True Religion Apparel Inc. is expanding.
The Gardena-based denim and accessories brand is open new stores this fall in India, Indonesia, the Philippines and South Africa.
Other recent new markets for the brand include South Korea, Lebanon and Qatar in the Middle East, bringing the company’s total number of markets outside the U.S. to 26.
The new stores to open this fall are in Mumbai, Jakarta, Manila and Johannesburg. There will be additional stores to follow in the spring in Shanghai, Beijing and Seoul.
Michael Buckley, chief executive of True Religion, said that expansion into high-growth markets, anchored by expansion into China, remains a key strategy.
“We are excited to work with our partners in these dynamic regions and are committed to delivering a premium brand experience to True Religion shoppers across the globe,” Buckley said.
Store formats will vary by market, from dedicated boutiques ranging in size from 1,000 to 1,500 square feet to shop-in-shops. All stores will carry True Religion’s core collections for men and women along with key items and a locally curated selection to appeal to specific markets.
In March, the company announced its expansion into China with partner Aurorae Group.
Aurorae Group will have the right to sell the full range of True Religion’s product assortment, including core denim, heritage products, and collaboration collections, according to the company. The group will also develop product across men’s, women’s and youth apparel and accessories specifically designed for the Chinese market.
The Asian company serves as an exclusive distributor to Globetrotter and Off-White brands and owns premium denim label Evisu Group Ltd., based in Hong Kong.
Evisu Chief Executive David Pun said that the brand was enthusiastic about the partnership.
“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,” Pun said in a statement.
Plans are underway to open a mix of 65 freestanding Chinese stores and shop-in-shops by 2026, growing to a total of 108 by 2028. The Chinese market is expected to represent 10% of True Religion’s global brand volume by 2026.
In addition to physical retail, the partnership also expands True Religion’s ecommerce presence in the region. Tmall.com, JD.com, Douyin.com and Dewu.com, among others, are now offering True Religion merchandise.
“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,” Buckley 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.”
Launched in Los Angeles in 2002 by Jeff Lubell and his then-wife Kym Gold, True Religion is known for its stitched denim that was originally crafted from rebuilt sewing machines engineered to support the brand’s innovative construction and design.
