Eric Jennings
Brand and marketing executive with 20+ years of experience modernizing global heritage and growth-stage consumer businesses across fashion, lifestyle, hospitality, and retail. I operate at the intersection of brand, customer experience, creative team leadership, and go-to-market strategy — helping leadership teams turn creative work into commercial impact. I put a premium on the human side of brand-building — judgment, taste, and how teams show up with customers. My career was built inside Saks Fifth Avenue, Peerless Clothing, Hickey Freeman, Hugo Boss, and Giorgio Armani. At Saks, I served as VP, Fashion Director for menswear, home, and beauty within a $685M global luxury division. At Peerless — North America's leading tailored clothing producer — I led brand marketing and creative team for a global licensed portfolio of 25+ brands, including Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Michael Kors, reengineering campaigns, packaging, and content production with an eight-person team. Earlier, as Global Brand Director at Hickey Freeman, I led a $10M global wholesale and e-commerce business and rebuilt the brand's marketing, visuals, and digital voice. Today, as Chief Brand Officer (Advisory) through Eric Jennings Creative, I work with CEOs, founders, and ownership teams on brand modernization for heritage retail and growth-stage consumer and lifestyle brands — including Century 21, City Nights Hospitality, and Castelfalfi (a luxury Italian resort). Work spans positioning, identity systems, customer experience, integrated campaigns, partnerships, and emerging search visibility (SEO, AEO, GEO) — aligning brand, product, marketing, and CX so that growth and complexity strengthen the brand rather than dilute it. I use AI as an operating capability, not a gimmick. I first introduced AI-generated content into a tailored apparel operation during COVID-19 to maintain output and reduce cost when traditional shoots were impossible, and now deploy AI across brand strategy, creative development, content workflows, and insight — compressing timelines and extending the reach of lean teams. Recent work includes AI-enabled campaign production and AI search optimization that improved discoverability, lead quality, and cost efficiency. I'm at my best in inflection-point environments — growth, reinvention, or complexity — where brand clarity, creative team leadership, and customer experience determine long-term value. Certifications: Generative AI Strategic Leader (Vanderbilt University); Branding, CX & Marketing Strategy (UVA Darden and IE Business School).
As the founder of Eric Jennings Creative, I serve as Chief Brand Officer to clients across fashion, lifestyle, and hospitality—providing strategic leadership typically associated with in-house executive roles. I lead cross-functional brand development projects that blend strategy, creative direction, CX design, and AI-enhanced storytelling to drive measurable results across customer-facing and corporate platforms. Selected engagements: - Century 21 (Rebrand): Directed company-wide rebranding initiative in collaboration with executive ownership; authored a 43-page brand guideline covering tone, logo, values, and employee experience. - Digital Magazine Launch: Selected by a former Saks C-suite leader to serve as Editor in Chief for a digital lifestyle magazine and e-commerce platform, overseeing editorial direction and content across fashion, food, travel, and culture. - City Night Hospitality: Grew total social reach by over 300% in three months through a targeted content strategy for three luxury venues in New York City. - Luxury Resort in Tuscany: Developed retail and private label strategies for a high-end hotel and golf destination, curating apparel, home, and gifting collections that increased transaction value and brand appeal. - MR Magazine: Contributed editorial features on menswear trends and brand innovation, positioning the publication as a leading voice in retail strategy and product storytelling.
Reported to the President and led a creative team of eight across design, photography, PR, and digital. Oversaw marketing strategy, visual identity, and packaging innovation for North America’s largest tailored clothing and outerwear manufacturer, managing 25 licensed brands including Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger. Key accomplishments: - Times Square Campaigns: Produced trail-blazing campaigns for Macy’s flagship store, with assets featured in Times Square, GQ, WSJ Magazine, and The New York Times. - Photo Direction: Art-directed national photo shoots featured on video billboards with a daily effective circulation of 1.5 million people. - COVID Response: Maintained business continuity during the pandemic through AI-generated visuals, remote photoshoots, and strategic B2B campaigns. - Brand Identity: Authored the company’s first brand book, codifying voice, visual standards, and positioning for internal and external stakeholders. - Packaging Innovation: Led data-informed redesigns for Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren packaging, increasing perceived value and alignment with customer insights.
Led the fashion direction of $685M business unit (menswear, home, and beauty) with a focus on trend curation, experiential retail, and customer experience innovation. Partnered with senior leadership to create brand-defining campaigns, private label collections, and cultural partnerships that resonated across channels and generations. Key accomplishments: - Private Label Leadership: Launched Saks' first comprehensive private label menswear brand, scaling it to $35M in revenue within three years. - Omni-channel Innovation: Directed cross-channel campaigns including Empire TV partnership, NBA All-Star collaboration, and the launch of a 16,000 sq. ft. wellness floor in NYC. - Creative Vision: Shaped seasonal messaging and visual storytelling across digital, in-store, and print channels in partnership with internal creative and merchant teams. - Partnership Expansion: Forged a multimillion-dollar alliance with the Italian Trade Agency, amplifying global brand reach through influencer, artist, and trade event activations. - Trend Leadership: Discovered emerging designers globally and collaborated with buyers to bring curated collections to Saks stores nationwide.
Reporting to the president, I led the launch of a new contemporary sub-brand for this historic menswear label. Oversaw all aspects of brand development including retail, wholesale, e-commerce, and marketing, while managing a $10M business unit and cross-functional team of 6. Key accomplishments: - Opened and managed the brand’s first-ever flagship store in SoHo; drove $4M in first-year sales. - Expanded wholesale distribution to Europe and Japan while revamping digital presence and visual merchandising. - Directed product development, brand voice, and creative direction to differentiate the sub-brand in a crowded premium market.
Promoted into national sales leadership after advancing through merchandise and account roles. Led wholesale business development and merchandising strategy for department and specialty stores across North America. Key accomplishments: - Doubled U.S. sales of the HUGO line through exclusive product development with headquarters in Germany. - Directed sell-in and sell-thru strategies, retail presentations, and client education to improve market penetration. - Built key relationships with top retailers and collaborated closely with merchandising and marketing teams on product assortments.
Managed key accounts and regional partnerships across luxury retailers, advancing from customer service to account leadership. Drove sell-thru performance, product training, and in-store presentation standards. Key accomplishments: - Led store strategy and training to improve full-price sell-through at high-volume locations. - Worked cross-functionally with finance, customer service, and logistics to ensure timely deliveries and smooth account performance.
Promoted from sales to management within Nordstrom’s Façonnable boutique in NYC. Recognized nationally for outstanding sales and client service. Key accomplishments: - Earned Nordstrom’s Corporate Pacesetter award for top national sales performance. - Delivered consistently high client satisfaction in a luxury, commission-based environment.
I loved working with Eric. He is super creative and understands the practical side of doing business. Eric's taste level is unmatched and his industry connections are a huge advantage for marketing and PR.