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When True Religion was founded in 2002, its jeans disrupted the denim market by reimagining the classic five-pocket jean with its signature stitch.<\/strong> \u2014 True Religion Brand Jeans<\/p>\n In 2023, rapper and recording artist Quavo<\/a> and TV personality India Love<\/a> opened up about style, family, and holiday gifting during denim giant True Religion\u2019s<\/a> first-ever holiday campaign. \u201cStyle is a Gift\u201d featured the celebrities on the company\u2019s e-commerce site, app, and social accounts. The campaign drove new traffic to both physical stores and to the True Religion website, said Kristen D\u2019Arcy, who\u2019s held the newly created role of Chief Marketing Officer at True Religion since 2023.<\/p>\n Quavo was a natural brand ambassador for the company. At age 15, he\u2019d coveted the jeans that had become a streetwear staple since True Religion\u2019s 2002 founding in Los Angeles. Known for its signature Super T stitching, Buddha imagery, and iconic horseshoe emblem, True Religion quickly earned a place in the wardrobes of hip-hop artists and Hollywood stars alike \u2014 appearing in music videos and on red carpets. Quavo even sketched a True Religion tattoo on his right arm, a personal homage to the brand he grew up admiring.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s somethin\u2019 about those horseshoes on the back,\u201d he told Hypebeast<\/a> After the rapper\u2019s True Religion contract was over, on Instagram<\/a>, he still posted pictures of himself dressed head to toe in the brand. <\/p>\n \u201cWe reposted him and tagged him,\u201d D\u2019Arcy told CO\u2014. \u201cThen he DMed us back and said, \u2018I love my True Religion family.\u2019 He is the right partner all day long.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s this type of close-knit, cultivated, yet authentic relationship with culturally-relevant celebrities and influencers who are passionate about the brand True Religion hopes will bring in millions of new customers \u2014 especially Gen Zers \u2014 and spark massive profits. The company is currently the most profitable it\u2019s ever been, said D\u2019Arcy. It exceeded its first quarter 2025 sales targets and is on track for 2025 sales of $450 million, she said. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been an incredible ride,\u201d D\u2019Arcy said, \u201cand we\u2019re confident we\u2019re on the right and fairly quick trajectory to a billion in sales in total.\u201d <\/p>\n True Religion is part of the $28.76 billion North American jeans market, projected to rise to $35.47 billion by 2030<\/a>, according to Mordor Intelligence<\/a>. In January, private equity firm Acon Investments<\/a> \n When Kim and Jeff Lubell founded True Religion in 2002, its jeans disrupted the denim market by reimagining the classic five-pocket jean with its signature stitch. <\/p>\n Then came the mid-2000s. Athleisure was taking off, and after a series of leadership changes, True Religion pulled its iconic logos from its products. <\/p>\n \u201cThe branding was much more subdued, if noticeable at all,\u201d said D\u2019Arcy. It was an unfortunate turning point. By 2017, True Religion was bankrupt. <\/p>\n The company emerged from bankruptcy, only to file again at the height of COVID. Since then, former True Religion CEO Michael Buckley returned to the brand. <\/p>\n \u201cHe did a couple of things right out of the gate,\u201d D\u2019Arcy said, including extensive consumer research. A key finding was that households under $100,000 in annual income preferred a logo-driven brand. So True Religion returned its iconic horseshoe logo and Buddha to products. <\/p>\n True Religion CMO Kristen D\u2019Arcy says the company is exceeding first quarter 2025 sales targets and is on track for 2025 sales volume just north of $450 million.<\/strong> \u2014 True Religion Brand Jeans<\/p>\n \u201cWe started bringing the product back to what it was before,\u201d said D\u2019Arcy. At the same time, it focused on women\u2019s sales, a revenue stream that needed support \u2014 at the company\u2019s heyday, women\u2019s sales comprised 60% of sales, but over the years, it had fallen to just half of that. True Religion hired a new head of women\u2019s product design who understood the company\u2019s customer and started designing with her in mind. <\/p>\n The brand also lowered its price point to attract a broader swath of customers. Over a decade ago, shoppers could spend upward of $200 on a piece of True Religion apparel. Now, a pair of the brand\u2019s jeans falls within the $100 range. <\/p>\n With the product tweaked, True Religion then turned to marketing.<\/p>\n [Read more: The Business Opportunities (and Challenges) Weight-Loss Drugs Hold For Food, Fitness, and Fashion Brands<\/a>]<\/strong><\/p>\n True Religion\u2019s current growth strategy harkens back to its roots, when the brand landed at the center of music and sports. The Black Eyed Peas<\/a>, Serena Williams<\/a>, Britney Spears<\/a>, and Paris Hilton<\/a> all wore True Religion in its early days, said D\u2019Arcy.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re walking down the street, you know it\u2019s a True Religion product,\u201d she said. Now, partnering with culturally relevant celebrities and influencers is a strategy the brand is actively going after to continue building itself up after its 2019 bankruptcy.<\/p>\n The company hones in on cultural touchpoints \u2014 celebrities and influencers across sports, music, fashion, and entertainment to connect to the brand \u2014 and it\u2019s intentional about whom it chooses. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about picking the right people at the right time to be the face of the brand,\u201d D\u2019Arcy said. \u201cWe pick people we feel have a genuine love for this brand,\u201d and especially those on the cutting edge of culture that are popular with Gen Zers. <\/p>\n True Religion tapped Grammy Award-winning artist Megan Thee Stallion<\/a> for its 2024 holiday campaign, \u201cWhere Holiday Wishes Come True.\u201d It featured the superstar musician in content, including connected TV, TikTok<\/a>, Instagram, YouTube<\/a>, Pinterest<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>, and audio. <\/p>\n Brazilian artist and global icon Anitta is featured in the brand\u2019s new campaign and platform called \u201cOwn Your True.\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 True Religion Brand Jeans<\/p>\n And during the Super Bowl<\/a>, True Religion launched a brand campaign and platform called \u201cOwn Your True\u201d with content featuring Brazilian pop star Anitta<\/a>. A 60-second kick off featuring Anitta dressed in True Religion tells the story of how the pop star has stayed true to her authentic self as she\u2019s grown in popularity. <\/p>\n \u201cShe, too, is such a fan of the brand,\u201d D\u2019Archy said. \u201cThe campaign has outpaced our wildest expectations in terms of sales.\u201d<\/p>\n The campaign, spanning social media, streaming, and audio marketing, is intended to ignite a cultural movement embracing individuality and self-expression, said D\u2019Arcy, and it is woven into touchpoint events like the NBA\u2019s All-Star Weekend<\/a> and Coachella<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cFor Coachella, we\u2019re not only dressing her in custom looks, but we\u2019re also outfitting all of her dancers. These relationships continue.\u201d<\/p>\n [Read more: Key Solutions Retailers Are Focusing on to Drive Growth This Year<\/a><\/strong>]<\/strong><\/p>\n True Religion\u2019s return comes at a highly competitive time for the denim market, says retail and apparel analyst Jane Hali, CEO of Jane Hali & Associates<\/a>. It joins well-established, popular brands like AG Jeans<\/a> and Levi\u2019s<\/a>, which are offering high-quality jeans. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of interest in new denim styles \u2014 wide jeans, baggy jeans, barrel jeans,\u201d said Hali. \u201cAnd there\u2019s a whole wardrobe that can be accumulated. But is True Religion the one people are going to turn to,\u201d especially when consumers cognizant of a potential economic downturn are being more restrained with their apparel purchases?<\/p>\n At the same time, other denim brands are relying on celebrities and influencers important to modern culture and drawing on a sense of nostalgia too. For example, Levi\u2019s is partnering with Beyonc\u00e9 on its REIIMAGINE campaign, reinterpreting some of the brand\u2019s iconic ads for the modern era. <\/p>\n True Religion, for its part, is hoping that consumers\u2019 growing, TikTok-fueled interest in the early 2000s aesthetic will help set it apart. And it\u2019s doubling down on its connections with creators and celebrities. The brand\u2019s Team True brand ambassadors \u2014rising and established creators and celebrities \u2014 further amplify its \u201cOwn Your True\u201d platform with their own original content. <\/p>\n The Team True content creator platform launched last summer. Everyone from stylists to musicians to athletes receives new pieces from the True Religion collection monthly. They wear True Religion when styling celebrities or as they celebrate after winning an NBA game.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re wearing us in a bold way,\u201d D\u2019Arcy said. \u201cAnd we\u2019re bringing them along to help power us authentically.\u201d<\/p>\n As True Religion nurtures these relationships, they\u2019re finding the celebrity and influencer endorsements build on themselves, and they\u2019re starting to happen organically. <\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got [actor] Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet <\/a>wearing us multiple times, and Playboi Carti<\/a> wearing us head to toe in a music video,\u201d said D\u2019Arcy. <\/p>\n D\u2019Arcy, for one, is confident the brand\u2019s celebrity-driven momentum will fuel the rapid growth of its e-commerce business and encourage customers to shop more frequently across its categories. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re really trying to build up that basket size,\u201d she said, and to extend the brand\u2019s reach to more members of a household. \u201cTo then get to a billion plus in the next three to five years would be a great feather in our cap.\u201d<\/p>\n CO\u2014 aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.<\/p>\n CO\u2014is committed to helping you start, run and grow your small business. Learn more about the benefits of small business membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, <\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\nWhy it matters: <\/h3>\n
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\nin 2023. \u201cThat symbol on the products just makes you feel like you spent a little bit more money than the next person.\u201d <\/p>\n
\npurchased a controlling stake in True Religion in partnership with SB360 Capital Partners<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n True Religion\u2019s current growth strategy harkens back to its roots, when the brand landed at the center of music and sports.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\nAfter two bankruptcies, the brand brought back its logos and zeroed in on declining women\u2019s sales<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nBrand campaigns match cultural icons and touchpoints to authentically attract more Gen Z buyers<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nDenim brands are relying on nostalgia to attract new customers<\/h2>\n