Past student of The Cathedral College and Global Fashion Sourcer Gabriel Waller, recently presented at the Harvard Business School’s annual Women in Business event as part of a panel of highly successful female entrepreneurs.
Gabriel, more famously known as Gab, is the brilliant brain and face of Gabwallerdotcom, an international luxury fashion sourcing service that has taken the world by storm. Gab has appeared on Entertainment Tonight, featured in numerous fashion and business magazines including Vogue Australia, Vanity Fair, Harpers Bazaar, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, New York Times and has a dedicated column in Vogue US.
Gab pioneered the luxury fashion sourcing industry in Australia breaking into a niche international market after famously sourcing a Celine coat for English model and actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in 2019, but it was not without setbacks.
“I had to really work hard to make a name for myself and received so many knockbacks as I wasn’t well known, and had no connections,”
“But I worked on building relationships in the industry and I wasn’t deterred by rejection,” she said.
Her clients, who initially sprung from the suburbs of Sydney seeking one-off designer pieces, now extend to include celebrities such as Hailey Beiber, Sofia Richie Grainge and Khloe Kardashian.
Gab, who was once a keen student graduating with the Senior Class of 2010, said it was the life lessons she learnt here combined with her drive for success that has helped shaped her iconic international business.
Gab’s teachers described her as hard-working, who held herself to a high standard and who displayed a genuine interest in the wellbeing of others which didn’t go unnoticed by her Pastoral Care teacher. These sentiments are echoed in the many magazine articles featuring Gab. Her kindness, compassion, honesty and respect are a common thread.
“My faith is very important to me in my life and is something I continue to value to this day”
“I give each of my clients the VIP treatment regardless of their status. Everyone’s important.”
“When I started out I would try to hand deliver each item. Now with my team of ten plus, we make sure each enquiry receives a response within 3 hours and items are generally sourced within a 48 hour time frame,” she said.
It’s this care for her clients that has earnt her the respect now inherent in her Instagram hashtag #sourcedbygw
Gab’s business which initially stemmed from social media is now located in Los Angeles and she has plans to expand further.
“It’s important to set goals and do something you love so as to find joy in life. I love fashion as there is so much beauty and power in in being different,”
“I am so grateful for my career and believe that life is full of possibilities,” she said.
Congratulations Gab on your stellar career and for living life in all it’s fullness. We're so proud of you.
If you would like to read further about Gab and her meteoric rise to international success please visit these links…
What Is Luxury Sourcing? How Gab Waller and Fashion Sourcers Are Transforming Shopping (harpersbazaar.com)
‘The Future Of Fashion Is Sourcing’: Ask Gab Waller, Who Went From Personal Shopper To Global Empire (forbes.com)
