Is Guess Inc. Revving Up Its Acquisition Engine?

Andrew Rosen seems to be settling in at Guess Inc.

The veteran fashion investor brought Rag & Bone to the company last year, staying on as executive chair of the brand, which operates independently under the Guess umbrella.

Now financial sources are buzzing that Rosen has been thinking about trying to do the same with some of the other businesses he has stakes in.

Rosen, the consummate fashion insider, knows the industry and brands as well as anyone.

At Guess, he is partnering closely with cofounder and chief creative officer Paul Marciano, chief executive officer Carlos Alberini and Yehuda Shmidman, who is chairman and CEO of WHP Global, the brand management firm that holds a stake in Rag & Bone’s intellectual property.

But early on, Rosen worked at Calvin Klein before cofounding Theory in 1997 and overseeing its growth for more than two decades.

In recent years, he’s burnished his reputation as a mentor to promising brands across the industry and an investor with stakes in Alice + Olivia, Veronica Beard, the recently launched TWP and others.

It is not clear just which brands Rosen has been thinking might be a good fit at Guess. Rosen also would not have the final say on what happens with at least some of the brands as they have other investors and their own corporate ambitions.

Neither Rosen nor Guess replied to WWD queries on Wednesday, but the retailer is looking to the future and sensing big opportunity.

On a conference call with analysts last year, Alberini, who six years ago returned to the Guess C-suite as CEO, reflected on how his own thinking about the business has evolved.

“When I returned in 2019, I brought with me the perspective that I left with in 2010: laser-focused on growing the Guess brand, a successful brand, well known for over 40 years and already well distributed in over 100 countries,” Alberini said. “I still strongly believe that there are growth opportunities for Guess and great things to come.

“What I have come to realize though is that, arguably, our most valuable asset is the powerful machine, this platform that we have built that broadcasts to the precipice of a $3 billion global brand. What started with Paul and his brothers’ vision for Guess, we can do with other brands, either developed internally or acquired from others.

“That’s the inflection point, recognizing that this company is more than just one brand. It is that platform. Our expansive global footprint, broad channels’ capabilities, extensive supply chain, diverse category portfolio and strong management team that’s a powerful arsenal, not easy to replicate, but so adaptable.”

Apparently, Alberini isn’t the only one feeling those vibes.