Quince Appoints First Head of Brand Strategy and Narrative

Quince announced on Tuesday it had hired Dakota Kate Isaacs as its first head of brand strategy and narrative.

In the new position, Isaacs will be leading Quince’s global brand strategy, positioning and storytelling, and is tasked with deepening the San Francisco-based startup’s emotional relationship with consumers.

Quince has scaled rapidly since its founding in 2018, with sales having doubled to over $700 million last year. But the $4.5 billion company has struggled to shrug off its reputation as a dupe maker. Isaacs said Quince’s recent partnerships with hip-hop artist A$AP Rocky and celebrity stylist Erin Walsh signal the retailer’s ambition to become a trusted standalone destination for direct-to-consumer goods.

“When a company is deeply understood, it becomes more durable, and you’re giving people a reason to believe in something much bigger than just a product itself,” Isaacs said. “It’s all about earning trust.”

Quince, known for selling $50 cashmere sweaters, ships its products directly from factories to minimise middlemen and operating costs.

Isaacs joins Quince from Estée Lauder Companies-owned Deciem, parent company of skincare brand The Ordinary, where she served for over eight years, most recently in a three-year tenure as senior director, new global ventures. She led Deciem’s North American commercial expansion and US communications strategy.

Learn more:

Can Quince Be More Than a Dupe Brand?

New partnerships with A$AP Rocky and celebrity stylist Erin Walsh signal the retailer’s ambitions to be known for more than selling less expensive versions of other brands’ products.