New York City · Fashion · Lifestyle · Retail
Brand Strategy, Marketing, Communications & Creative Direction for Fashion, Lifestyle Brands & Retail
Eric Jennings is a New York-based brand strategist, marketer, and creative director with decades of experience repositioning fashion and lifestyle brands at scale. Eric provides strategic clarity that drives executive decisions to drive growth
AS SEEN IN
NYT WSJ GQ WWD FORBES
20+
YEARS IN BRAND STRATEGY
NYC
BASED GLOBAL REACH
F/L/R
FASHION · LIFESTYLE · RETAIL
THE STRATEGIST
A strategic brand modernizer with executive authority.
Eric Jennings is a senior brand strategist and fractional CMO based in New York City, specializing in fashion, lifestyle, apparel, hospitality, and retail brands. With a career spanning legacy houses and emerging labels alike, Eric brings executive judgment to organizations that need a seasoned brand leader — without the constraints of a traditional hire.
"The brands that endure aren't the ones with the loudest voice — they're the ones with the clearest point of view."
Whether a brand is losing relevance in a crowded market, navigating a repositioning, or preparing for a high-stakes product launch, Eric's approach begins with a single question: what does this brand stand for, and who genuinely needs it? The answer shapes everything — from narrative architecture and go-to-market execution to omnichannel brand coherence and executive positioning.
His work has been recognized in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, GQ, and WWD, and spans campaigns with brands including Tallia, Hart Schaffner Marx, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Eric has operated at scale across both direct-to-consumer and wholesale environments — bringing a rare fluency between creative vision and commercial strategy.
THE APPROACH
Brand strategy is storytelling
with commercial intent
Every brand engagement begins with a diagnosis — what does the brand stand for, who needs it, and why now? From there, every decision flows: narrative, positioning, channel mix, and creative execution.
01
Diagnosis before design. Understanding why a brand is losing ground before prescribing how to reclaim it.
02
Clarity over complexity. The strongest brand positions are simple enough to say in one sentence and rich enough to build a decade of work around.
03
Strategy that travels. From digital to retail to experiential — brand coherence across every touchpoint a customer encounters.
04
Executive fluency. Built-in ability to translate creative vision into board-level rationale and organizational alignment.
Where Eric operates
A rare fluency between creative vision and commercial strategy — built over decades at the intersection of both.
I.
Brand Strategy & Repositioning
Diagnostic-first frameworks that identify why a brand is losing ground — and a clear roadmap to reclaim it.
II.
Fractional CMO Leadership
C-suite brand leadership on a flexible basis — strategy, creative oversight, and executive decision-making embedded in your team.
III.
Creative Direction & Campaigns
Art direction, campaign concepting, and omnichannel brand coherence — aligning creative output with commercial intent.
IV.
Go-To-Market Strategy
End-to-end launch planning for brands entering new markets, relaunching categories, or executing high-stakes product launches.
V.
Luxury & Lifestyle Positioning
Narrative design and positioning for premium brands in fashion, hospitality, and lifestyle — where perception is the product.
VI.
Boutique Retail Strategy
Growth strategy for physical retail concepts — from brand curation and merchandising to open-to-buy planning and experiential design.
VII.
Trend Forecasting
Seasonal trend intelligence for apparel and lifestyle brands — translating global signals into commercially viable direction.
VIII.
Executive Personal Brand
Strategic positioning and image advisory for senior leaders building executive presence and thought leadership at the C-suite level.
"
Eric is a master at driving the decision-making process, uses data vs. opinions, and advocates for testing. Definitely a measure twice — cut once project leader. If you are looking for a true business partner with a passion for excellence and not just another creative consultant, Eric is the ideal candidate.
Larry Mentzer
Chief Revenue Officer, Principal Retail Consultant
"
Eric is a pleasure to work with! He is super creative, innovative, professional and has amazing taste. Eric's connections in the marketplace and with the press help make him very effective. Eric is the rare executive who is very creative and can also operationally get stuff done.
John Tighe
President, Tailored Brands, Inc.
"
Eric is a unique individual in that he understands both the fashion part of the business and the financials and is able to distill these ideas into great presentations. He has many key contacts across the world in the fashion space and is regarded as an industry leader.
Tom Ott
Chief at Retail & Fashion Solutions