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Worse on Purpose

G-Star RAW

Dutch designer denim brand specializing in raw (unwashed, untreated) denim. Known for anatomically engineered jean construction and military-influenced design.

Status: Avoid
Founded
1989
HQ
Netherlands
Manufacturing
Various
Ownership type
Brand licensing (ABG-style)
Parent
WHP Global (majority); Jos van Tilburg and existing shareholders retain minority stake
Acquired
2023-12
Status since
2026-04-25

Ownership

Jos van Tilburg founded G-Star in Amsterdam in 1989 as Gap Star, renamed for international expansion to avoid confusion with Gap. The brand pioneered raw denim in 1996. The Australian arm fell into administration in August 2020 and the U.S. arm filed Chapter 11 in July 2020 in Los Angeles. Pharrell Williams became co-owner in 2014. WHP Global announced its acquisition of a majority stake in September 2023, closing the deal in December 2023; founder van Tilburg and existing shareholders retain a minority stake. CEO Rob Schilder continues to operate the brand from Amsterdam, and design and ecommerce remain in-house there.

Why Avoid

WHP Global is the same brand licensing firm that owns Lotto, Joseph Abboud, Anne Klein, Joe's Jeans, Bonobos, Express, and others. The majority-stake structure means future creative and supply-chain decisions answer to a New York licensing firm rather than the founder. The G-Star pattern (existing leadership retained, founder retains minority stake) is the same playbook WHP used for Lotto, where the brand was paired with operating partners over time.

Reversibility

What would change our verdict

Continued retention of founder van Tilburg and CEO Schilder over a multi-year window with verifiable design and production decisions remaining in Amsterdam.

Sister brands under WHP Global (majority); Jos van Tilburg and existing shareholders retain minority stake

See all 12 sister brands

Read the full investigation

Investigation · March 23, 2026

Your Backpack Got Worse On Purpose

VF Corporation owns about 55% of the US backpack market. JanSport, The North Face, Eastpak, Kipling. Lower denier counts, generic zippers, warranties rewritten to match the cheaper construction.

Read the full investigation

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