Authentic Brands Group

Corporate brand

A global brand-management and intellectual-property platform that acquires, develops, and licenses fashion, sports, lifestyle, media, entertainment, and celebrity brands.

Last updated November 3, 2026

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Overview

Authentic Brands Group, commonly known as Authentic or ABG, is an American brand-management company headquartered in New York City. Founded in 2010 by Jamie Salter, the company built its business around acquiring recognizable consumer brands and monetizing their intellectual property through a network of operating, retail, manufacturing, media, and licensing partners. Rather than operating every brand through a single vertically integrated retail organization, Authentic generally separates ownership of brand assets from day-to-day commercial operations. This model allows it to place different labels with specialized partners across categories and territories while retaining control over trademarks, design direction, marketing standards, and broader brand strategy. The company began with consumer and action-sports names including Silver Star and Tapout and soon expanded into celebrity estates and likeness rights. Its acquisitions and partnerships have included the rights associated with Marilyn Monroe, Muhammad Ali, Elvis Presley, Shaquille O'Neal, Julius Erving, David Beckham, and other public figures. These holdings broadened Authentic's scope beyond apparel into entertainment, cultural licensing, media, and experiential marketing. During the 2010s, Authentic acquired or obtained interests in brands such as Juicy Couture, Aéropostale, Nautica, Nine West, Volcom, Sports Illustrated, and Camuto-related labels. It also became involved in the ownership and licensing of major athletic and lifestyle names. The group expanded particularly quickly after 2020, acquiring or partnering around Brooks Brothers, the PVH heritage brands Izod, Van Heusen, Arrow, and Geoffrey Beene, Reebok, Boardriders' surf and action-sports portfolio, Sperry, Champion, and Dockers. The portfolio has therefore covered footwear, sportswear, denim, fashion, outdoor and surf products, publishing, media, and celebrity-led businesses. Authentic's commercial approach is often described as an asset-light or platform model. It owns trademarks and related intellectual property, appoints operating partners, licenses products and stores, and uses marketing, content, and events to maintain relevance. This can preserve a brand's global reach while reducing the capital required for direct manufacturing and retail ownership. It can also produce a complex structure in which different partners operate separate categories or geographic markets under the same brand. The company has attracted substantial private-equity investment. In 2021, it withdrew a proposed public offering after selling private equity to investors including CVC Capital Partners and HPS Investment Partners at a reported valuation of approximately $12.7 billion. Because Authentic is privately held, detailed consolidated financial information is not consistently publicly available. Its growth has nevertheless made it one of the most prominent owners and licensors of established consumer brands. Jamie Salter served as founder and chief executive for much of the company's development and later became executive chairman, while Matt Maddox became president and chief executive officer. Authentic remains an active consolidator and brand platform operating across global consumer markets.

History

Authentic Brands Group was established in 2010 by Jamie Salter after his earlier work in consumer-brand acquisition and restructuring. The initial business was backed by Leonard Green & Partners, which invested $250 million. Authentic's early strategy was to purchase recognizable names and build value through licensing, partnerships, and selective operating control rather than relying exclusively on owned factories or a large directly operated retail estate. Silver Star and Tapout were among its early major brand acquisitions, followed in 2011 by rights associated with Marilyn Monroe. The company broadened its portfolio rapidly during the 2010s. It acquired Juicy Couture in 2013 and added interests in the Muhammad Ali estate and Elvis Presley Enterprises later that year. Celebrity and athlete rights became an important extension of its brand model, with agreements involving Shaquille O'Neal in 2015 and Julius Erving in 2016. Authentic also participated in the purchase of Aéropostale out of bankruptcy and became the controlling partner in Greg Norman's consumer-products business. From 2018 onward, Authentic added a sequence of fashion, footwear, and media properties. Nautica was acquired from VF Corporation, while the company purchased the intellectual property of Nine West and acquired a majority interest in Camuto Group proprietary brands with DSW. In 2019, it bought Volcom from Kering and acquired Sports Illustrated from Meredith. The Sports Illustrated transaction illustrated Authentic's broader interest in trademarks and content: publishing and editorial activity could be licensed to specialist media operators while Authentic retained the underlying brand rights. In 2020, Authentic and 101 Studios formed Sports Illustrated Studios to develop film and television projects based on the magazine's content and archives. The COVID-19 period accelerated the restructuring of legacy retail brands. In 2020, Authentic and Simon Property Group acquired Brooks Brothers, with a commitment to maintain a substantial reduced store network. In 2021, Authentic acquired the heritage labels Izod, Van Heusen, Arrow, and Geoffrey Beene from PVH and agreed to buy Reebok from Adidas. The company filed for an IPO in 2021 but withdrew the offering later that year, choosing private financing that valued the business at approximately $12.7 billion according to contemporary reports. CVC Capital Partners and HPS Investment Partners were among the investors involved. Authentic continued to expand through partnerships as well as outright acquisitions. In 2022, it entered a strategic relationship with David Beckham to co-own and manage the David Beckham brand and became the largest shareholder in Studio 99, the creative company associated with Beckham. In 2023, it offered to acquire Boardriders, adding a major group of surf, skate, and action-sports brands. In 2024, it added Sperry, with Aldo operating the brand in North America, and reached an agreement to purchase Champion from Hanesbrands. The Sports Illustrated publishing relationship with The Arena Group ended in early 2024; a subsequent license with Minute Media was intended to continue the publication under a new operator. In 2025, Authentic agreed to acquire Dockers from Levi Strauss and launched Authentic Live, a division dedicated to live events and experiential activity. The company's development reflects a consistent pattern: acquire valuable intellectual property, maintain brand identity through centralized oversight, and scale products, stores, content, and experiences through regional or category-specific partners. Its portfolio spans apparel, footwear, sports, action sports, media, entertainment, and celebrity estates, making it a distinctive example of a modern multi-brand licensing platform.

2025
Authentic Live is launched
[1]Authentic Brands Groupen.wikipedia.org
Authentic created a live-events division to support in-person experiences and brand marketing.
2023
Boardriders offer expands the action-sports portfolio
[1]Authentic Brands Groupen.wikipedia.org
Authentic made a binding offer for Boardriders and its family of surf, skate, and outdoor brands.
2021
Reebok acquisition and IPO withdrawal
[1]Authentic Brands Groupen.wikipedia.org
Authentic agreed to acquire Reebok and replaced its proposed public offering with a major private-capital transaction.
2020
Brooks Brothers is acquired
[1]Authentic Brands Groupen.wikipedia.org
Authentic and Simon Property Group acquired Brooks Brothers during the retail disruption caused by the pandemic.
2019
Sports Illustrated is acquired
[1]Authentic Brands Groupen.wikipedia.org
Authentic purchased the Sports Illustrated brand and began developing licensing and media opportunities around it.
2013
Juicy Couture, Muhammad Ali, and Elvis Presley interests are added
[1]Authentic Brands Groupen.wikipedia.org
The company bought Juicy Couture and expanded into major celebrity and entertainment rights.
2011
Marilyn Monroe rights are acquired
[1]Authentic Brands Groupen.wikipedia.org
Authentic acquired rights to Marilyn Monroe's likeness and related estate interests.
2010
Authentic Brands Group is founded
[1]Authentic Brands Groupen.wikipedia.org
Jamie Salter founded Authentic after earlier experience in consumer-brand investment and restructuring.

Products and positioning

A global, acquisition-driven brand platform focused on revitalizing and scaling established consumer, sports, lifestyle, media, and celebrity properties through licensing and operating partnerships.

Business model · 2010
Brand acquisition and licensing platform
Authentic's core offering is the ownership and commercialization of consumer-brand intellectual property. It acquires trademarks, designs, archives, likeness rights, and related assets, then appoints operating partners to manufacture, distribute, retail, publish, or promote products under those names. Partners can be organized by territory, category, or channel, allowing a single brand to have different specialists handling apparel, footwear, stores, media, and international markets.
Athletic footwear and apparel
Reebok
Reebok is one of Authentic's most prominent athletic brands. Its portfolio includes training, running, fitness, lifestyle footwear, sportswear, and related accessories. Under Authentic's ownership model, commercial execution is conducted through operating and licensing partners while the group manages the broader brand platform and intellectual property.
Media and lifestyle · 1954
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is a sports-media brand whose assets include its name, editorial heritage, archives, imagery, and associated licensing opportunities. Authentic acquired the brand in 2019 and has pursued a mix of publishing, content, entertainment, merchandise, and experiential applications through external media partners and production ventures.
Fashion and apparel · 1818
Brooks Brothers
Brooks Brothers is a longstanding American clothing brand focused on menswear, womenswear, accessories, and heritage tailoring. Authentic acquired it with Simon Property Group in 2020 after the brand entered bankruptcy proceedings. The ownership structure emphasizes preserving the label's recognition while using partners and a more selective retail footprint.
Fashion and apparel · 1997
Juicy Couture
Juicy Couture is a fashion and lifestyle label known particularly for its velour tracksuits, women's apparel, accessories, and logo-driven products. Authentic acquired the brand in 2013 and manages its global growth through licensing, product partnerships, and fashion and lifestyle distribution.
Action sports
Boardriders portfolio
The Boardriders portfolio brings together surf, skate, snow, and youth-lifestyle brands including Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, RVCA, DC Shoes, Element, VonZipper, and Honolua. These labels cover apparel, footwear, equipment, eyewear, and related retail. Their shared action-sports heritage gives Authentic a substantial platform in specialist and lifestyle markets.
Celebrity licensing and entertainment · 2011
Celebrity and estate rights
Authentic manages or has managed commercial rights connected with cultural figures and athletes including Marilyn Monroe, Muhammad Ali, Elvis Presley, Shaquille O'Neal, Julius Erving, and David Beckham. These assets can support merchandise, endorsements, content, exhibitions, licensing, and other commercial uses subject to the rights held and partner agreements.

Controversies

2026
Authentic Brands Group and the Presley family sue Anthropic over alleged use of Elvis Presley music
Authentic Brands Group and the Presley family filed a lawsuit accusing Anthropic of using Elvis Presley's music without permission to train its AI. According to the article, the plaintiffs alleged that Anthropic used 274 copyrighted songs. The report describes the dispute as a controversy involving the alleged use of Presley's music in AI training.
Source

2025Authentic Live
Global
Authentic launched a live-events division intended to connect its brands with consumers through in-person events and broader experiential marketing.
Outcome. The division was presented as an expansion of Authentic's media, marketing, and consumer-engagement capabilities.
Source

Brand decisions

2024
Change Sports Illustrated publishing partnerStrategy
Background
Authentic's publishing agreement with The Arena Group ended after disputes and operational disruption surrounding the publication.
Action taken
Authentic terminated the agreement and later licensed Sports Illustrated to Minute Media.
Aftermath
The Arena Group's Sports Illustrated staff were laid off, while the new license was intended to restart publication and rehire some affected employees.
Source
2021
Withdraw proposed IPO and raise private capitalStrategy
Background
Authentic had filed for an initial public offering but continued to pursue large acquisitions and private investment.
Action taken
The company withdrew the IPO and sold private stakes to CVC Capital Partners, HPS Investment Partners, and other stakeholders.
Aftermath
The transaction reportedly valued Authentic at approximately $12.7 billion and kept it privately held.
Reported company valuation. $12.7 billion (November 2021)
Source
2021
Acquire ReebokM&A
Background
Adidas decided to divest Reebok as part of its portfolio strategy, while Authentic sought a large global sports brand.
Action taken
Authentic agreed to acquire Reebok in a transaction reported at a minimum value of $2.5 billion.
Aftermath
Reebok became a central asset in Authentic's athletic and lifestyle portfolio.
Reported transaction value. At least $2.5 billion (2021 announcement)
Source
2019
Acquire Sports IllustratedM&A
Background
Authentic sought to expand from physical consumer products into media, publishing, and sports-related intellectual property.
Action taken
It purchased Sports Illustrated from Meredith for $110 million and licensed publishing operations to external operators.
Aftermath
The brand became part of Authentic's wider media and licensing strategy, including a production venture with 101 Studios.
Purchase price. $110 million (2019)
Source

Recent events

Unconfirmed
Reported2026.10.24
Authentic Brands Group and the Presley family sue Anthropic over alleged use of Elvis Presley music[3]Authentic Brands Group and the Presley family sue Anthropic over alleged use of Elvis Presley musicvice.com
Authentic Brands Group and the Presley family filed a lawsuit accusing Anthropic of using Elvis Presley’s music without permission to train its AI. The article says they alleged Anthropic used 274 copyrighted songs.
Unconfirmed
Authentic Brands Group completes acquisition of Care Bears IP[5]Authentic Brands Group 完成对 Care Bears 知识产权的收购webwire.com
Authentic Brands Group announced the closing of its acquisition of the intellectual property of Care Bears, establishing character IP as a new vertical within its global platform.
2021.08.12
Reported2021.08.13
Adidas announces sale of Reebok to Authentic Brands Group[6]阿迪达斯宣布将锐步出售给Authentic Brands Groupfinance.sina.com.cn
Adidas announced that it would sell Reebok to Authentic Brands Group for €2.1 billion (approximately US$2.5 billion). The transaction was expected to close in the first quarter of 2022.
2021.07.06
Authentic Brands Group filed for an IPO[7]Authentic Brands Group提交首次公开募股申请jckonline.com
Authentic Brands Group filed for an initial public offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 6.
2021.06.01
Reported2021.06.01
Authentic Brands Group and SPARC complete Eddie Bauer acquisition[8]Authentic Brands Group与SPARC完成对Eddie Bauer的收购privateequityinternational.com
Authentic Brands Group and SPARC Group closed their previously announced acquisition of outdoor brand Eddie Bauer.
Unconfirmed
Reported2020.11.02
New Balance sued over Vision Racer collaboration[4]Authentic Brands Group and the Presley family sue Anthropic over alleged use of Elvis Presley musickysdc.com
Authentic Brands Group sued New Balance for $2 million, alleging copyright infringement and counterfeiting involving the Vision Racer collaboration and claiming that footwear bore designs and symbols confusingly similar to Vision trademarks. The source does not state the filing date.
Unconfirmed
Reported2020.04.30
Naked Brand Group signs five-year renewal of Frederick's of Hollywood license[9]Naked Brand Group签署Frederick's of Hollywood许可续约finanznachrichten.de
Naked Brand Group signed an amended licensing agreement with Authentic Brands Group renewing its license for Frederick's of Hollywood for an additional five-year period beginning January 1, 2021.
2020.02.21
Reported2020.02.21
Three investors announce acquisition of Forever 21 stakes[10]三方宣布收购Forever 21股份finance.sina.com.cn
Authentic Brands Group and Simon Property were reported to be acquiring 37.5% stakes each in Forever 21, while Brookfield Property was to acquire a 25% stake; the three parties were to contribute a total of $81.1 million.
Unconfirmed
Reported2020.02.20
Forever 21 acquired by three companies[11]Forever 21被三家公司收购wafb.com
A report said Authentic Brands Group, Simon Property Group Inc., and Brookfield Property Partners LP acquired Forever 21. Authentic Brands Group and Simon Property Group were to own 37.5 percent, and Brookfield Property Partners the remaining 25 percent, of the business.
2020.02.12
Reported2020.02.12
Bankruptcy court approves consortium's Forever 21 acquisition deal[12]破产法院批准财团收购Forever 21的交易fashion.sina.com.cn
A U.S. bankruptcy court approved an $81.1 million deal for a consortium comprising Simon Property Group, Authentic Brands Group and Brookfield to acquire Forever 21. The report does not say that the acquisition has been completed.

Sources14 sources

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