The Krupp Group is an independent, full-service fashion and lifestyle PR agency founded in 2005 by Cindy Krupp. With offices in New York City and Los Angeles, the firm specializes in public relations, influencer marketing, celebrity placement, and events for clients in fashion, lifestyle, beauty, wellness, and travel. Cindy Krupp serves as Founder and President. The firm operates as a three-agency family alongside Studio Beauty (founded 2019; beauty, health, and wellness) and 28 ROW (co-founded 2018 with Janie Karas; peer-influencer marketing for Gen Z college women). Recent work includes TUMI, Dr. Martens, ALO Yoga, Kenneth Cole, Stephanie Gottlieb, Charles Tyrwhitt, Foundrae, and Rachel Antonoff.
| Founded | 2005 by Cindy Krupp |
| Headquarters | New York, NY |
| Additional Office | Los Angeles, CA |
| Founder & President | Cindy Krupp |
| Ownership | Independent |
| Sister Agencies | Studio Beauty (2019); 28 ROW (2018) |
| Pre-founding | Cindy Krupp was VP of Public Relations at Barneys New York; previously at Bottega Veneta and Ralph Lauren |
| Specialties | Fashion, lifestyle, beauty, wellness, travel; influencer marketing, celebrity placement, VIP and celebrity dressing, events |
| Notable Clients | TUMI, Dr. Martens, ALO Yoga, Kenneth Cole, Stephanie Gottlieb, Charles Tyrwhitt, Foundrae, Rachel Antonoff, Alexis Bittar, Anita Ko, Intermix, Gilt |
| Cindy Krupp Roles | COUTURE Board; Accessories Council Board; CFDA Mentor |
| Recent Recognition | The PR Net 100 (2024); Marcomms' Most Influential (2024) — Cindy Krupp |
Overview: What The Krupp Group Does
The Krupp Group is a boutique fashion and lifestyle PR agency serving global clients from offices in New York City and Los Angeles. The firm operates an "always on" multi-pronged communications strategy combining public relations, influencer marketing, celebrity placement, and events. Founder Cindy Krupp built the agency in 2005 after rising to VP of Public Relations at Barneys New York, where she developed expertise launching high-end designer brands and working with emerging creative talent.
Why It Matters
The Krupp Group is one of the clearer examples of how an independent fashion PR firm has stayed competitive against larger agencies and holding-company rollups: by extending the founder's network into adjacent disciplines through sister agencies, rather than growing the core brand through M&A. Cindy Krupp has built a three-agency family — Krupp Group (fashion and lifestyle), Studio Beauty (beauty and wellness, launched 2019), and 28 ROW (Gen Z peer-influencer marketing, co-founded 2018 with Janie Karas) — that gives clients access to traditional PR, beauty specialization, and creator-economy capability without leaving the founder's orbit. The firm has grown primarily through industry recommendations, and Cindy Krupp's continued involvement on the COUTURE Board, the Accessories Council Board, and as a CFDA Mentor keeps the agency networked across the broader fashion industry.
The Three-Agency Model
Most independent fashion PR firms remain single-brand boutiques or sell to holding companies as they scale. Cindy Krupp built an alternative model: three sister agencies, each focused on a distinct capability, all operating under common founder ownership.
Krupp Group (2005) is the original firm — full-service fashion and lifestyle PR with capabilities in earned media, celebrity placement, VIP and celebrity dressing, and brand events. Krupp Group serves the core fashion, lifestyle, and travel categories with global clients across apparel, accessories, jewelry, and footwear. The firm operates dedicated showrooms in New York and Los Angeles for VIP and celebrity services.
28 ROW (2018) is the peer-influencer marketing agency co-founded by Cindy Krupp and Janie Karas. It addresses a category that didn't fully exist when Krupp Group launched: Gen Z college women as a discrete consumer audience reachable through their own peer networks rather than through mainstream influencer media. 28 ROW maintains its own college influencer network, operates the 28 ROW app for college women, and runs creator campaigns with brands including H&M, Elf Cosmetics, Madewell, and Waterdrop. Janie Karas leads operations.
Studio Beauty (2019) is the interdisciplinary PR agency focused on beauty, health, and wellness brands. Studio Beauty operates as a separate brand to give beauty and wellness clients dedicated category expertise. The agency has worked with Paula's Choice, Trinny London, Eva NYC, LOUM, and the Jenna Lyons brand LOVESEEN.
Together, the three agencies let Cindy Krupp's network serve a client across earned media, peer-influencer activation, and beauty-specific work without the client needing to engage three unrelated agencies. The model has grown primarily through industry recommendations rather than through M&A. The trifecta sits in a broader EPR cluster of independent lifestyle-category specialists that includes Quinn (luxury hospitality and travel) and KLG Public Relations (wine, spirits, and culinary), as well as Stagwell-backed cultural specialist Team Epiphany.
History and Ownership
Cindy Krupp founded the Krupp Group in 2005 after a multi-decade career in fashion PR. Before launching the firm, she worked at Bottega Veneta and Ralph Lauren, then rose to Vice President of Public Relations at Barneys New York. At Barneys, she developed expertise in launching high-end designer brands and working with emerging creative talent — a foundation she has carried into the Krupp Group's client work.
The firm has remained independent throughout its history and has grown primarily through industry recommendations. Cindy Krupp later co-founded 28 ROW with Janie Karas in 2018 and launched Studio Beauty in 2019.
Key Milestones
2005: Cindy Krupp founded Krupp Group in New York City.
2018: Cindy Krupp co-founded 28 ROW with Janie Karas — a peer-influencer marketing agency focused on Gen Z college women, with its own college influencer network.
2019: Cindy Krupp launched Studio Beauty, an interdisciplinary PR agency for beauty, health, and wellness brands.
2024: Cindy Krupp named to Marcomms' Most Influential list; Krupp Group named to The PR Net 100. Notable campaign work included Taylor Swift wearing a custom Stephanie Gottlieb necklace during the Super Bowl, the Kenneth Cole women's collection relaunch with Ariana DeBose, the Charles Tyrwhitt activation at a New York Yankees game, and Foundrae's LA store opening.
2025: Krupp Group celebrated 20 years.
Services
The Krupp Group delivers integrated communications across public relations, influencer marketing, digital strategy, social media, VIP and celebrity dressing, celebrity placement, and brand events. The firm operates dedicated showrooms in New York and Los Angeles for VIP and celebrity services and maintains an extensive network of celebrity contacts. Through sister agencies 28 ROW and Studio Beauty, the broader network adds Gen Z peer-influencer capability and beauty/wellness specialization.
Practice Areas
The Krupp Group's primary practice areas are fashion (the firm's foundation), lifestyle, beauty, health and wellness, and travel. The agency works across fashion brands (apparel, accessories, jewelry, footwear), lifestyle brands (home goods, hospitality, wellness products), and beauty/wellness brands. Sister agency 28 ROW focuses on Gen Z peer-influencer campaigns; Studio Beauty focuses specifically on beauty, health, and wellness PR.
Clients and Accounts
The Krupp Group's client roster has included TUMI, Dr. Martens, ALO Yoga, Kenneth Cole, Stephanie Gottlieb, Charles Tyrwhitt, Foundrae, Rachel Antonoff, Alexis Bittar, Anita Ko, Intermix, Gilt, Erica Bloom Pilates, and Mother Denim. The 2024 work for Stephanie Gottlieb — which included a custom necklace worn by Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl — generated extensive media coverage and is among the firm's most-cited celebrity visibility outcomes. Other 2024 work included the Kenneth Cole women's collection relaunch featuring Ariana DeBose, the Charles Tyrwhitt influencer activation at a New York Yankees game, and the Foundrae LA store opening.
Sister agency 28 ROW has worked with H&M, Elf Cosmetics, Madewell, and Waterdrop. Studio Beauty has worked with Paula's Choice, Trinny London, Eva NYC, LOUM, and Jenna Lyons' brand LOVESEEN.
Leadership Team and Executives
Cindy Krupp is Founder and President of The Krupp Group, Studio Beauty, and 28 ROW. She has over 20 years of experience in brand strategy and public relations. Before founding Krupp Group, she worked at Bottega Veneta and Ralph Lauren, then rose to VP of Public Relations at Barneys New York. Janie Karas (Emory University, B.S. biology and women's & gender studies, 2016) co-founded 28 ROW with Cindy Krupp and leads operations for the influencer agency. Cindy Krupp serves on the COUTURE Board and the Accessories Council Board, and is a Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Mentor — roles that connect the firm to the broader fashion industry.
Awards and Recognition
Most recent: 2024 Marcomms' Most Influential (Cindy Krupp); 2024 The PR Net 100 (Krupp Group). Cindy Krupp's industry leadership roles (COUTURE Board, Accessories Council Board, CFDA Mentor) reflect ongoing recognition across the fashion industry.
EPR Coverage
Everything-PR has covered The Krupp Group across two decades. For the full archive, see everything-pr.com/tag/krupp-group.
FAQ
Is The Krupp Group independent?
Yes. The Krupp Group has been independent throughout its 20-year history. The firm has not been acquired and has not taken outside PE investment.
Who owns The Krupp Group?
The Krupp Group is independently owned and led by founder Cindy Krupp.
What industries does The Krupp Group specialize in?
Fashion, lifestyle, beauty, health and wellness, and travel. Through sister agencies, the broader network adds Gen Z peer-influencer marketing (28 ROW) and beauty/wellness specialization (Studio Beauty).
Who is the CEO of The Krupp Group?
Cindy Krupp is Founder and President. She launched Krupp Group in 2005 after rising to VP of Public Relations at Barneys New York. She also co-founded 28 ROW (2018) and launched Studio Beauty (2019). She serves on the COUTURE Board, Accessories Council Board, and as a CFDA Mentor.
How large is The Krupp Group?
The Krupp Group operates from two offices: New York City (headquarters) and Los Angeles. With sister agencies 28 ROW and Studio Beauty, the broader network spans three brands under Cindy Krupp's leadership.
How much revenue does The Krupp Group generate?
The Krupp Group is privately held and does not publicly disclose annual revenue figures.
What notable acquisitions or mergers has The Krupp Group completed?
The Krupp Group has grown organically through industry recommendations throughout its 20-year history. The firm has not been acquired and has not made acquisitions. Cindy Krupp expanded the agency's footprint by founding sister agencies — 28 ROW (2018) and Studio Beauty (2019) — rather than through M&A.
What is 28 ROW?
28 ROW is a peer-influencer marketing agency co-founded in 2018 by Cindy Krupp and Janie Karas — operated as a sister agency to The Krupp Group under common founder ownership. 28 ROW addresses Gen Z college women as a discrete consumer audience, reaching them through their own peer networks rather than through mainstream influencer media. The agency maintains its own college influencer network, operates the 28 ROW app for college women, and runs creator campaigns with brands including H&M, Elf Cosmetics, Madewell, and Waterdrop. Janie Karas leads operations. The 28 ROW model is built around the insight that Gen Z college women trust peers in their own networks more than they trust mainstream celebrity influencers — making peer-influencer activation more effective than traditional influencer marketing for that audience.
What makes The Krupp Group different from competitors?
The Krupp Group combines two decades of fashion and lifestyle PR specialization with a three-agency family structure — Krupp Group (fashion/lifestyle), 28 ROW (Gen Z peer-influencer), and Studio Beauty (beauty/wellness) — that gives clients access to traditional PR, peer-influencer marketing, and category specialization under common founder ownership. The firm has grown primarily through industry recommendations rather than through M&A — and Cindy Krupp's continued involvement on the COUTURE Board, Accessories Council Board, and as a CFDA Mentor keeps the agency networked across the broader fashion industry.
The Krupp Group sits inside an EPR cluster of independent lifestyle and consumer-category specialists. Related profiles:
- Quinn — Luxury hospitality, travel, real estate, and wine and spirits communications. Adjacent ultra-luxury and high-end lifestyle category coverage; both firms operate in the broader luxury consumer landscape.
- KLG Public Relations — Wine, spirits, hospitality, and culinary PR specialist. Lifestyle-adjacent category with overlapping celebrity-owned brand work.
- Team Epiphany — Stagwell-backed culture-first marketing agency built around influencer and multicultural marketing. Different ownership model (acquired by Stagwell January 2024) but adjacent creator-economy and consumer-lifestyle category coverage.
- The Berman Group — NYC-headquartered independent communications firm; another long-running woman-led independent in the EPR network.
Key Takeaways
- The Krupp Group was founded in 2005 by Cindy Krupp — independent and founder-led throughout its 20-year history.
- Offices in New York City (HQ) and Los Angeles. Cindy Krupp built the firm after rising to VP of PR at Barneys New York (with prior roles at Bottega Veneta and Ralph Lauren).
- Operates a three-agency family: Krupp Group (fashion/lifestyle), 28 ROW (co-founded 2018 with Janie Karas; Gen Z peer-influencer marketing), Studio Beauty (founded 2019; beauty/wellness).
- Notable 2024 work included Taylor Swift wearing a custom Stephanie Gottlieb necklace at the Super Bowl, the Kenneth Cole women's collection relaunch with Ariana DeBose, Charles Tyrwhitt Yankees activation, and Foundrae LA store opening.
- Clients include TUMI, Dr. Martens, ALO Yoga, Kenneth Cole, Stephanie Gottlieb, Charles Tyrwhitt, Foundrae, Rachel Antonoff.
- Recent recognition: 2024 Marcomms' Most Influential (Cindy Krupp); 2024 The PR Net 100.
