Jim Kuerschner is a fashion, retail, and consumer brands executive known for building brands through a combination of commercial rigor, operational discipline, and a deeply customer-centered approach. With experience spanning direct-to-consumer, wholesale, and retail across men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel and accessories, he has led businesses from early-stage growth through scaled multi-channel expansion. He is currently the President of ATM Collection, where he is leading the brand’s next phase of growth following its 2024 acquisition by Steve Madden (NASDAQ: SHOO).
Jim’s leadership philosophy is grounded in the belief that strong brands are built through clarity, consistency, and trust — with teams empowered to move quickly, think critically, and stay closely connected to the customer. He is known for balancing strategic vision with hands-on operational execution, bringing equal focus to product, brand storytelling, systems, and organizational culture.
Prior to ATM, Jim served as President and Employee #1 of KULE, relaunching the business alongside founder Nikki Kule in 2015. Under his leadership, KULE evolved from an emerging label into a globally recognized lifestyle brand with a devoted customer following and a distinctive point of view. He led the company’s digital and retail expansion, opened three standalone stores, and grew wholesale distribution through partners including Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, Shopbop, and leading specialty retailers worldwide. During his tenure, company revenue grew nearly 40x while maintaining a strong emphasis on brand integrity, long-term customer relationships, and disciplined growth.
Earlier in his career, Jim managed retail operations and in-store technology initiatives for Inditex, helping lead the rollout of RFID technology across Zara stores throughout the United States and Canada. He began his career in sales and merchandising at Carolina Herrera.
In addition to his executive work, Jim mentors emerging talent through RaiseFashion and the CFDA. He is a graduate of New York University and Harvard Business School, and serves on the board of the HBS Pride Alumni Association.
He splits his time between Brooklyn and Bellport with his husband and two goldendoodles.
For consulting and media inquiries, contact jim@jkuerschner.com.
