Guess was founded in Los Angeles in 1981 by the four Marciano brothers, who came from the South of France. Its first hit was the Marilyn Jean, a slim stonewashed style with zippers at the ankles, according to the brand.
Ownership
In January 2026, Guess completed a deal that took it private. Authentic Brands Group now owns 51% of most of Guess’s intellectual property. The remaining 49% belongs to a group that includes co-founders Maurice and Paul Marciano and CEO Carlos Alberini, and Guess management owns the operating company.
Campaigns
Stray Kids member Hyunjin is a global ambassador for Guess. The brand’s fall 2026 campaign with Hyunjin was shot against California road scenes and includes a Guess Jeans x The Rolling Stones collaboration. A spring 2026 drop was sold at the Guess Jeans store on Melrose Avenue, among other locations.
Where to find it
Guess had 1,058 directly operated stores and 507 partner and distributor stores in about 100 countries as of November 2025. It also sells through department and specialty stores and online.
Sources
- Authentic Brands Group and Guess: Take-private completed (Business Wire)
- Guess: Annual report (SEC, 2011)
- Guess Journal: Brand history
- Guess: Spring 2026 campaign with Hyunjin
- Guess: Fall 2026 campaign with Hyunjin
Featured photo: PaulGorduiz106 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. The photo shows a Guess store at The Outlets.
Share this:
