Her Universe acquired by Hot Topic, to continue operating as a stand-alone brand

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Hot Topic has bought “certain assets” of Her Universe from founder Ashley Eckstein and the Araca Group, who have been running the brand since it began.

ashley-ecksteinIn a letter, Eckstein reassures fans that she’ll continue to oversee the company, and that products will continue to be available elsewhere. They’ll keep operating as a stand-alone brand, but the acquisition will allow for more plus sizes and more different kinds of fashion. Eckstein writes:

Your support from day one has been incredible and has meant so much to me! We were able to grow our t-shirt brand into a fashion, entertainment and publishing lifestyle brand in just a few years. However, as we continued to grow, I heard your cries for more and I was often left frustrated that we could not live up to your expectations. I’m beyond excited to share that this new chapter with Hot Topic will allow us to rise to those expectations!

“Ashley and Araca have built an incredible brand with a loyal customer base,” said Steve Vranes, CEO of Hot Topic in a release. “We look forward to supporting Her Universe in this new capacity.”

Both the Her Universe Fashion Show and Her Universe Press will continue. HerUniverse.com will be unavailable for a short time for the transition, but it will be back “in time for the holidays.”