message that’s at odds with Babyboo’s carefree brand, which centres on outfits tailor-made for a glam night out. Or does it? Because none of this will come as a surprise to those closely following the story of how Will and his sister, Argylica, built Babyboo from just $1000 into a global fashion juggernaut. Joining the company at 18, Will worked as an “all-rounder” for his sibling before taking the gamble of dropping out of university to scale the business. “The journey has been wild. I was fresh out of high school, helping with anything and everything that needed to be done. One day, I was shooting; the next, packing orders, fulfilling customer service queries, or managing social media marketing. It was extremely tough, but it built character. They don’t teach you that at university.” Some 13 years later, Babyboo’s revenue is in the hundreds of millions, with the label shipping to 145 countries worldwide. Today, Will holds three key job titles. He’s the brand director, overseeing the label’s positioning; creative director, operating as the guardian of its identity; and co-director, managing a team of senior leaders. Over the last year, though, his focus has been on shifting the brand’s perception among consumers from fast fashion to premium outfitter. A more structured brand book, higher pricing, and a focus on craftsmanship have led some product launches to generate millions within just 24 hours. “Argylica and I are perfectionists. Every detail needs to be right, and we don’t cut corners. Our products are not produced or crafted like fast fashion, so it wasn’t a transformation; it was just a gradual shift in how we position ourselves. To our customers, the clothes are pretty – but to us, they’re strategically tailored to her.” The success has been underpinned by the siblings’ masterful use of social media, so much so that Babyboo is more of a lifestyle choice than a fashion brand to its dedicated customers. Over the last year, its various channels have grown by more than 2 million followers, thanks to innovative live try-ons and “shape sessions” that showcase garments on diverse body types and profiles. That emphasis on authenticity and transparency of fit wasn’t some kind of PR move – it helped reduce returns by around 12 per cent. “We’re not afraid to try new things, and we understand our customers. If our competitors or fast fashion rivals are doing the same thing, we pivot. We don’t want to be associated with them, so we do everything we can to avoid it. We’re in our own lane, so we make the divide clear.” Under the hood, Will has also led a major overhaul of Babyboo’s fulfilment and logistics. A Sydney warehouse was closed to shift to a new robotics facility capable of handling more than 60,000 orders per week. Primed, then, for global expansion. “We’re a tech company masquerading as a fashion brand. Robots are the future, and very much in line with our brand’s direction, so we took the leap.” Post-investment, same-day delivery now accounts for 10 per cent of sales, while fulfilment accuracy is 98 per cent. Already, plans are in place to add a new European warehouse to its existing bases in Australia and the US. What, then, of the future? “I don’t like to speak about it too much because I’m a big believer in show, don’t tell,” said Will. “But let’s just say further global growth, new categories, team expansion and a community-first focus. We know exactly where we’re going.” Download Inside Retail’s Top 50 People in E-Commerce, presented by Australia Post, in full here.