Peter Alexander

Peter Alexander is one of Australia’s most recognisable entrepreneurs and the founder of the iconic Peter Alexander Sleepwear brand. Known as Australia’s “King of Pyjamas”, Peter has spent more than three decades building a business that is celebrated for its creativity, humour and enduring commercial success.

A true self-made entrepreneur, Peter grew Peter Alexander Sleepwear from a one-man operation working from his mother’s living room table into an internationally recognised brand. At just 24, after four years in the retail industry, Peter identified a clear gap in the market: women wanted comfortable, stylish pyjamas that weren’t flannelette nighties or lingerie-inspired sleepwear. With no formal business training and little industry support, he decided to create them himself.

In the early years, Peter was the sole employee, designer, salesperson and administrator. To appear more established, he would even pretend to be different people when answering the phone. Despite being discouraged by many who doubted his lack of formal qualifications, Peter persisted. His defining breakthrough came when a department store cancelled an order for 2,000 pairs of pyjamas. In a bold move, he placed a mail-order advertisement in Cleo magazine, which generated over 6,000 orders from a single ad — transforming a major setback into a turning point for the business.

Media attention soon followed, and Peter was dubbed the “Pyjama King”, a title that has endured ever since. His playful, irreverent personality became a defining feature of the brand, reflected in collections inspired by global travel, pop culture and high-profile collaborations including Disney and Sesame Street.

Peter’s personal story is as compelling as his business success. Voted “least likely to succeed” at school and encouraged to leave early, Peter chose instead to complete Year 12 — a decision he credits with giving him the confidence to trust his instincts. He openly shares that not studying business cost him financially in the early years, but also shaped his practical, experiential approach to entrepreneurship.

A strong believer in setting ambitious goals, Peter speaks candidly about risk, resilience and the realities of building a brand from scratch. He believes the greatest reward of entrepreneurship is owning both the failures and the successes — taking full responsibility for outcomes and learning fast along the way.

Having taken the business as far as he felt he could, Peter sold Peter Alexander Sleepwear to the Just Group (formerly Just Jeans) for an undisclosed sum, with the company generating $6 million annually at the time and growing at 40 per cent year-on-year. As part of the sale, Peter continued to run the business for a further five years and remains the Creative Director of the brand today.

Beyond business, Peter is a passionate animal welfare advocate and an ambassador for the RSPCA. His beloved dachshund Penny became the inspiration for the brand’s iconic logo and remains a central part of the Peter Alexander identity.

Today, Peter Alexander Sleepwear operates over 140 stores across Australia and New Zealand, having evolved from a catalogue-based business into a multi-channel retail powerhouse. As a speaker, Peter shares honest, entertaining and deeply practical insights into entrepreneurship, creativity, resilience and building a brand that people genuinely love.