True Religion steps into China

US denim and sportswear brand True Religion is making its first foray into China.

The company has struck a deal with partner Aurorae Group, the owner of EVISU Group, to open a mix of 65 freestanding stores and shop-in-shops by 2026, with an aim to grow the brand’s store estate to 108 by 2028.

True Religion said it expects the Chinese market to represent 10 percent of True Religion’s global brand volume by 2026.

“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,” True Religion CEO Michael Buckley said in a statement.

“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,” he said.

The company described the expansion as a “significant milestone in its journey to increase the brand’s global footprint”.

The partnership will also span e-commerce. “Tmall.com, JD.com, Douyin.com, and Dewu.com, among others, will soon offer True Religion merchandise,” the company said.

“True Religion’s own direct-to-consumer ecommerce business will continue to focus on key markets, specifically growing North America,” it said.