Spotlight on: Peter Alexander

(Credit: Aimee Brodeur)

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It seems fitting that in a city where comfort takes precedence over, well, everything, opening a store consisting almost entirely of pajamas would be a huge success. At least, designer Peter Alexander hopes so. “I chose L.A. to open my first store outside of Australia because it has a similar vibe—sunny, carefree and fun,” he says. “Also, I’ve been coming here three times a year for the last 20 years to see my sister, who lives in Laguna Beach, so really it’s like my second home.”

The audacious Aussie, whose brand is as well-known in his mother country as Victoria’s Secret is in America, recently spread his wings and opened his U.S. flagship on South Robertson just a few weeks ago. “It’s a dream come true doing business on Robertson Boulevard, but at the same time, it’s a bit weird for me,” he admits. “I’ve seen it on so many entertainment news shows as the place where celebrities go to shop. The fact that I have my own place here is just bizarre. It’s exciting for a regular guy from Down Under like me to be playing with the big boys.”

Of course, one would think the man behind the material would be accustomed to celebrity customers by now. His celebrity clients include Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Naomi Watts, Toni Collette, Rachel Griffiths, Pink and Katherine Heigl—who is such an admirer of the brand and Alexander’s work with animal charities that she played hostess at the L.A. store’s opening.

After more than 20 years and 30 stores—including another Southern California location at the Americana at Brand—Alexander has proven that he’s filling a void in the business of lounge-wear merchandising. “When I first started, nobody had done fun lounge wear—not even Calvin Klein,” he says. “I saw a gap in the market, so I started a very small business, and it ended up growing incredibly fast.”

Stocking everything from leopard-print silk nightgowns for girls to comfy cotton pajama pants for guys, the brand has become synonymous with all things casual-sexy. “A lot of the sleepwear is incredibly versatile,” Alexander explains. “You can wear it during the day as it is, or you can dress it up with chic accessories if you want to wear it at night. It’s one of those brands that you can really put your personality into.”

So, what makes Peter’s pajamas different from America’s premier erotic outfitter, Victoria’s Secret? “[We’re] all about incorporating current fashion into sleepwear,” he offers. “Other big brands tend to develop a single look and stick with it for 20 years, but my aesthetic changes with every season. Whatever can be found in the store now won’t be there in two months’ time. Also, my brand is much more intimate and independent than it is corporate. I don’t plan on having 400 stores across America. That’s not my dream.”

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