True Religion has appointed Kristen D’Arcy as its new Chief Marketing Officer, reporting directly to CEO Michael Buckley.
The Y2K-era brand is in the midst of a cultural resurgence and is finding success appealing to Gen Zers with its strong heritage and distinct design elements, True Religion’s Creative Director Zihaad Wells told Retail TouchPoints. The CMO position is new for the brand and will be instrumental in True Religion’s ongoing transformation into a DTC, digital-first company. In addition to drawing in new customers, D’Arcy will be responsible for all aspects of marketing, including content creation, creative, brand, public relations, influencers, social media, partnerships and philanthropy.
“I’ve been a True Religion customer and have watched the brand reinvent itself in recent years, which has been exciting both as a consumer and marketer,” said D’Arcy in a statement. “I have so much admiration for the company’s recent collaborations with Supreme, 2Chainz, Chief Keef, Dreezy and many others. The opportunity to work with this team to expand the brand even further is a dream come true.”
Over the course of her 20-year career in marketing, D’Arcy has worked for household names like American Eagle, PacSun, Ralph Lauren and Oscar de la Renta, as well as on the agency side of the business. Recognized as a 40 Under 40 by Advertising Age and one of the Top 50 Women in Brand Marketing by Brand Innovators, D’Arcy specializes in developing integrated, strategic marketing campaigns that drive ROI. In a recent interview with Retail TouchPoints she shared key learnings from her career. Prior to joining True Religion she served as CMO for Homedics, where she increased the health and wellness company’s DTC sales by 80%.
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“Kristen is the ideal candidate to fill this critical role,” said Buckley. “She has a proven track record of creating business growth, fostering brand love and managing high-performing teams. Her vast experience with top retail brands brings an important new layer of expertise to True Religion’s senior leadership team.”
