# True Religion

> True Religion is a Los Angeles-born premium denim and lifestyle brand founded in 2002, known for its signature Super T stitch, thick contrast stitching and the horseshoe logo that came to define 2000s denim. After two bankruptcies and a broad reset, the company has rebuilt itself as an omnichannel retailer with a fast-growing e-commerce arm, roughly 50+ branded stores and a marketing playbook that blends hip-hop culture, celebrity campaigns and Gen Z nostalgia. In January 2025 ACON Investments, with strategic partner SB360, acquired a controlling stake in the brand.

- **Founded:** 2002
- **Headquarters:** El Segundo, California, United States
- **Founders:** Jeff Lubell (Co-Founder (former CEO / Chief Creative Officer)), Kym Gold (Co-Founder)
- **Team size:** ~1,500 employees
- **Products:** Premium Denim Jeans, Super T Stitch Collection, Horseshoe Logo Apparel, Footwear (licensed), Accessories & Lifestyle
- **Notable:** Became one of the defining premium denim brands of the 2000s and early 2010s., Recorded first annual profit of $4.2M in net income in 2004, shortly after founding., Acquired by TowerBrook Capital Partners in 2013 for approximately $835 million, a 152% premium to shareholders.

## Products & services

- **Premium Denim Jeans** — Signature men's and women's jeans built on the brand's five-pocket reengineering, thick contrast stitching and the Super T stitch; fits include the classic Ricky, Billy, Joey and modern relaxed silhouettes.
- **Super T Stitch Collection** — Denim and apparel showcasing the signature Super T - a two-stitch-per-inch, five-needle thread process that produces the brand's oversized visible seams.
- **Horseshoe Logo Apparel** — T-shirts, hoodies, hats and accessories carrying the iconic horseshoe logo, a core driver of the brand's logo-forward, streetwear-influenced identity.
- **Footwear (licensed)** — Branded footwear produced through a licensing deal signed with Orly Corporation, extending the brand into new categories.
- **Accessories & Lifestyle** — Bags, hats and accessories that round out True Religion as a head-to-toe lifestyle offering across retail, wholesale and e-commerce.

## Achievements

- Became one of the defining premium denim brands of the 2000s and early 2010s.
- Recorded first annual profit of $4.2M in net income in 2004, shortly after founding.
- Acquired by TowerBrook Capital Partners in 2013 for approximately $835 million, a 152% premium to shareholders.
- Built a global footprint selling in ~900 boutiques across 50 countries at its peak.
- Engineered a full brand revival, reaching double-digit sales growth and a fast-growing e-commerce business.
- Acquired by ACON Investments in January 2025 as an 'iconic lifestyle brand'.

## Latest updates

- **2026-03** — Launched Spring 2026 'MAKE IT TRUE' campaign reuniting with Megan Thee Stallion and debuting Key Glock, tied to festival season.
- **2025-01** — ACON Investments, with strategic partner SB360, acquired a controlling stake in True Religion; CEO Michael Buckley retained as minority shareholder.
- **2024-11** — Debuted holiday campaign 'Where Holiday Wishes Come True' starring Megan Thee Stallion with Y2K-inspired horseshoe pieces.
- **2024-01** — Signed a footwear licensing deal with Orly Corporation to expand into new product categories.
- **2023-07** — Named Kristen D'Arcy as its first-ever Chief Marketing Officer, later expanding her role to Head of Digital Growth.

## Links

- Website: https://truereligion.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/true-religion
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/TrueReligion
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TrueReligionBrand
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truereligion
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/truereligion
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@truereligion

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/true-religion
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-25