited to
see what's coming. Oh wait, should we tell everyone now?

(38:38):
I'm the new face of Nina. Baby. I'm gonna be
on I'm gonna be on billboards. I'm gonna be I'm
gonna be on Sunset Boulevard and in Soho and in
Paris at Charles de Gaull Airport, I will be with
the face. I don't know. I don't know because I'm
too expensive. That's why I'm just too expensive. All right,

(39:00):
I love you. It's that time. In the show where
I answered to listener questions. So let's see what we
have today. Okay, March is Women's History Month, and we
just celebrated International Women's Day, and I would love to
know which women have inspired you most. So many women

(39:25):
have inspired me, but honestly, I think who remains at
the top of my list just as a woman with
a powerful voice who always feels right to me? Oprah
from the beginning of time, from the beginning of Oprah.
I mean literally one of the first women I ever
like fell on that wasn't my mom or my sister.

(39:47):
I just could listen to her speak all day and night.
I feel the same way about Michelle Obama. I have
great respect for her. I love listening to her. I
love smart women, and I think from like, you know,
a sort of style fashion, breaking down walls kind of thing.
I mean, Coco Chanell for sure would be one of them.

(40:11):
I mean, I love Iman. She's someone who is fearless
and glamorous and has a strong voice that she's not
afraid to use. Yeah, I have a lot of women
that I look up to, and I just don't think
it's like the women that people would expect that I
would necessarily, but I just, I really I was a

(40:34):
huge fan of Princess Diana, huge fan, and I was
very young actually, but I just thought she was everything.
I really get inspired by people that take their influence
and use it in the right way that makes sense. Okay,
what were some of your favorite looks from Paris Fashion Week? Wow?

(40:56):
I had a lot. I mean, honestly, I think Sean
Batista's show was extraordinary. Valentino just blew my mind like
it always does. McQueen was just so beyond and there's
one dress in that collection that if I don't say that,
the Oscars, I'm going to cry a river. God, there

(41:16):
were a lot. I thought Paris was just beautiful, really
really beautiful. But those are definitely some of my favorite
channel of course, all day, every day. And I mean
the list goes on, but I would say those are
definitely like the ones that come to my mind quickly. Okay,

(41:38):
don't forget to submit your questions for next week's episode.
All you have to do is DMUs your questions to
at Climbing in Heels pod on Instagram and I might
just answer them. Okay, I just want to say a
huge thanks to my friend and Nina for coming on
climbing in heels and opening up about her life, her story,

(41:59):
her career and her goals. And you know, I really
always love speaking to other women who are business partners
with their husband and also parent with them, because, let
me tell you, it's a lot. It's always a very
interesting mix, and you know that it has its own challenges.
But still I'm pretty sure none of us would change it.

(42:21):
But it's very interesting for me always to learn even
more about my friends that I thought I knew everything
about and I actually don't. But I think a big
takeaway I think from this episode is how Anina sort
of left a lot of you know, skepticism about who
she was, what she was trying to build in Sweden,

(42:42):
and I think knowing that that sort of pettiness and
cattiness does exist, you know, overseas as well, and I
think that she just went on to do her own thing.
She started in music and as a model and then
took a total pivot and started this brand and then
built the brand while she was raising her kids very young,
and as she mentioned, I think, you know, leaving her

(43:04):
baby when he was three days old to go, you know, work,
And I think these are the sacrifices, and I think
her kids, my guess is they very much understand and
appreciate what she and Migo have built. So for me,
it's really fun to watch and I love cheering for them.
So I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as

(43:27):
I did, because I think the goal for me in
creating Climbing and Heals is to really highlight different paths
to the top because no path is the same. There's
no judgment because the reality of it is you're here,
it doesn't you know. But I'm always interested in how
you got there so and how you got here because

(43:50):
it doesn't happen overnight and no path is easy. And
I think that's a common thread in climbing and hills.
So if you want more climbing and Hill's content, follow
me on at Rachel Zoe and at Climbing in Heels
pod on Instagram for more updates on upcoming guests episodes
in all Things Curator, I will see you next week.