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Latham & Watkins Advises Authentic in Completed Take-Private of Guess?, Inc.
January 23, 2026
Firm represented the leading sports, media, entertainment, and lifestyle platform in the purchase of a controlling interest in the intellectual property of the contemporary apparel company.
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic), a global brand development and licensing platform, and Guess?, Inc. (NYSE: GES) have announced they have completed the transaction to take Guess? private. Authentic now owns 51% of substantially all Guess? intellectual property, and existing Guess? shareholders, Maurice Marciano, Paul Marciano, Nicolai Marciano, and Carlos Alberini and certain of their respective trusts, foundations, and affiliate, now own 49% of all Guess? intellectual property. With US$6 billion in global retail-equivalent sales, Guess? becomes Authentic’s second-largest brand, bringing its portfolio-wide annual retail sales to US$38 billion globally.
Latham & Watkins LLP represents Authentic Brands Group in the transaction with a corporate team led by New York partners Michael Anastasio, Ian Nussbaum, Michael Vardanian, Matthew Villar, and Shanta Chirravuri, and Orange County partner Shannon Cheng. Advice was also provided on tax matters by Chicago partner Michael Zucker.