Collective Brands
Collective Brands, Inc. was an American holding company that owned Payless ShoeSource, Robeez, and Airwalk. The company was purchased by Wolverine World Wide, Blum Capital, and Golden Gate Capital in 2012.[28]
Stride Rite Corporation purchased the Sperry Top-Sider and Keds brand names from Uniroyal in 1979. During 2005, Stride Rite completed its acquisition of Saucony. In 2006, Stride Rite purchased footwear brand Robeez. Payless purchased many of these companies during the 2000s, and on August 16, 2007, the company changed its name to Collective Brands, Inc.
Payless, operating as Collective Brands, Inc. formed a division called Collective Licensing International, LLC (CLI) in January 2004, which was based in Englewood, Colorado. CLI held and owned various clothing and sport brands, particularly "youth lifestyle brands" and board-sport brands such as Airwalk, Vision Street Wear, Sims, Lamar and LTD, World Snowboarding Championships, Sugarboards, Carve, genetic, Dukes, Rage, Ultra-Wheels, Hind, Spot Bilt and Skate Attack.[29] The primary purpose of the division was to develop brands and provide them with marketing and branding guidance in various markets.[30] In 2010, CLI acquired Above The Rim from Reebok International for an undisclosed amount.[29]
On October 9, 2012, Collective Brands, Inc. announced its acquisition by Golden Gate Capital and Blum Capital was completed. As a result, Payless ShoeSource and Collective Licensing International operate as a private, standalone entity known as Payless Holdings. As part of the transaction, Wolverine World Wide, a Michigan-based boot and shoe manufacturer, acquired Stride Rite Corporation including its Sperry Top-Sider, Keds, Saucony, and other brands from Collective Brands, Inc. The purchase was valued at $2 billion, including debt.[31][32][33]
On July 14, 2014, Authentic Brands Group acquired some assets from Payless's division Collective Licensing International, LLC.[34]
