Buckley Joins True Religion
True Religion is on a roll.
In December, the blue jeans maker opened its first retail store in Manhattan Beach, Calif., and pulled in approximately $500,000 in sales in the first three months.
Then, when its sales topped $100 million last year, the firm gave investors and industry watchers faith in the strength of the premium-denim market.
Now, the next big move for the Los Angeles–based company, which plans to grow its sportswear business and open more retail stores this year, is the hiring of Michael Buckley as president.
Buckley, former president and chief executive officer of British apparel company Ben Sherman, assumes the role from True Religion founder, chairman and CEO Jeff Lubell. When Buckley joins the company later this month he will be responsible for all of the company’s operations, domestic and international sales and marketing, retail expansion, e-commerce, licensing, production, manufacturing, and global sourcing. He will report to Lubell.
Buckley, a former vice president of denim maker and retailer Diesel USA Inc., has experience growing lifestyle brands and launching retail store rollouts.
“We look forward to Michael’s active involvement to help us grow the brand at retail, evaluate licensing opportunities, contribute to our product offerings, assess offshore production and oversee all day-to-day operations,” Lubell said. —Erin Barajas
