Debenhams Group sells Nasty Gal brand to WSG Brands for £12 million
On 15 September, Debenhams Group completed the sale of the Nasty Gal brand, including its global intellectual property rights, to WSG Brands for £12 million ($16 million). The transaction disposes of a label that generated £12 million in gross merchandise value and £0.4 million in adjusted EBITDA during FY26 and was classified by Debenhams as non‑core and not material to its business.
The sale supports Debenhams’ strategy to shift to a capital‑light, marketplace‑led business model. It follows the £90 million sale of the Sheffield Distribution Centre to Primark last week. Debenhams chief executive Dan Finley said, “Our turnaround continues at pace,” and noted that the disposal strengthens the balance sheet after the Sheffield deal. WSG Brands, which operates as White Space Group New York LLC, acquired the Y2K label Von Dutch in July 2024 and now adds Nasty Gal to its portfolio. Visitors to the Nasty Gal website currently see a placeholder message reading, “Something new is coming. Watch this space. We’re working on the next chapter. Follow us for the first look — you’ll hear it here first.” The brand’s global intellectual property rights are included in the transfer, ensuring WSG Brands controls all associated trademarks and designs. Debenhams described Nasty Gal as non‑core and not material, indicating the label contributed minimally to overall group performance. The deal marks the latest step in Finley’s turnaround plan to reduce debt and focus on higher‑margin operations.
“Our turnaround continues at pace,” Dan Finley, CEO said.
“The disposal of this non-core asset aligns with our strategy and further strengthens the balance sheet following the £90m sale of our Sheffield Distribution Centre,” Dan Finley, CEO said.
Last week Debenhams Group sold its Sheffield Distribution Centre to Primark for £90 million. Before that, the group had been pursuing a capital‑light model to streamline operations.
What we know
Debenhams Group completed the sale of Nasty Gal on 15 September.
The sale price was £12 million ($16 million).
Nasty Gal generated £12 million in gross merchandise value and £0.4 million in adjusted EBITDA in FY26.
Debenhams Group sold its Sheffield Distribution Centre to Primark for £90 million last week.
WSG Brands’ portfolio includes the Von Dutch brand, which it acquired in July 2024.