Jinx Inc. has been making gaming clothes for 17 years. The company recently launched a pair of new lines: Jinx Brand, which is a collection focused on gaming, and Jinx Pro, an original label catering to professional gamers and eSports enthusiasts.

These are the first offerings since the company hired John Nite as vice president of creative and product, who previously served as design director at the traditional sports apparel company Under Armour.

Jinx currently works with Rick Fox’ eSports team Echo Fox as well as Team Liquid, providing jerseys and clothing for the players as well as their fans. Both teams will see an expanded line of clothing in 2017.

Jinx co-founder and CEO, Sean Gailey, explains to [a]listdaily why the company is investing in eSports merchandise in this exclusive interview.

Why did you decide to launch these two lines?

Jinx was created to celebrate gaming culture and lifestyle. Video games are not just something we do, they are woven into who we are. That passion and expertise uniquely positions us to establish the Jinx Brand and Jinx Pro lines as the gold standard for core and competitive gaming apparel at an unprecedented scale.

What differentiates the two lines from other gaming and eSports clothing out there?

Both the Jinx Brand and Jinx Pro lines offer consumers a means of paying tribute to not just one particular video game license, but rather gaming culture as a whole.

How are you marketing these two lines differently to gamers and eSports fans and what type of crossover is there? What’s the messaging?

Jinx Brand is a collection of core clothing featuring soft fabrics and the relaxed attitude of gaming. We wanted to create something that is comfortable to wear while playing, yet versatile enough to be worn out and about. Jinx Pro caters specifically to professional gamers and eSports enthusiasts. Maintaining focus while playing to win requires comfort and confidence. The Jinx Pro line offers styles on par with those of mainstream sports. While there are plenty of gamers who will relate to both product lines, we felt that there was enough of a difference to separate the two.

How big is the female gaming audience across both lines? How big of a male audience is there?

This first launch offers a fairly wide product offering for both men and women, with a few more cut and sewn pieces such as joggers for men. By wave two (early 2017) we will be rolling out with even more women’s designs, at which point both lines should be an even keel.

What eSports teams and pros are featured for jerseys or other clothing?

Currently, we design team apparel for both Team Liquid and Echo Fox.

How are you working with team owners, casters and personalities for Jinx Pro?

Jinx has been around for nearly seventeen years. In that time, we’ve managed to befriend some truly amazing companies and individuals. The minute word got out that we were planning on launching our product lines, the wave of support we received was astounding.

Will teams be wearing any of your clothes in competition?

Jinx Pro is the foundation for the performance jerseys we developed for our sponsored teams, Team Liquid and Echo Fox. The only difference between our team jerseys and Jinx Pro line is the branding itself.

How important is it for your brand to be seen worn by pro gamers and other eSports personalities for authenticity?

We feel that the eSports community will happily embrace the Jinx Pro line. Gaming dominates popular culture, but is underserved by the fashion industry. It’s especially striking how underserviced professional eSports players are compared to their counterparts on ESPN (like the NBA or NFL) in terms of professional-grade performance wear. As a company full of competitive gamers, we simply designed the type of products we ourselves would like to wear.

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