Gab Waller On Phoebe Philo, The Elusive Alaïa Ballet Flats & The Persistence Of Quiet Luxury

She's been referred to as a wizard. A sorcerer. A bounty hunter. Sherlock Holmes. A sleuth, a shopping weapon and a fashion detective. But Gabriel Waller (aka Gab Waller) is simultaneously all and none of the above. From her beginnings in a small town in Queensland to her current residence in Los Angeles, renowned fashion sourcer Gabriel Waller's path to becoming a sought-after name among the fashion elite has been nothing short of remarkable. So, what does it take to carve out a niche in the fashion industry that hasn't really existed before?

Ahead, Refinery29 Australia chats to Gab Waller about her journey, her unique approach to sourcing coveted pieces, Phoebe Philo's new brand, her thoughts on the ever-evolving fashion landscape and her vision for making high-end fashion more accessible.

"What exactly is a fashion sourcer?", you might ask. Waller has recently transitioned from vague descriptions about what she does, to fully embracing the title. "I've only started referring to myself as a fashion sourcer within the past year," she says, clarifying that it's because it's a relatively new area of expertise in fashion. "It's not really a position that exists. If you Googled 'what does a fashion sourcer do?', [you wouldn't find much because] it's such a new area of the fashion industry." Her speciality is sourcing elusive pieces that are in high demand — or even sold out. She acknowledges that while "fashion detective" does have a nice ring to it, "fashion sourcer" suits her role best.

Gab Waller's clientele includes celebrities like Khloe Kardashian, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Matilda Djerf, to name just a few. But equally, the impact of some celebrities' fashion choices is enormous. Waller shares that pieces worn by Hailey Bieber and Sofia Richie Grange frequently lead to surges in requests for specific pieces. "If Hailey Bieber wears something, there's a strong chance I'll get a request for it. [And with] Sofia Richie-Grange too," she says.

She also notes the influence of fashion-focused TikTokers such as Audrey Peters, Morgan Stewart and Madeline White in generating demand for specific fashion items, which are often accompanied by a screenshot. "That's why, like, for example, with Sophia [Richie Grange], I've got such a close eye on [what she wears]," she says. "I just know that if she wears it, I kind of need to be a couple of steps ahead so I can jump on it before it really takes off."

As the conversation shifts towards fashion trends, Waller shares her thoughts on the elusive Alaïa fishnet ballet flats. "I certainly think that if we were having this conversation two years ago, the brand Alaïa itself wouldn't have been as highly requested...but they are now my best-selling item in the history of GW. It's truly astonishing. Everyone loves them," she says, adding that while many items have risen and fallen in popularity — including the Chanel 'dad' sandals — nothing has quite matched the fervour for the Alaïa flats.

Waller also shares that there has been a huge rise in interest from brands like The Row and Khaite, with the rise of investment dressing and quiet luxury. She laughs, saying that people might be sick of hearing about quiet luxury, but it's not going anywhere anytime soon.

Waller's biggest advice for fashion enthusiasts is to invest in key pieces and elevated basics that you can wear on heavy rotation. "My biggest investments for my wardrobe are my key pieces, my everyday pieces that I'm grabbing every day," she says.

Waller suggests starting with basics like T-shirts, an excellent pair of jeans, smart trousers and a versatile blazer, ideally in timeless neutral colours. "I think a grey blazer is the most staple piece in any wardrobe," she says, adding that "even if you're wearing jeans and a T shirt or something very casual, you can pop on that blazer and dress it up".

As for shoes, Waller admits that there's one tip everyone can embrace. "Depending on where you're at with your heel height — whether it's a kitten heel or a pump — I think it's a good idea to invest in a great pair of black ones that will go with everything," she says. Her approach to fashion is to incorporate timeless, wearable, versatile pieces into your wardrobe that work all year round. "They're the pieces that no matter what month it is, no matter what season it is, you know that you can wear them because it's not tied to a trend," she says.

Waller admits that she gave in and got herself a pair of the Alaïa fishnet ballet flats, which she says are "extremely comfortable". She also shares that since moving to Los Angeles, she's developed a real love for jeans. "I never wore jeans when I was in Australia! I don't know why, but suddenly, I've taken a great interest in jeans, and I have a pair of Khaite jeans that I wear to death," she says. Along with the classic wardrobe staple, Waller also has a lot of elevated basics from The Row and Eterne (which doesn't have much of a presence in Australia yet, but is one of Waller's favourite brands for basics).

As fashion trends come and go, Waller anticipates that the trend of investment dressing and "quiet luxury" will persist, emphasising that beautiful, wearable fashion will continue to dominate the industry. "It's going to be interesting to see if we do a full 360 again and go back into logomania," she says.

"But I really do feel that the fashion industry has discovered this new way of investment dressing and wearable fashion, and I personally don't think we're going to see that go away anytime soon."

Waller says that brands like The Row and Khaite, which emphasise timeless, wearable fashion, are likely to remain influential. "I mean, there are pieces that I've got that you know have logos all over them, and I just feel I will never get as much wear out of those pieces as I would a plain piece, that has no branding. It's just a beautiful piece," she says. "And so, I think we've all discovered that and it would be really, really hard to change that."

Fashion enthusiasts worldwide are eagerly awaiting the comeback of Phoebe Philo, the brilliant mind behind many acclaimed Celine collections — and Gab Waller is no exception. She hints at the profound impact Philo is set to have on the fashion industry with her new brand, which launches on October 30.

"I feel she is going to have an intense movement in fashion, and whatever she puts out, I think a lot of people will follow suit. I'm very, very excited for that," she says. Her excitement mirrors that of the fashion world, as the legendary designer is poised to set new trends in motion once more.

Gab Waller's journey began in Rockhampton, a small town in Queensland, Australia. Initially, fashion wasn't on her radar, but her career took an unexpected turn when she started working for the government. While there, she discovered a growing interest in luxury fashion, eventually leading her to make her first designer luxury purchase: a Celine trapeze bag. This acquisition marked the beginning of her fashion journey.

"I remember as if it was yesterday. I remember I was actually living in Canberra at the time for my government position and I travelled up to Sydney and went into the David Jones there. The bag was my pride and joy. I remember checking like every little inch of that bag to make sure it was perfection, because I worked very hard to get it," she shares. "It's so funny because that was my first designer purchase, but I have such a special spot in my heart for old Celine because I really feel that's what set my career off in those first six to 12 months. It was just when Phoebe had finished and I became known as 'the girl that could source old Celine'."

As she became known for her ability to source sold-out and highly sought-after pieces, Waller's reputation as a fashion sourcer grew, and she established her business by connecting people with their dream fashion items.

Gab Waller is not just a fashion authority; she's a bridge for fashion enthusiasts around the world, enabling them to access the brands and pieces they desire. But she emphasises that her service isn't reserved for celebrities or people who are into designer items.

"It's not just for the uber-wealthy... it's so important to me that everyone feels welcome and I want everyone to feel like a VIP," she says. She shares that prior to launching her business, she wasn't a VIP client either, and knows what it's like to feel uncomfortable or even unwelcome at luxury boutiques. "A huge motivation of mine is to eliminate that completely," she says.