When the person on your brand’s vision board ends up serving as the face of your most recent campaign, it’s a sure sign that your vision and your brand strategy are aligned.
That’s the case for Los Angeles-based fashion brand Anine Bing, who has partnered with iconic British supermodel Kate Moss to serve as the global face of its 2023 Fall / Winter brand campaign.
And the feeling is mutual, making the synergy of the partnership even more seamless. Moss described the Anine Bing brand as “Clothes that are essential, timeless — classic with an edge.”
Moss is an icon who transcends generations. Anine Bing is a brand focused on timeless essentials, to build the everyday fashion uniform.
They both represent rebellion and a hint of rock ‘n’ roll, while staying classic and real.
The campaign, shot by notable fashion photographer Chris Colls, pays tribute to timeless silhouettes with ‘90s-inspired details, including a modern take on rock ‘n’ roll dressing (which has remained a central theme of Anine Bing’s collections since the brand’s launch over a decade ago).
“Kate Moss has been the unofficial face of the Anine Bing moodboards since the brand launched in 2012 — and she’s been an inspiration for as long as I can remember,” Bing shares. “Kate is the epitome of timeless beauty and iconic style, embodying everything that Anine Bing stands for as a brand.”
Another point of synergy between Bing and Moss: championing female empowerment.
“Part of the reason I wanted to start my agency — Kate Moss Agency — was to offer support to the new young models in the industry to ensure they felt protected and know they have options, that they can say ‘no’ when something doesn’t feel right,” Moss explains. “I am really happy to lend my support to other women and friends in the industry whenever I can.”
Anine Bing is a brand rooted in Scandinavian simplicity with American energy, cofounded by Anine Bing (who also serves as Chief Creative Officer) and Nicolai Bing (Chief Executive Officer).
After over a decade of making its mark in the industry, Anine Bing has become recognized as a global fashion house focused on everyday wardrobe essentials and investment pieces for women seeking a timeless yet rebellious approach to style.
While its collections will always evolve, the brand creates pieces that women can wear 10 years from now.
Currently boasting 21 retail stores globally, the brand is making waves, with international billboards starring Moss to retail expansion in new cities for the remainder of this year (slated for Boston, Toronto, as well as a second store in Paris). Coming up for 2024? A year of expansion for the brand, including a focus on the China market.
“Retail has always been an important part of the Anine Bing brand,” Bing explains. “Our freestanding stores serve as a place for us to showcase the Anine Bing lifestyle — they are crucial for brand building and also play a role in supporting our growing e-commerce business. The purpose of our retail stores is to offer our customers an immersive experience, as well as one-on-one styling and exclusive product offerings. They help build brand awareness and community within key markets.”
Along with international expansion, Anine Bing celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2022 – a monumental milestone. The cofounders spoke about business advice at Harvard Business School, in March 2023.
Among the three most critical lessons the partners in business and life have learned, in this decade of growing and expanding the Anine Bing brand?
1- Have a clear vision and stick to it.
2- Surround yourself with people that understand your vision.
3- Don’t be afraid to hire people who know more than you do — that is how we learn and grow. Surround yourself with people that can teach you new skills and allow your teams to learn from each other.
“Ever since I was a young girl, I’ve been creating vision boards for everything I wanted in life,” Bing shares. “From business to personal life — it really works! I definitely believe in setting goals and believe this is such a helpful way to stay focused and positive.
For other brands looking to create a moodboard or vision board (which helps to inspire and stay laser-focused on goals), here are Bing’s two key tips:
- Have a clear vision and stick to it.
- Oftentimes it’s easy to be persuaded or shy away from an original idea. But in order to really make something come to life, it’s important to trust your gut and your vision.
“I always dreamed of launching a modern-day luxury fashion house,” Bing continues. “I saw a gap in the market for timeless wardrobe pieces — I wanted to create a wardrobe for the modern woman that felt approachable, effortless and not overcomplicated — so I decided to create my own line.”
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