Quick Facts
- WSG Brands acquired Nasty Gal from Debenhams Group for $16 million in cash, $4 million less than Boohoo paid in 2017.
- Nasty Gal posted gross merchandise volume of 12 million pounds in fiscal 2026, down sharply from more than $100 million in sales in 2012.
- WSG plans a multi-channel expansion into denim, footwear, beauty, activewear, and other lifestyle categories, primarily through licensing.
New York-based WSG Brands has acquired Nasty Gal from Britain’s Debenhams Group for $16 million in cash. The deal, announced September 15, 2026, transfers the women’s fashion brand’s intellectual property to WSG, which also holds the IP for Von Dutch and recently partnered on the acquisition of Allbirds.
The purchase price is $4 million below the $20 million Boohoo paid for the brand in 2017, after acquiring it as the sole bidder at a bankruptcy auction in 2016. Nasty Gal’s fiscal 2026 gross merchandise volume came in at 12 million pounds, with adjusted EBITDA of just 400,000 pounds. At its peak in 2012, the brand reportedly generated more than $100 million in annual sales.
Debenhams Group CEO Dan Finley framed the sale as strategic housekeeping. “Our turnaround continues at pace,” Finley said. “The disposal of Nasty Gal, a noncore asset, aligns with our strategy and further strengthens the balance sheet.” Debenhams is pushing toward a marketplace-led model it wants to represent well over 50 percent of gross merchandise value. In fiscal 2026, marketplace GMV rose 14.9% to 620.4 million pounds and now accounts for 34.1% of total GMV.
For WSG, the deal is an expansion of a deliberate playbook. The firm acquired Von Dutch in 2024, then partnered with American Exchange Group earlier in 2026 on a roughly $39 million deal for Allbirds’ IP and assets. In that transaction, AEG handles design and manufacturing while WSG operates as the brand management and growth partner.
WSG founder and CEO Jack Cheika said the firm sees room to rebuild Nasty Gal’s audience and scale. “We see a tremendous opportunity to build upon that foundation, introduce the brand to a new generation of consumers and expand Nasty Gal into a global lifestyle brand while staying true to the attitude and individuality that have always defined it,” Cheika said.
The growth plan calls for a multi-channel approach covering direct-to-consumer, wholesale, and international markets. WSG intends to extend the brand through licensing into categories including denim, footwear, bags, jewelry, activewear, swimwear, sleepwear, beauty, and travel. The company also plans creator partnerships, brand collaborations, and experiential marketing aimed at both new and existing customers in the U.S., U.K., and Europe. Specific partners and a detailed roadmap are expected in the coming months.
Nasty Gal was founded in 2006 by Sophia Amoruso, who started as an eBay reseller before moving to a standalone site in 2008. The brand built a strong following among young women before filing for bankruptcy in 2016. Boohoo took over, and Debenhams Group later absorbed it as part of a broader portfolio of fashion labels operated through an online marketplace model.
Cheika signaled WSG is not done acquiring. He said the firm is building a concentrated portfolio and could announce another deal within weeks. With three acquisitions in roughly two years, WSG is positioning itself as a buyer of distressed or undervalued consumer brands with name recognition and room for commercial rebuilding.
