Brand development and licensing
Purchases brands in the sports, celebrity and fashion categories and licenses the intellectual property to leading retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers worldwide. Acquired Juicy Couture in 2013, Tretorn in 2015 and Nautica and Nine West in 2018. Bought Van Heusen, Arrow and Izod from PVH, and Reebok from Adidas in 2021. Acquired Ted Baker in 2022, Boardriders and Rockport in 2023, and Sperry and Champion in 2024. Private equity firms BlackRock, CVC and HPS own significant stakes.
Authentic Brands Group LLC
USA
BlackRock Inc
owns 30% of Authentic Brands Group LLC
USA
Asset management
World's largest asset manager, with about $7 trillion in assets under management.
Company Assessment
(Last updated Aug 2024)
Praise
Criticism
Information
Authentic Brands Group LLC
Praise
Criticism
Information
0/100 in What Fuels Fashion?
What Fuels Fashion? is a single-issue, special edition of the Fashion Transparency Index. The 2024 report ranked 250 of the world's largest fashion brands and retailers according to their level of disclosure on climate and energy-related data in their own operations and supply chains. Brands owned by this company scored 0%. The average score was 18% and the highest score was 75%.
Source: Fashion Revolution
(2024)
Forced labour in China
The Chinese government has facilitated the mass transfer of Uyghur and other ethnic minority citizens from the far west region of Xinjiang to factories across the country. Under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour, Uyghurs are working in factories that are in the supply chains of international brands, including brands owned by this company.
Source: ITUC
(2020)
Part owned by BlackRock, which has criticisms
In 2019 US private equity giant BlackRock bought roughly a 30% stake in this company. BlackRock has several criticisms and an overall Shop Ethical rating of 'F'.
Source: Shop Ethical
(2019)
Company Details
Type:
Private company
Revenue:
489 million USD
(2020)
Subsidiaries:
Reebok
Sportswear
Global athletic footwear and apparel company founded in 1958. Acquired by Adidas in 2005, who sold it to Authentic Brands Group in 2021.
Volcom Inc
Boardsport clothing and footwear
Founded by Richard Woolcott and Tucker Hall in 1991. Designer, marketer and distributor of action sports apparel and accessories for young men and women. Acquired by Authentic Brands Group in 2019.
Boardriders Inc
Surfwear and youth clothing
Established in Torquay, Australia in 1969, but now based in California, USA. Formerly Quiksilver Inc, the company changed its name to Boardriders Inc in May 2017, and in 2019 it bought struggling Australian surfwear giant Billabong for $200m. Controlled by Oaktree Capital from 2015 until 2023, when Blackrock-controlled Authentic Brands Group took over ownership. Operates over 700 stores in over 30 countries.
Billabong International Ltd
Surfwear
Founded on Australia's Gold Coast in 1973. After years of struggling financially, in 2013 Billabong was acquired by Quiksilver owner Oaktree Capital. Part of Blackrock-controlled Authentic Brands Group since 2023.
Quiksilver Australia Pty Ltd
Youth clothing
Quiksilver was established in Torquay, Australia in 1970. Now based in USA.
Ted Baker plc
Clothing retail
London-based fashion retailer founded in Scotland in 1988 and acquired by Authentic Brands Group in 2022.
Rockport Group
Shoe manufacturer
Founded in 1971 and acquired by Reebok in 1986, which became a part of Adidas in 2005. Adidas sold the Rockport business in 2015, and then in 2018 Rockport filed for bankruptcy and was acquired by Charlesbank Capital Partners. Filed for bankruptcy again in 2023 and was subsequently bought by Authentic Brands Group.
SPARC Group LLC
(33% owned)
Retail
Joint venture between Simon Property Group, a retail real estate company and Authentic Brands Group, a brand development company. SPARC stands for Simon Property Authentic Retail Concepts. In 2023 Chinese fast fashion company Shein bought a 33% stake.
Eddie Bauer LLC
Clothing retail
Acquired in 2021 by SPARC Group, a joint venture between Simon Property Group and Authentic Brands Group.
Forever 21 Inc
Youth fashion
Founded in California in 1984 by CEO Don Chang and his wife. About 60% of its apparel is manufactured in China. Operates about 500 retail stores around the world. Filed for bankruptcy in 2019 and acquired by Authentic Brands Group, Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners in 2020. Forever 21 entered Australia in 2014, but left in 2017.
Contact Details
Products / Brands
Authentic Brands Group
Airwalk
Skate Shoes
Arrow
Mens Business Shirts
Geoffrey Beene
Mens Business Shirts
Izod
Sportswear
Juicy Couture
Womens Fashion
Sperry
Sports Shoes
Sperry
Mens Shoes
Sperry
Womens Shoes
Tretorn
Mens Shoes
Tretorn
Womens Shoes
Van Heusen
Menswear (formal)
Van Heusen
Mens Business Shirts
Vision Street Wear
Snow/Skate/Surfwear
Volcom
Snow/Skate/Surfwear
Billabong
Snow/Skate/Surfwear
Billabong
Thongs/Sandals
Billabong
Swimwear
DC
Skate Shoes
Element
Snow/Skate/Surfwear
Element
Skate Shoes
Kustom
Thongs/Sandals
Kustom
Skate Shoes
Quiksilver
Swimwear
Quiksilver
Snow/Skate/Surfwear
Quiksilver
Thongs/Sandals
Quiksilver
Menswear (casual)
Roxy
Swimwear
Roxy
Snow/Skate/Surfwear
RVCA
Snow/Skate/Surfwear
Xcel
Snow/Skate/Surfwear
Ted Baker
Womens Fashion
Ted Baker
Menswear (casual)
Rockport
Mens Shoes
Rockport
Womens Shoes
Brooks Brothers
Menswear (formal)
Nautica
Outdoor Wear
Lucky Brand
Denim
Eddie Bauer
Outdoor Wear
Forever 21
Youth Fashion
Other related products
Brand Collective
/ Authentic Brands Group
(brand owner)
Nine West Australia
/ Authentic Brands Group
(brand owner)
Nine West
Womens Shoes
Elizabeth Arden Australia
/ Authentic Brands Group
(brand owner)
Juicy Couture
Fragrances
Nine West
Womens Shoes
Juicy Couture
Fragrances