Global brand development and licensing platform Authentic Brands Group has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling ownership interest in substantially all of the intellectual property of American clothing company Guess?.

This acquisition marks another significant milestone for Authentic. With approximately $6 billion in global retail-equivalent sales, Guess? will become Authentic’s second-largest brand, bringing its portfolio-wide annual retail sales to $38 billion globally.

Under the transaction structure, Authentic will own a 51% stake in a newly formed entity that will own and license substantially all of Guess?’s intellectual property and assume the vast majority of Guess?’s product licensing agreements. The remaining 49% of this entity will be owned by Guess? Co-Founders Maurice and Paul Marciano, Nicolai Marciano and Guess? CEO Carlos Alberini.

The Guess? operating entity and its subsidiaries will be taken private and be wholly owned by the current management team. The operating company will continue under its existing leadership and structure, preserving the strong teams and global platform behind its success.

Authentic plans to leverage its global brand platform and partner network to expand Guess? into new categories and territories, while reactivating its legendary archives. 

For more information, visit authentic.com.