Princess Polly

SUMMARY

Princess Polly is a contemporary women’s fashion brand founded in Australia and operating globally, wildly popular for its trend-driven apparel, high quality and social-media-savvy marketing. Originating as a boutique retailer on the Gold Coast, the fashion brand shifted to an online model in 2010 and expanded internationally through e-commerce, influencer marketing and rapid product cycles. More recently, Princess Polly has emphasised sustainability initiatives and has achieved certification as a B Corporation in 2025.

HISTORY

Princess Polly traces its roots to a modest brick-and-mortar store on Australia’s Gold Coast, Queensland, established by siblings Wez Bryett and Eirin Bryett in the mid-2000s. In 2010, recognising the early shift towards online retail, the duo launched the digital arm of the business from a beach-side apartment and shortly online sales began outpacing the physical store. Subsequently, Princess Polly began releasing new items frequently and leveraging influencer and social-media marketing to engage a young, trend-conscious customer base.

By 2018,  50% of the business was acquired by San Francisco-based A.K.A. Brands (at the time named “Elevate Brand Partners”) due to its potential as a high-growth brand, and is backed by Summit Partners, a global alternative investment firm with $14 billion in assets under management. This external backing accelerated Princess Polly’s global footprint, enabling shipping to multiple international markets and localisation of online operations. Princess Polly also broadened its operations beyond pure e-commerce, introducing initiatives in physical retail experiences and global wholesale distribution, while retaining a strong online presence.

So what sky-rocketed Princess Polly’s popularity and fame? Per Forbes: “In part, it’s because the Australian fast fashion retailer was quick-thinking enough to recognize the potential of TikTok early and also thanks to a carefully assembled army of micro-influencers, studiously built up over the past couple of years. Oh, and Ariana Grande helped too. In March the singer shared social media images sporting a pair of $74 Princess Polly jeans. Cue internet madness. Inevitably.”

Behind the brand is a thriving team of 300 passionate, innovative and creative individuals collaborating across the brand headquarters in West Hollywood (California, USA) and Burleigh Heads (Queensland, Australia). From designers, content creators, marketers, photographers (and everything in between), the dedicated team is what brings Princess Polly to life. All garments are subject to stringent testing to ensure durability, fit and finish, maintaining high quality standards. Princess Polly works closely with its supply chain partners to actively reduce carbon emissions, promote circularity and uphold ethical sourcing, ensuring that standards follow the brand’s award-winning 5A’s of Ethical Sourcing framework, to create lasting, positive impact.

In July 2025, Princess Polly was formally certified as a B Corporation by the non-profit B Lab—signalling a commitment to social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability alongside its business operations. The certification spans the entire Princess Polly business and reflects the brand’s ongoing mission of making on-trend fashion sustainable and accessible, as well as its commitment to making a positive difference in its communities and the fashion industry as a whole.

“We are deeply honored that Princess Polly’s commitment to purpose-driven practices has been recognized with a B Corp™ Certification,” said Eirin Bryett, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Princess Polly in a release. “This is an incredible accomplishment, and it marks a significant step in our ongoing journey to embed sustainability and purpose into every part of our business. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made and remain committed to continuously improving and holding ourselves to high standards in everything we do.”

The future is bright. Princess Polly is spread across Australia and Los Angeles, after it launched in the U.S. market in 2019. Throughout its history, Princess Polly has been characterised by its digital-first mindset, influencer-rich marketing strategies, and a target demographic of young women seeking the latest “Insta-ready” and “TikTok-approved” styles. As of the mid-2020s, the brand continues to refine its supply-chain practices, emphasising lower-impact materials and seeking to reconcile its fast-fashion model with increasing sustainability expectations.

VISION

The founders envisioned Princess Polly as a platform for trend-setting, socially engaged young women who view style as a form of self-expression. This vision emphasises a brand identity that is responsive to rapidly shifting youth culture, social media trends and global connectivity. By engaging directly with their community of customers, the brand seeks to offer the latest looks and also reflects the mindset of a new generation.

Underlying this is a belief in access: that on-trend fashion should be accessible in terms of pricing, availability and ease of purchase, but without sacrificing a strong aesthetic or sense of brand authenticity. The Bryetts envisaged a business rooted in agility, digital engagement and global reach. More recently, the vision has extended to sustainability: the brand describes itself as being on a mission to make “on-trend fashion sustainable”, aligning its future growth with environmental responsibility, ethical sourcing and more conscious business practices.

MISSION STATEMENT

Princess Polly’s mission is to empower young women to express themselves through fashion that is accessible, relevant and reflective of modern digital culture. Per the official website: “Our mission is to make on-trend, sustainable fashion accessible to everyone by rebuilding our entire supply chain over the coming years to source all of our products sustainably. We’re proud that our garments are made from high quality materials that are made to last while still being accessibly priced. After all, why shouldn’t quality, sustainable fashion be on-trend, accessible and ready for the weekend?”

The company emphasises speed of delivery, trend responsiveness and ease of access to meet the demands of its socially connected market. In parallel, the fashion brand emphasises quality despite its fast fashion roots, indicating that its garments are made from high-quality materials, designed to last, and well priced. Crucially, Princess Polly commits to integrating sustainability throughout its business—from design and sourcing to production and distribution—with the longer-term ambition of transforming its supply chain to be fully aligned with lower environmental impact and ethical manufacturing.

KEY TEAM

• Wez Bryett – Co-Founder & Co-Chief Executive Officer of Princess Polly.

• Eirin Bryett – Co-Founder & Co-Chief Executive Officer of Princess Polly.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Princess Polly primarily offers women’s apparel, targeting young adult. Its product portfolio includes dresses, tops, skirts, bottoms, outerwear, swimwear and accessories. Princess Polly has also introduced Lower Impact garments made with more sustainable materials such as recycled polyester and organic cotton. The collections are often structured around weekly or even daily drops to reflect the latest trends emerging on social media and in youth culture. And the emphasis is on delivering Insta-ready and TikTok-approved styles, frequently leveraging influencer collaborations, social-media marketing and content-driven commerce to reach and engage the market.

Princess Polly offers a seamless e-commerce experience including global shipping, rapid fulfilment and easy returns, with regionalised sites tailored to local audiences and customer expectations. Beyond online retail, the brand has also expanded into physical retail presence or pop-ups to enhance customer engagement, and continues to explore omnichannel approaches integrating social commerce, influencer content and direct-to-consumer fulfilment.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

In July 2025, Princess Polly achieved certification as a B Corporation, recognising its alignment with rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. This milestone has been publicised as a significant step given the brand’s global reach and fast-fashion business model, highlighting its commitment to embedding sustainability into its operations.