Biink was founded in 2015 in Sumner Park, Australia, by three Australian natives Alex Rogers, Fedja Mehinagic, and Aldin Fejzic. Soon after, they added two Americans to the founding team James Densmore II and Demarcus Thornton. James and Demarcus eventually purchased all interests from the former partners making Biink a 100% African American-owned company.
Lululemon and Nike have a firm grip on the market, however smaller brands like Biink, Gym Shark, and BYLT Basics are at the top of their game. In the pandemic era, it's now standard to walk around in yoga pants and hoodies. Demarcus Thornton, CEO of Biink, says, "Americans want to wear multipurpose clothing. Athleisure is more than a trend; it's the new casual." When asked about how Biink plans to capture its share of the growing market, he said, " by serving our tribe, we sell clothes to people who have a never surrender attitude about life. Those people also tend to have significant influence in their communities which helps us grow the tribe."
In 2017 Biink was considered one of nine athleisure brands that would likely win by Pedestrian tv. Other brands listed were Ivy Park, P.E Nation, Fenty Puma, etc. Although Biink's growth hasn't been as meteoric as those in America, they constantly rank among Australia's top athleisure brands. James Densmore II, President of Biink, said, "We've proven we can do digital well. However, creating a physical footprint is probably our best path to the winner's circle." Athleisure's winners and losers are still unclear, however looking forward, it will be essential to innovate because the industry is crowded.
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