Peter Alexander Brand: Pyjamas, History & Outlet Stores

You’ve probably seen the whimsical prints and spotted the signature stripes at your local shopping centre — but the Peter Alexander brand has a backstory that goes far beyond novelty sleepwear. From a young designer stitching pyjamas at his mother’s dining table to a chain of more than 100 stores spanning three countries, this Australian label carved out a space in the market that didn’t exist before.

Founded: 1987 ·
Headquarters: Melbourne, Australia ·
Parent Company: Premier Investments ·
Category: Sleepwear, loungewear, giftware ·
Number of Stores: 100+ (Australia, New Zealand, UK) ·
Known For: Novelty pyjamas and licensed prints

Seven key facts about the brand, one pattern: this business grew from a single seamstress operation into a retail network that spans three continents.

What Products Does the Peter Alexander Brand Sell?

Women’s pyjamas and nightwear

• Women’s sleepwear includes pajama sets, nightgowns, robes, and matching loungewear separates (Peter Alexander official brand page). The brand’s signature approach fills what the founder identified as a gap between conservative sleepwear and highly sexualised styles (The Industry Fashion interview).
• Fabrics range from cotton to flannel, with seasonal prints released for Christmas, Easter, and winter.

Men’s sleepwear and loungewear

• The men’s range features novelty prints and basic styles — from classic striped pyjama sets to character-print lounge pants (Peter Alexander official brand page).
• Popular patterns include food motifs, animals, and licensed characters from Marvel and Disney.

Kids’ pyjamas and accessories

• The kids’ collection launched in 2020 with Disney and Marvel licenses, offering matching family pyjama sets (FashionUnited report).
• Accessories include slippers, sleep masks, and blankets that match the adult collections.

The implication: Peter Alexander’s product breadth creates a unified shopping experience that competes with both department stores and specialty boutiques.

Where Can I Find a Peter Alexander Outlet Store Near Me?

Peter Alexander outlet stores in Australia

• Physical outlet stores exist in Australia, typically located in DFO (Direct Factory Outlet) centres and major shopping malls (FashionUnited report). Key outlets include DFO South Wharf in Melbourne, DFO Homebush in Sydney, and Harbour Town in Brisbane.
• The brand operates standalone stores in most major shopping centres across every Australian state (Wikipedia brand entry).

Peter Alexander outlet UK online

• The UK online outlet operates via PeterAlexander.com.au, which ships internationally. A physical UK store opened in London in 2015 (The Industry Fashion interview).
• UK customers may find reduced-price items in the “Sale” section on the Australian website, though shipping costs apply.

Factory sale events and dates

• Factory sales are seasonal, typically held twice a year — once mid-year and once after Christmas (FashionUnited report).
• These events offer discounts of up to 70% off retail prices on past-season stock. The exact frequency of these events each year is not publicly listed.

The pattern: outlet availability favours Australian customers, while international shoppers face timing and cost barriers that reduce the value proposition.

How Did Peter Alexander Start His Brand?

Early career as a designer

• Peter Alexander started the business at age 24, making women’s pyjamas from his mother’s dining room table (Peter Alexander official brand page). His early inspiration came from a pair of pyjamas bought in Hong Kong (The Industry Fashion interview).
• Early sales were made to department stores. He worked from his mother’s dining room table for about six years before the business grew beyond that space (Real Estate Business profile).

First store in Melbourne

• After initially operating in wholesale and mail order, the first standalone Peter Alexander store opened at Melbourne Central in 2004 (FashionUnited report). A second store at Chadstone followed shortly after (Wikipedia brand entry).
• By 2016, the brand had opened its 100th store (FashionUnited report).

Acquisition by Premier Investments

• The business was acquired by The Just Group in 2000 (Peter Alexander official brand page). The Just Group later became part of Premier Investments.
• Peter Alexander remained involved with the brand after the sale (Wikipedia brand entry). However, the designer no longer runs the brand day-to-day.

Is Peter Alexander the Journalist Related to the Brand?

Peter Alexander (journalist) biography

• Journalist Peter Alexander works as a White House correspondent and fill-in anchor for NBC News (Wikipedia journalist entry). He has covered multiple presidential administrations and appears frequently on the Today Show.
• His career is entirely separate from the retail industry.

Peter Alexander (brand) founder identity

• Brand founder Peter Alexander is an Australian sleepwear designer who started his company in Melbourne in the 1980s (Peter Alexander official brand page).
• He has no connection to journalism or NBC.

Common confusion between two people

• They are different individuals with the same name. The confusion arises because both are public figures — one in news media, the other in fashion retail (Wikipedia brand entry).
• Search engines often mix results for the two, which is why clarifying the distinction helps shoppers find products and news readers find the journalist.

Why Is Peter Alexander Leaving the Today Show?

Job change within NBC

• Peter Alexander the journalist is moving from the Today Show to NBC News NOW (Today Show announcement). He will host a new weekend program on the streaming channel.
• No definitive end date for his Today Show appearances has been announced.

New role at MS NOW

• His new program will air on NBC News NOW, the network’s streaming news service. The role involves long-form reporting and weekend anchoring.

Family considerations

• Alexander has cited family considerations as part of his decision. He and his wife have two children.
• This career shift does not affect the Peter Alexander brand in any way — the two are unrelated.

“I identified a gap between very conservative women’s sleepwear and highly sexualized styles.”

— Peter Alexander, founder, speaking to The Industry Fashion

“The brand’s 100th store opened in 2016, marking a milestone from its single boutique origins.”

— FashionUnited retail analysis

For Australian shoppers, the Peter Alexander brand represents a reliable source of comfortable, playful sleepwear available at outlet prices twice a year. For UK buyers, the challenge is timing — international shipping windows and limited physical stores mean missing a factory sale can mean waiting months. The brand’s trajectory from a dining-room operation to a Premier Investments subsidiary is a genuine Australian retail success story, but its future depends on whether it can keep the whimsy alive while satisfying the financial targets of a large parent company. For shoppers in both markets, the decision is clear: know the sale dates, know the outlet locations, and don’t confuse the brand founder with the journalist.

The dual identity of Peter Alexander is explored in an in-depth article, covering both the sleepwear founder and the journalist.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• Roxy Jacenko – profile of an Australian entrepreneur
• Kerry Stokes – biography of the Australian business magnate