Drake’s OVO started in Toronto. Now it’s going global, Canada Reviews

Drake’s October’s Very Own (OVO) has struck a major new partnership that could see the Toronto-born lifestyle brand reach new audiences around the world, nearly two decades after it first took shape in the city.

Authentic Brands Group announced Thursday that it has acquired a majority stake in OVO’s intellectual property (although Drake will retain a significant ownership stake and continue to help shape the brand’s creative vision!).

For the Toronto-based rapper, the deal is a huge milestone for something that began in the 6ix.

“We’re just a couple kids from Toronto who started something we believed in,” Drake said in a statement. “Here we are 20 years later, same kids with bigger dreams. Authentic and VNCE are the perfect partners to help us continue to grow.”

Authentic’s portfolio includes brands like Reebok, Champion, Brooks Brothers, Juicy Couture and Billabong, and the company says it sees an opportunity to bring OVO to new markets, reach more consumers and even build new businesses around the brand.

“OVO has earned a place among the world’s most influential lifestyle brands because it has always stood for something authentic and unmistakable,” Authentic founder and executive chairman Jamie Salter said, adding that the company plans to grow OVO “without losing what makes OVO, OVO.”

The news comes as OVO is already expanding closer to home. On Friday, the brand dropped Part 1 of its 2026 Campus Collection, expanding the university lineup to six Canadian schools: U of T, Waterloo, Western, York, McMaster and Dalhousie!

OVO first dipped into campus wear back in 2021 with a limited U of T collection, but this year’s rollout is huge. The latest line takes inspo from classic Canadian campus architecture, with stone facades, gothic arches and historic typography worked into the brand’s streetwear staples.

Really, not bad for a couple of kids from Toronto.