What Airwalk does

Airwalk is a heritage action-sports and skateboard footwear brand originally founded in 1986. The Airwalk trademark is owned by ABG Collective LLC, a Delaware limited liability company headquartered at 1411 Broadway, New York, operating within the Authentic Brands Group portfolio. The core proprietary asset is the brand identity and trademark, which the licensor grants to third-party licensees for the design, manufacture, distribution, and sale of Airwalk-branded products within defined territories and approved retail accounts. Distribution is concentrated through mass-market retail (notably Walmart, under the 'Reinventing the Classics' positioning) and a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at airwalk.com.

Revenue is generated primarily through a licensing model: third-party licensees manufacture and sell Airwalk-branded products to approved accounts, paying royalties and guaranteed minimum royalties to ABG Collective LLC. The licensor retains direct operation of the airwalk.com digital channel and reserves certain high-value channels (direct marketing, catalog, TV, infomercial, duty-free, travel retail, military, airline/cruise) for itself. The target customer is the general retail consumer seeking heritage skateboard-inspired lifestyle footwear and apparel, segmented horizontally across price-sensitive mass-market shoppers.

Operational infrastructure is intentionally lean: the licensing framework requires licensees to submit quarterly statements, year-end summaries, and approval requests through RoyaltyZone software, with all advertising, sub-contractor arrangements, and product approvals governed by ABG Collective's Standards of Practice. All licensee-created derivative IP is assigned to the licensor as 'works made for hire.' No technology platform, AI/ML capability, app, API, or proprietary manufacturing process is disclosed — the business is fundamentally an IP-licensing and brand-management operation rather than a product or technology company.

Name

Airwalk

Legal name

ABG Collective LLC

Website

https://airwalk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Airwalk is a heritage skateboard footwear trademark licensed by ABG Collective LLC to third-party manufacturers and retailers (including Walmart), targeting general retail consumers seeking classic action-sports lifestyle footwear and apparel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Lifestyle and Skateboard Footwear

NAICS

Shoe Retailers (4582)

SIC

Retail-Shoe Stores (5661)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Footwear Retail (Dance, Skate, Cleats, Bowling, etc.) (CRAAADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Athletic Footwear & Sport Apparel Retail (CRAMABAC)

Keywords

• Lifestyle footwear
• Action sports brand
• Classic skateboard shoes
• Heritage sneakers
• Licensed apparel

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Licensed Product Sales (Wholesale & Retail): Licensees (third-party companies granted rights by ABG Collective LLC) generate revenue by designing, manufacturing, distributing, and selling footwear and apparel products under the Airwalk brand. Licensees sell to approved accounts within authorized territories. Revenue is derived from the markup on product sales across wholesale and retail channels, from which royalties and guaranteed minimum royalties are paid to the licensor (ABG Collective LLC).
2. Direct E-commerce Sales: Airwalk sells products directly to consumers through its own e-commerce storefront at airwalk.com. Revenue is generated through direct product transactions with end consumers, with the licensor (ABG Collective LLC) operating the digital commerce channel directly.
3. Retail Distribution (Walmart and Approved Accounts): Airwalk products are distributed through Walmart and other approved retail accounts, making the brand available to consumers through physical retail storefronts. The license agreement restricts sales to approved accounts only within the defined territory.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Airwalk is a classic skateboard and action-sports lifestyle footwear brand, marketed under the tagline 'Reinventing the Classics.' The brand offers footwear and related accessories to U.S. consumers, distributed through Walmart and other approved retail accounts via licensed third-party manufacturers and distributors, and also sold directly through the brand's own e-commerce storefront at airwalk.com. The Airwalk trademark is owned by ABG Collective LLC, which licenses the rights to design, manufacture, distribute, and sell Airwalk-branded products to approved licensees within a defined U.S. territory.

Product overview

Airwalk is a classic skateboard footwear brand operated as a licensed property under ABG Collective LLC. The brand specializes in reinventing classic skateboard shoes, with products distributed through retail channels including Walmart. The business operates on a licensing model where the Licensor (ABG Collective LLC) grants a Licensee rights to manufacture, distribute, and sell Licensed Products within a specified Territory under the Airwalk brand name and intellectual property.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Airwalk Classic Skateboard and Action-Sports Footwear Classic skateboard-inspired and action-sports lifestyle footwear marketed under the tagline 'Reinventing the Classics.' Products are designed, manufactured, and distributed by licensed third parties under the Airwalk trademark owned by ABG Collective LLC, and sold to U.S. consumers through approved retail accounts such as Walmart and through the brand's own e-commerce storefront at airwalk.com.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WalmartcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWalmart is an approved retail account for Airwalk products. Products are available through Walmart's retail and/or digital storefronts under the tagline 'Reinventing the Classics.' The relationship is governed by the license agreement between the licensee and the licensor (ABG Collective LLC), which restricts distribution to approved accounts only.
• Approved Sub-Contractors (Manufacturers & Vendors)minorOthersLicensees may engage sub-contractors (e.g., for manufacturing of Licensed Products or creation of advertising materials) only with prior written approval from the licensor. Sub-contractors must be identified by corporate name, office address, principals, and the specific business to be sub-contracted. All acts and omissions of sub-contractors are deemed those of the licensee, and the licensor may require termination of a sub-contractor for breach.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Etnies: Etnies is a skate-specific footwear brand with strong skate-shop distribution and a similar action-sports positioning. It is a direct comparable in category, target consumer, and channel mix.
• Emerica: Emerica is a skate footwear brand with deep roots in core skateboarding, distributed through skate specialty retailers — directly comparable to Airwalk in product category and target consumer.
• Globe: Globe produces skate-inspired footwear and apparel with a heritage similar to Airwalk, targeting the same action-sports and lifestyle consumer through wholesale and specialty channels.
• Lakai: Lakai is a heritage skate footwear brand rooted in Southern California skate culture, competing in the same specialty skate channel and lifestyle segment as Airwalk.
• Vans: Vans is the category-defining skate and action-sports footwear brand (owned by VF Corp) and Airwalk's most direct competitor. Both target skate, BMX, and lifestyle consumers with classic sneaker silhouettes sold through wholesale, skate shops, and direct e-commerce.
• Supra: Supra is a skate and lifestyle footwear brand competing in the action-sports category with a similar mix of skate-pro models and lifestyle silhouettes distributed through specialty and lifestyle retailers.
• DC Shoes: DC is a heritage skate and action-sports footwear and apparel brand (owned by Authentic Brands Group, Airwalk's parent ecosystem) that competes head-to-head in the same skate specialty and lifestyle channels.

Broad incumbents

• Pony: Pony is a heritage athletic footwear brand that has been revived in recent years through a licensing-led model, providing a directly comparable operating model to Airwalk's ABG-led licensing approach.
• Converse: Converse (owned by Nike Inc.) is a broader incumbent lifestyle and casual footwear brand with deep retail distribution and heritage equity. It overlaps with Airwalk in the casual/lifestyle sneaker segment rather than core skate.
• K-Swiss: K-Swiss is a heritage athletic and lifestyle footwear brand pursuing a 'classics' repositioning similar to Airwalk's 'Reinventing the Classics' strategy, with comparable distribution through mass and sporting goods channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/airwalk_online
• Facebookfacebook.com/airwalk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Airwalk