Pacsun's CEO breaks down the company's winning strategy to target Gen Z

6 hours ago 7

From the mall to the Met

Inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Great Hall, a violinist played gently in the background. The famous columns were uplit orange, and cocktail tables were covered with magenta peonies for the launch of Pacsun CEO Brieane Olson's new book, "Co Created: The Cultural Strategy That Redefined Pacsun."

I'll be the first to admit that this artsy scene didn't feel like it matched the Pacsun I grew up on with its casual coastal offerings. But the Pacsun of yesteryear is a lot different from what the brand is doing today, Olson said Thursday night to hundreds of dinner guests.

Today, the legacy millennial brand is speaking directly to Gen Z in hopes to "inspire the next generation and build community to create a better world at the intersection of sport, music, art, and passion," the CEO said.

It's not an easy feat, and Olson knows it. "When we share this with people, often, it's met with a lot of resistance because people say that's a really lofty goal," she added.

Still, the strategy that Olson spoke about, which is outlined in "Co Created," isn't a theory. Pacsun has been practicing it for years — with partnerships with Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty, Formula 1, and even Roc Nation.

And it appears to be paying off. Pacsun is closing in on $1 billion in annual sales in 2025, with revenue growing about 10% each year for the past two years. The company is also in expansion mode, opening new stores across the US and preparing to launch its first international location in Dubai next year.

In a space where many brands are still relying on influencers to speak directly to consumers, it stood out to me that Olson instead spoke largely about community, and how she's relying on Gen Z consumers "to build the next version of Pacsun with us."

Joi-Marie McKenzie is the editor in chief of the Life team at Business Insider, overseeing entertainment, real estate, lifestyle, health, parenting, and relationships coverage.Previously, she worked for nearly a decade in network news at NBC and ABC, along with Good Morning America, where she earned an Emmy Award. McKenzie was also a senior entertainment editor at Essence magazine and deputy editor of entertainment at Insider.While serving as deputy editor of entertainment at Insider (now known as Business Insider), McKenzie earned several journalism awards and recognition from the Los Angeles Press Club, GLAAD Media Awards, along with the National Magazine Awards. She was also nominated for the editor executive of the year in 2022 by the Drum Awards.The fifth-generation writer and editor has moderated conversations with A-list celebrities for The Paley Center for Media, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, and Barnes and Noble in New York City.McKenzie has written two books, both released by Hachette. Her first was a critically-acclaimed memoir titled "The Engagement Game," and she also wrote "The Pursuit of Porsha," the memoir of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Porsha Williams.McKenzie also sits on the board of Color Vision, an organization that helps, educates, and informs women of color in creative fields.Email her at [email protected].