UPDATE: We received the following statement from a Nasty Gal spokesperson today: "We're committed to what we're building here and while it's always flattering to get phone calls, at this point Nasty Gal is not for sale." So, everybody take a deep breath.
Nasty Gal has been the talk of the town for a while now, but it's particularly buzzy as of late due to some major corporate funding and a handful of great new customer-service initiatives. And while the e-store has been an incredible boon (both press-wise and in terms of cold, hard cash) for founder Sophia Amoruso, speculation has arisen after this late-to-the-party New York Times profile tapped the insane news that Amoruso is considering a buyout — by none other than Urban Outfitters.
What started as an eBay store has already turned into a multi-million-dollar empire, but you already knew that. It's also super popular on Instagram, but you already knew that. For a while, the domain name NastyGal.com was still owned by a porn site...and you already knew that, too. But, as Racked points out, there is one thing in this article that's fresh info. Skip ahead to page two for this nugget: "Urban Outfitters recently contacted Ms. Amoruso about a potential acquisition, according to people briefed on the discussions. Asked about that, Ms. Amoruso said only, “We’re talking.”"
Some industry experts think it's the only move at the end of a short road for Nasty Gal, a road that will eventually end when the brand's very particular style goes out of fashion. One anonymous source opined that "with this type of hype, either they are looking for a big fat acquisition or a blockbuster I.P.O.” For now, though, the business shows no signs of slowing down — and so far, Amoruso has remained fiercely involved and kept control of the reins despite investors knocking at every door. And the superstar founder is aware of the risks: “It’s been very charmed, but I’m not willing to rest on my laurels," she says. If you ask us, this Cinderella story isn't ending anytime soon, whether or not Urban Outfitters gets involved.