| Key Points: – Levi Strauss sells Dockers to Authentic Brands Group for up to $391M to sharpen focus on core labels. – Dockers, a 1980s icon of “Casual Friday,” has struggled amid the rise of athleisure and remote work. – Authentic aims to revitalize Dockers and expand it into new markets and categories. |
Levi Strauss & Co. is parting ways with one of its most recognizable labels, announcing Tuesday that it will sell its Dockers brand to Authentic Brands Group for up to $391 million. The sale marks a major shift for Levi Strauss, which is increasingly focused on its namesake denim line and the growing Beyond Yoga brand.
The transaction includes an initial payment of $311 million, with the potential for an additional $80 million in performance-based payouts. The sale is expected to close by July 31, 2025, for U.S. and Canadian operations, with global segments transitioning by January 2026.
Dockers, launched by Levi’s in 1986, became a defining symbol of the 1990s “Casual Friday” movement. Known for its khakis and relaxed office wear, the brand helped usher in a cultural shift away from stiff corporate dress codes. But in recent years, Dockers has fallen out of fashion favor, as a pandemic-driven work-from-home culture and the meteoric rise of athleisure wear left traditional khakis collecting dust in closets.
“Selling Dockers further aligns our portfolio with our strategic priorities,” Levi Strauss CEO Michelle Gass said. “We’re doubling down on the Levi’s brand and on high-growth categories like athleisure.” Gass also praised the Dockers team for its decades of brand stewardship, calling the line “the authority on khaki.”
The decision comes amid a broader effort by Levi Strauss to tighten its brand focus and revitalize profitability. In fiscal 2024, Levi’s reported $210.6 million in profit on $6.36 billion in revenue. However, growth in its core denim line and newer segments like Beyond Yoga has far outpaced Dockers in recent years.
Meanwhile, the buyer — Authentic Brands Group — is no stranger to resurrecting legacy names. The brand management firm, led by founder and CEO Jamie Salter, owns a portfolio of well-known but often underperforming or dormant brands, including Reebok, Brooks Brothers, and Forever 21.
Salter described Dockers as a “natural fit” for Authentic’s brand development model. “Dockers played a key role in shaping casual workwear, and we see significant potential to build on that legacy,” he said. Authentic plans to expand the Dockers brand across multiple categories and potentially international markets.
Analysts view the deal as a win-win: Levi Strauss sharpens its brand identity while shedding a slower-growth asset, and Authentic takes on a nostalgic brand with solid name recognition and room for reinvention. The sale also highlights the ongoing evolution in consumer preferences, as shoppers prioritize comfort, versatility, and lifestyle-driven fashion over traditional workplace attire.
As Dockers moves into new hands, the brand that helped define office wear for a generation now faces a new challenge—redefining its place in a post-business-casual world.