True Religion has entered a partnership with partner Aurorae Group, owner of EVISU Group to expand its presence in China, according to a press release.
“Expansion into the Chinese market has been on our roadmap for the past several years, so we are very excited about our partnership with the fantastic team at Aurorae Group,” Michael Buckley, CEO, True Religion, said. “The right partner is key to success in China, and Aurorae’s proven local market expertise will enable us to successfully grow True Religion’s presence throughout mainland China as well as in Hong Kong and Macau.”
The American denim and sportswear brand confirmed plans to open a mix of 65 freestanding stores and shop-in-shops by 2026, bringing the total in the region to 108 by 2028.
The brand will also expand its e-commerce offerings in the region, with launches coming up on Tmall.com, JD.com, Douyin.com and Dewu.com. Despite the global expansion efforts, True Religion’s direct-to-consumer e-commerce business will continue to prioritize growth in key markets, such as North America.
According to a recent report, the Chinese market is projected to make up 10% of True Religion’s global brand volume by 2026.
“We are enthusiastic about this partnership,” David Pun, chairman and CEO, EVISU Group, said. “We are looking forward to introducing True Religion to a new wave of Chinese consumers and leveraging our comprehensive relationships and extensive retail networks in Asia to bring the brand to unprecedented new heights.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Aurorae Group will serve as the exclusive distributor in China for True Religion, and will retain rights to sell the brand's full set of accessories, including core denim, heritage products and collaboration collections.
“True Religion’s classic signatures—its iconic stitch, horseshoe logo and man with guitar—will be available throughout the collection,” a recent press release stated. “Under license, it will also develop product across men’s, women’s, kids apparel and accessories specifically designed for the Chinese market, and collaborate with locally important partners and talents.”