Fragrance house

Aéropostale

Aéropostale began in the early 1980s as a private-label initiative established by R.H. Macy & Co.; Macy’s opened the first mall-based Aéropostale specialty store in 1987. In 1998, Federated Department Stores sold its specialty-store division to Aéropostale management and Bear Stearns Merchant Banking, and the company went public on the New York Stock Exchange in May 2002. After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 2016, Aéropostale was acquired out of bankruptcy by a consortium of Authentic Brands Group, General Growth Properties, and Simon Property Group. That transaction shifted the business from a public-company structure to a brand-development and retail-partnership model led by the consortium. Today, Aéropostale presents itself as a casual-apparel and accessories retailer for young men and women, emphasizing positivity, inclusivity, acceptance, and confidence. In January 2025, SPARC Group and JCPenney combined to form Catalyst Brands, which included Aéropostale among SPARC’s brands, while Authentic Brands Group retained ownership of the intellectual property licensed by SPARC.