Australian sleepwear giant Peter Alexander opens three UK stores

Peter Alexander, Australia’s so-called “pyjama king”, is bringing his eponymous sleepwear to the UK as the business launches three stores this month.
The Australian sleepwear business will open in Westfield White City and Westfield Stratford, in London, as well at Bluewater in Kent in November, with ten more in the pipeline.
The brand is a household name in Australia, where it is known for its luxury sleepwear and popular dachshund mascot, Penelope Jane.
Alexander started the business selling pyjamas wholesale out of his mother’s dining room in 1987, before expanding to mail order in 1992. “I was one of the first to hop on the mail order bandwagon and it just blew up and exploded. It wasn’t until 2006 I opened up my first store,” he said.
It has since grown to 137 stores across Australia and New Zealand, and reported revenues of A$508.6 million (£258 million) last year.
As the company’s dachshund-branded products arrive in the UK this month Alexander hopes its premium nightwear products and gifts resonate with British consumers. “It’s lighthearted, fun and if you don’t come out of my store with a smile on your face, I’m not doing something right,” he said.
Peter Alexander’s new store openings mean it joins a growing number of Australian brands that have set up shop in the UK, ranging from the luxury fashion brand Zimmermann to the footwear company RM Williams and the furniture and electronics retailer Harvey Norman.
Alexander, now a director of the company he founded, said: “Sometimes opportunity knocks like some brands like Zimmermann, that had such a unique look at fashion. I think the world asked them, invited them to come.
“We’re just a brand having a go and I’m keeping my fingers crossed and my legs crossed that you guys appreciate it and get the whole gig,” he added.
“I’ve been around for so long in Australia, it surprises me, but it’s nice to jump somewhere where no one knows me and I almost have to prove myself again.
“I can’t just assume that pyjamas are going to be enough. I have to say, why are they the best? Because sticking Peter Alexander on a T-shirt is not going to work like it does in Australia.”
Since the business first launched the sleepwear market has expanded significantly, with the brand facing increased competition. Yet Alexander remains confident that the brand’s unique style will make it stand out from its peers.
“I hope that the UK gets my vibe and understands that it is different from what’s on the marketplace now. It’s a bit of a nod and a wink to nostalgia,” Alexander said.
The opening of the stores comes just before the busy Christmas period, with the brand hoping to make the most of the trend of buying festive pyjamas in the UK too. “In Australia in summer it’s too hot for a dog to wear pyjamas but they all buy them because they want the matching pyjamas with the whole family so that’s been a great tool for us because Christmas is definitely our busiest time of year.”