Sophia Amoruso founded Nasty Gal in 2006 as an eBay store.
Amoruso initially sold vintage clothing under the eBay username Nasty Gal Vintage, a name inspired by a Betty Davis album. She sourced distinctive second-hand garments, photographed them herself, and built an audience through eBay and social media.
The business moved from eBay to its own website in 2008 and adopted the shorter Nasty Gal name. Its growth made Amoruso a prominent example of an entrepreneur who built a fashion retailer through online marketplaces and direct digital marketing.
Nasty Gal later entered bankruptcy and was acquired by Boohoo in 2017. That later ownership is not the same as founding: Sophia Amoruso created the original business, while Boohoo became its owner years afterward.