Who Owns Forever 21?
Updated onExplore the ownership hierarchy of Forever 21. See parent companies, holding structures, and ultimate controllers.
Ownership Chain
Forever 21
Forever 21 is an LA-born fast-fashion retail brand offering trendy, low-priced clothing, accessories, and beauty products primarily for young women, as well as men and kids.
Starts at $1.99 / item
Authentic Brands Group
Authentic Brands Group is a privately held global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform that owns and licenses a portfolio of 50+ lifestyle, sports, entertainment and media brands worldwide.
Forever 21
Forever 21 is an LA-born fast-fashion retail brand offering trendy, low-priced clothing, accessories, and beauty products primarily for young women, as well as men and kids.
Starts at $1.99 / item
Authentic Brands Group
Authentic Brands Group is a privately held global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform that owns and licenses a portfolio of 50+ lifestyle, sports, entertainment and media brands worldwide.
Major Shareholders
Forever 21
Major Shareholders
| Name | Type | Ownership | Voting | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Authentic Brands Group Global brand management company; led the consortium that acquired Forever 21 out of bankruptcy in 2020 and later bought out its partners’ interests in the trademarks and related intellectual property, becoming the sole owner of the Forever 21 brand IP, which it licenses to operating companies. | Corporate | 100.0% | 100.0% | Apr 2025 |
Catalyst Brands Joint venture created in January 2025 by combining JCPenney and SPARC Group; Catalyst Brands controls Forever 21’s main U.S. operating company F21 OpCo under license from Authentic Brands Group and is responsible for day‑to‑day retail operations. | Corporate | — | — | Jan 2025 |
Simon Property Group U.S. mall real‑estate investment trust; one of the four shareholders of Catalyst Brands and previously part of the three‑company group that acquired Forever 21’s assets in 2020, at which time it initially held a 37.5% stake before Authentic Brands Group later consolidated ownership of the brand IP. | Corporate | — | — | Jan 2025 |
Brookfield Corporation Global investment and property company; originally owned 25% of Forever 21 in the 2020 acquisition alongside Authentic Brands Group and Simon Property Group, later exited its direct Forever 21 stake but remains a shareholder in Catalyst Brands via its interests in JCPenney and SPARC Group, thereby retaining an indirect economic interest in the retailer’s operations. | Corporate | — | — | Jan 2025 |
Shein Group Global online fast‑fashion retailer; acquired roughly one‑third of SPARC Group in 2023 and, as a result, is cited as one of the shareholders in Catalyst Brands, giving it an indirect minority ownership interest in Forever 21’s operations as well as a major strategic partnership for co‑branded Forever 21 x SHEIN products and distribution. | Corporate | — | — | Jan 2025 |
Authentic Brands Group
Major Shareholders
| Name | Type | Ownership | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
BlackRock, Inc. (Long Term Private Capital fund) BlackRock’s Long Term Private Capital (LTPC) fund led an $875m investment in Authentic in 2019 and was described as the company’s largest shareholder; as of December 2025 it is still reported as a major owner while negotiating the sale of its stake to a consortium of existing investors (CVC Capital Partners, General Atlantic, HPS Investment Partners and Leonard Green & Partners). | Institutional | — | Dec 2025 |
General Atlantic Global growth‑equity firm and long‑standing investor in Authentic; it first invested in 2017 and added a $500m primary follow‑on in June 2023, bringing its total capital invested to nearly $2bn. General Atlantic also bought part of Simon Property Group’s ~10% stake when Simon exited in 2024 and is part of the group negotiating to acquire BlackRock’s position, making it one of the largest institutional shareholders. | Institutional | — | Jun 2023 |
Leonard Green & Partners Private‑equity firm that backed Authentic at its founding and has remained a core shareholder; it is repeatedly cited as a founding investor and was named among the buyers of Simon Property Group’s remaining ~10% stake in 2024. Leonard Green is also part of the investor consortium in talks to purchase BlackRock’s stake, indicating a very substantial ongoing ownership position. | Institutional | — | May 2024 |
CVC Capital Partners VIII funds and HPS Investment Partners Funds advised by CVC Capital Partners (Fund VIII) and HPS Investment Partners bought significant equity stakes in Authentic in a 2021 secondary transaction valuing the company at $12.7bn and each received board representation, making them key institutional owners. Subsequent reporting shows them acquiring additional shares in later secondary deals and, by early 2025, participating in negotiations to buy BlackRock’s stake. | Institutional | — | Jan 2025 |
Jamie Salter Founder, chairman and CEO of Authentic; public profiles and interviews describe him as a billionaire whose wealth is primarily linked to Authentic, indicating a significant personal equity stake even though exact ownership percentages are not disclosed. | Founder | — | Nov 2025 |
Get Started
Your ultimate competitive playbook
You just found your top competitors. Now let's map your whole landscape and show you how to stand out.
Competitive Landscape Report
Built for small teams who can't hire a full-time analyst.
$129 $260 one-time payment
Generated in minutes, no subscription.
Instead of guessing what to do about your competitors, get a done-for-you intelligence report
Competitor Map
Direct, indirect, and alternative competitors mapped across your market
Positioning Analysis
How each competitor positions, their ICP, and key differentiators
Feature & Pricing Matrix
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and packaging strategies
Growth Channel Analysis
SEO, paid ads, content, and social strategies across the landscape
Reputation & Social Proof
Ratings, reviews, and sentiment analysis across all competitors
90-Day Action Plan
Specific tactics to differentiate and win more deals in the next 3 months