Shop Here If You're Nasty
To say that Sophia Amoruso has an eye for vintage is an understatement. Amoruso has transformed the refined art of thrifting into a thriving business with her Web site, Nasty Gal (www.shopnastygal.com), based in Berkeley, Calif.
What began as an eBay store selling vintage wares evolved into its own full-fledged site. “I began Nasty Gal while between jobs and was applying for art school around the same time. My background is in photography, so it gave me an advantage above the other sellers from the beginning,” said Amoruso, who is Nasty Gal’s owner and chief executive officer. “I never intended to take Nasty Gal as far as it has gone but soon learned that I loved business and never tire of digging for gems of old, so it just stuck.”
Amoruso launched the Nasty Gal site in June 2008 and soon expanded her vision to include new contemporary fashion, featuring such brands as Anzevino and Florence, BB Dakota, Aryn K and Costume Dept.
Amoruso applied the same knack for supreme vintage selection when adding new lines to the site. “I like to find new pieces that remind me of vintage and vintage that looks straight off the runway,” Amoruso said. “It’s very fluid when I buy, and since I am so deeply involved in everything within the company, I have a good idea of what our customer is after.”
Amoruso has also found fans in a coterie of fashion bloggers, especially among those who relish in mixing high-end fashion with flea-market style. “I like to think that the Nasty Gal customer is unafraid to take risks and is always looking for the next piece to layer, accent or adorn herself with,” Amoruso said. “Our customers come for everything—from vintage eyewear to Balenciaga-esque booties from Sam Edelman. Our customers love to mix the new with the old, the high with the low—and pull it off effortlessly.”
Nasty Gal keeps its pulse on the trends and what their shoppers are looking for by giving its followers sneak peeks at their upcoming products and other updates through its Facebook and Twitter accounts. “Directly communicating with both the tastemakers and our customers is a lot of fun for me but also inspiring,” Amoruso said.
Brands selling well on the site include Los Angeles footwear purveyor Jeffrey Campbell and moderately priced Australian brand Mink Pink.
The site could lead to new possibilities for Amoruso, such as building a bricks-and-mortar store or designing a vintage-inspired line, but for now, she is content with continuing to grow her online business—which has doubled its visitorship within the last six months.—Connie Cho
