In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Co-Founder Melissa Campanelli interviews Kristen D’Arcy, chief marketing officer of True Religion, sought-after jeanswear intended to influence and disrupt denim culture. Listen in as D’Arcy discusses the initiatives she’s working on in the company’s newly created chief marketer role (1:30) and True Religion’s transformation into a digital-first, consumer-centric company (7:40).

She shares how to foster buy-in from team members (11:20), her top leadership advice (15:45), and how she engages, motivates and builds relationships with her team (17:00). D’Arcy discusses how she learned resilience from Toys R Us Geoffrey the Giraffe as a child (20:25), reframing career challenges into professional growth (22:35) and key work-life integration tips (25:00). Lastly, she shares a few goals she’s setting for herself both personally and professionally this year (29:40).

D’Arcy is a results-oriented global marketing leader with proven success in developing integrated programs that drive ROI. As True Religion’s first-ever chief marketing officer, she is responsible for all aspects of marketing, including content creation, creative, brand, public relations, influencers, social media, partnerships, and philanthropy. She began her career on the agency side of the business and has worked on major accounts for Tribal DDB Worldwide and R/GA. Her first brand-side role was as senior director of marketing for Ralph Lauren. She was then named senior vice president of ecommerce and digital media at Oscar de la Renta before joining Coty Inc., where she rose to become global head of content and innovation. She joined American Eagle Outfitters, leaving as vice president, integrated marketing and media to become chief marketing officer for Pacific Sunwear. She most recently served as CMO for Homedics, where she increased the health and wellness company’s DTC sales by 80 percent.

With a specialty in the luxury, fashion and beauty industries, her expertise includes running high-performing e-commerce sites, developing strategic marketing campaigns supporting some of the largest and most well-known brands in these industries and finally, innovation, bringing disruptive, new technologies to market for brands. She has also had significant success in designing omni-channel, global brand marketing campaigns with influencers and celebrities, which have driven business growth and consumer engagement. Her work has been recognized through numerous industry accolades, such as on AdAge’s Best Marketers Under 40 and AdAge’s Top Digital Marketers lists, and on Brand Innovator’s Top 50 Women in Brand Marketing list.

Date: February 6, 2024

Credits: Kristen D'Arcy

Duration: 33:16