Skip to content
Worse on Purpose

Dakine

Outdoor and boardsport bags and accessories. Hawaiian-origin surf and snow brand.

Status: Watchlist
Founded
1979
Website
dakine.com
HQ
USA
Manufacturing
Various
Ownership type
Brand licensing (ABG-style)
Parent
Marquee Brands

Ownership

Owned by Marquee Brands, a brand management firm that follows an ABG-style licensing model. Sister brands in Marquee portfolio include Martha Stewart, Sur La Table, Emeril Lagasse, BCBG, Ben Sherman, Body Glove.

Why Watchlist

Marquee's licensing model separates brand ownership from product design and manufacturing. Same structural issue as ABG brands.

Sister brands under Marquee Brands

See all 9 sister brands

Read the full investigation

Investigation · April 17, 2026

Your Favorite Brands Got Worse On Purpose

Authentic Brands Group buys dead brands, strips the design and manufacturing, and licenses the name to anyone who'll pay. Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Forever 21, Sports Illustrated. Plus the ones still worth buying.

Read the full investigation

Track This Brand

When the verdict changes, you'll hear first.

Brands on this Ledger shift status as ownership changes or new investigations surface. The newsletter is how subscribers find out, and where the full reporting lives.

No spam. Nobody pays me to say nice things. Unsubscribe anytime.