In episode 472 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Kristen D'Arcy, chief marketing officer of True Religion, a global lifestyle, apparel and accessories brand that focuses on producing high-quality denim and sportswear for men, women and kids. Listen in as D'Arcy provides insight into her career journey in retail that lead her to joining True Religion (1:00), the value of leaning into various types of brand partnerships for growth (1:55), and evaluating those connections for success (6:00). She discusses the brand's recent holiday campaign, Where Holiday Wishes Come True, starring Megan Thee Stallion and Hunxho (11:10).

Furthermore, D'Arcy talks about how True Religion's new influencer network, Team True, fits into its marketing strategy (14:25) and how the retailer's growing store footprint helps drive seamless engagement across all its sales channels (18:35). Lastly, she shares the growth opportunities for True Religion that she's most excited about in 2025 (21:40).

Kristen D’Arcy is a results-oriented global marketing leader with proven success in developing integrated programs that drive return on investment. 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 e-commerce and digital media at Oscar de la Renta before joining Coty Inc., where she rose to become global head of content and innovation. D'Arcy 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 direct-to-consumer sales by 80 percent.

With a specialty in the luxury, fashion and beauty industries, D'Arcy's 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 omnichannel, global brand marketing campaigns with influencers and celebrities, which have driven business growth and consumer engagement. D'Arcy's 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.