Debenhams sells Nasty Gal to US firm for £12m

Debenhams Group has completed the sale of its Nasty Gal fashion brand, including global intellectual property rights, to US-based WSG Brands for approximately £12 million ($16 million). The transaction, announced on September 15, 2026, is part of the British retailer's ongoing strategic shift toward a capital-light, marketplace-led business model. The sale marks the end of Debenhams' ownership of the brand it acquired out of bankruptcy in 2017 for around £14.8 million ($20 million). Nasty Gal, founded by Sophia Amoruso in 2006, had been a non-core asset within the group, which also owns Boohoo and PrettyLittleThing. In its most recent financial year, Nasty Gal generated gross merchandise value of £12 million and an adjusted EBITDA of £400,000. Following the sale, the Nasty Gal website has been shut down, with a teaser message stating "something new is coming" and "we're working on the next chapter." Customers can still process returns through a portal on the site. The future plans for the brand under WSG Brands, which also owns Von Dutch and co-owns intellectual property for Allbirds, remain unclear beyond the teaser.