Welcome to the Arena from ICR – Conversations with Today's Innovators & Business Leaders Stuart Haselden, CEO, Arc'teryx – Built to Last: How authenticity strengthened Arc'teryx’s brand and customer loyalty
Summary:
You’ve heard it before: "The customer is always right." For many businesses, that’s sound advice. But for premium brands, the road to success often takes a different route. Rather than reacting to every shift in demand, it’s about staying rooted in a philosophy: delivering quality, staying authentic, and fostering relationships that stand the test of time. Today’s guest has fully embraced this approach, leveraging his brand’s strengths to set a new standard of excellence in the technical apparel market.
Stuart Haselden has been the CEO of Arc'teryx since 2021 and brings over 20 years of global experience in retail and premium brands to the company, having worked in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia for brands such as Away Travel, Lululemon, J.Crew, and Saks Fifth Avenue.
His career began in the United States Army where he served as a Cavalry Officer—a defining experience for him that has shaped his views on leadership. It was also the beginning of a lifelong love of mountain and alpine sports, as Stuart learned to ski in the Austrian Alps while stationed in Germany.
In this episode, Stuart shares how Arc'teryx has expanded its direct-to-consumer model while preserving the brand’s authenticity. He explains how a relentless focus on performance and innovation has fueled the company’s growth and set it apart in the competitive technical apparel space. Stuart also talks about the leadership strategies that have guided Arc'teryx’s evolution—and how they’re shaping its future.
Highlights:
- Background on Arc'teryx and the road to becoming a premium brand (2:43)
- Stuart's history in retail and how he was introduced to the opportunity at Arc'teryx (4:19)
- Stuart discusses Arc'teryx's position in the Amer Sports portfolio (7:18)
- Competition in the technical apparel field and what differentiates Arc'teryx (8:35)
- Stuart describes how Arc'teryx maintains its authenticity while it grows (10:17)
- How Arc'teryx evolved from a retail model to a direct-to-consumer approach (13:07)
- Current scale of the business (15:15)
- Stuart discusses future expansion opportunities (16:55)
- The senior team at Arc'teryx (18:43)
- Stuart's management style and the leadership techniques he learned from Mickey Drexler (20:37)
- Stuart's predictions for retail in 2025 (20:54)
- Arc'teryx's unique sustainability efforts (21:54)
- How Arc'teryx adapts its retail spaces when entering new communities (23:21)
Links:
Stuart Haselden on LinkedIn
Feedback:
If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.