Authentic Brands Group has purchased Guess for an undisclosed amount, making it the second-largest brand in Authentic’s portfolio behind Reebok. The deal pushes the holding group’s total annual retail sales to $38 billion.

Under the agreement, Authentic will own 51% of Guess’s intellectual property. The remaining 49% of the IP, along with 100% of the company’s operations, will be held by Guess co-founders Paul and Maurice Marciano, Nicolai Marciano, and CEO Carlos Alberini. Leadership at Guess is expected to remain unchanged. The transaction will take the global fashion label, which first went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1996, back into private ownership.

Authentic’s founder and CEO, Jamie Salter, is confident his company can grow Guess into a $10 billion business. Guess reported revenue of $3 billion in 2025, an 8% increase from the previous year.

“I’m very confident that this brand is way undervalued,” Salter says. “It’s going to take some time, but I believe we can get there.”

Paul Marciano, Guess’s co-founder and chief creative officer, notes that the market has shifted dramatically since the company went public three decades ago. “In the ’90s, it was a different story than in 2026. You lose the perception of the brand’s value. After what we’ve built, it’s not fair, it’s not right, and we have no obligation to stay public,” he says. Previous attempts to sell the company didn’t progress. “So many people have tried to buy the company, refinance it with private equity—blah, blah, blah. Nothing works. We wanted to protect our independence and freedom and not pile debt onto the company.”

Then he met Jamie Salter.

“The light went on. Oh my gosh. What are we going to do together? He’s an animal. He’s a beast. His mind runs 1,000 miles an hour. You have to tell him to slow down. What he built in 15 years is unreal,” Marciano says. “He has knowledge of things I don’t know at all, like entertainment, sport, hospitality. What I know is product, licensing, partnerships. When you put that together, you see the potential.”

Marciano adds that in recent years, he watched Authentic’s direction evolve as it brought in “real, up and running” brands like Reebok and Champion, which drew him in.

Authentic owns a collection of well-known fashion companies past their peak, such as JCPenney, Barneys, Nine West, Billabong, Brooks Brothers, Forever 21, Roxy, Lucky Brand, and Eddie Bauer. Its business model involves acquiring once-popular but now-stagnant brands and revitalizing them through licensing deals that often extend far beyond merchandise into hospitality, entertainment, residences, and sports. A shared platform model helps drive marketing campaigns, category launches, and international expansion. “People love nostalgic brands,” Salter says.

When considering acquisitions, Salter says the top priority is global name recognition with room to grow across categories and markets. “That’s the most important part,” he explains. “Then we look at the archives. Does this brand have serious staying power? Guess, Reebok, Champion—all are legacy great brands with great archives. Today, brands need a heartbeat. That’s critical. We’re bringing Guess back to the younger generation, and we’ll do that on a big scale.”

Both Salter and Marciano see growth opportunities for Guess in markets like India, Brazil, and China, as well as through new licensing agreements in categories such as fragrance. Guess itself is looking at further acquisitions after buying Rag & Bone last year. As for Authentic, Salter says another acquisition announcement will follow this one.

“We’re big believers in the fashion business,” Salter says. “You have to invest in these brands. That’s why the model works.”

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Authentic Brands Groups purchase of Guess designed to answer questions from basic to more advanced

Basic Questions What Happened

1 Did Authentic Brands Group buy the entire Guess company
No ABG purchased the intellectual property rights for the Guess brand in China and several other Asian markets from the brands cofounder the Marciano family Guess Inc still owns and operates the brand everywhere else in the world

2 So who owns Guess now
Its split Guess Inc still owns the Guess brand globally Authentic Brands Group now owns the rights to license and manage the Guess brand specifically within mainland China Taiwan Hong Kong and Macau

3 Why would ABG only buy the rights for China
The Marciano family personally owned these specific regional rights This deal allowed them to cash out on their stake in that highgrowth market while ABG a licensing expert can now focus on expanding Guesss presence and product categories in Asia

4 When did this deal happen
The deal was officially announced and completed in December 2023

Impact on Consumers Products

5 Will Guess stores in the US or Europe close because of this
No This deal does not directly affect Guess stores in North America Europe or most other regions Those are still operated by Guess Inc

6 Will the clothes and quality change in my local Guess store
For customers outside of the licensed Asian territories nothing will change Your local stores and products will continue to be run and designed by Guess Inc

7 I live in China Will I notice a difference shopping at Guess
Possibly but not immediately Over time ABG may introduce new product categories collaborate with different manufacturers or adjust marketing strategies The core brand identity will remain but the assortment and store experience may evolve under ABGs management

8 Where will my Guess product be made now
The manufacturing location isnt determined by who owns the brand rights Both Guess Inc and ABG will source production from global manufacturers as