Inside Petite Plume's First Decade: Growth, Grit, And Gorgeous Pajamas

Forbes

12 hours ago

Ten years in, Petite Plume has found continued success in the luxury sleepwear space, selling a pair ... More of its signature pajamas every 20 seconds. Courtesy of Petite Plume
For most, navigating a high-paced career and raising multiple children would be considered a very full plate, one that leaves little time for much else. For Emily Hikade, there was still something missing. Ten years ago, she was juggling undercover missions as a Counterterrorism Case Officer at the CIA by day and raising three young boys (a fourth would soon follow) at home in East Africa by night. Somewhere between covert operations and bedtime stories, she began building a sleepwear brand—one rooted in timeless design, uncompromising quality, and the quiet magic of family moments. What started as a side project stitched together in the midnight hours would become Petite Plume, a now beloved, founder-owned company that sells a pair of its signature pajamas every 20 seconds and is carried in more than 600 stores nationwide.
"For the first few years, it was just me," Hikade recalls. "I wasn't just the founder—I was logistics, customer support, marketing, and everything in between." That hands-on crash course in entrepreneurship set the foundation for what Petite Plume would eventually become: a profitable, purpose-driven brand built on elegance, emotion, and enduring charm.
Petite Plume may be best known for its timeless sleepwear, but its origin story is anything but traditional. Hikade credits her time at the CIA with shaping her unshakable confidence and adaptability. "I approached this the same way I would any mission in my previous life: with focus, resourcefulness, and the belief that challenges are simply opportunities most people walk away from."
That mindset has paid off. In 2024 alone, the company experienced a staggering 76% year-over-year growth—nearly doubling its eight-figure revenue while maintaining profitability. That surge was the result of a series of deliberate, disciplined decisions, all designed to scale the brand without compromising its values.
"We remained laser focused on what matters: brand, product, and customer," Hikade says. The company relaunched its website, leaned into storytelling, and found viral success with styles like 'The Olivia.' Home goods were another breakout category, particularly over the holidays, and strategic partnerships with Eden Rock, Hotel del Coronado, Maman, and Parachute further built the brand's elegant world and expanded its reach.
Emily Hikade credits her time at the CIA with shaping her adaptability when building Petite Plume. Courtesy of Petite Plume
"Our competitive advantage lies in two things: uncompromising quality and deep emotional connection," Hikade explains. Petite Plume is made with the finest Peruvian cotton and Mulberry silk, and its heirloom-quality designs are woven into life's most meaningful moments—holiday traditions, bedtime routines, and cozy Sunday mornings.
Unlike for many brands that see this kind of success early on, though, growth hasn't meant dilution for Petite Plume. "Staying true to our DNA isn't something we're willing to compromise [on] as we grow. It's the reason we've been able to grow," says Hikade. The brand has never taken outside funding and has been profitable since day one, giving Hikade the freedom to scale with intention. Every expansion, from new product categories to strategic retail partnerships, is filtered through a single question: Does this feel distinctly Petite Plume?
One defining moment came in 2016, when Prince George famously wore Petite Plume pajamas to meet President Obama at Buckingham Palace. "That iconic image swept the news cycle and gave Petite Plume a very nice brand (and sales!) boost," Hikade says. She had no PR team at the time, and the moment served as both a surprise and a milestone.
The brand has since expanded well beyond children's pajamas. It now offers sleepwear and loungewear for the whole family, as well as home goods and holiday accessories—with plans to continue evolving into a full lifestyle brand. Hospitality partnerships have become a powerful channel for discovery, too. "It's not just distribution; it's brand immersion," Hikade says. 'These placements allow guests to experience Petite Plume firsthand in environments that reflect our values—elevated, warm, and memory-making.'
What began as a children's brand now offers sleepwear and loungewear for the whole family, as well ... More as home goods and holiday accessories. Courtesy of Petite Plume
Still, the journey hasn't been without hurdles. Building a clean, heirloom-style pajama line meant navigating the complex world of CPSC regulations around flame retardancy. Most U.S. brands opt for chemical treatments; Hikade instead sourced a proprietary fabric blend from a factory that produced firefighter uniforms. 'It was a non-starter for me to use chemicals,' she explains. "I wanted a cleaner, safer alternative for children."
As for the broader market, Hikade sees a clear path ahead. "We're committed to staying at the forefront by leading with thoughtful classic designs, never straying from prioritizing high-quality materials, and always investing in our brand identity," she says.
Hikade has learned a lot from the success, and challenges, she's experienced with Petite Plume--and she hopes to share some of those lessons with her fellow founders. "There is never a good time to start a company," she says. "Certainly not when you have a full-time job, three little kids, and are living in East Africa. But you have to put one foot in front of the other and know that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
She also wants more women to know that they don't need a conventional resume or outside capital to succeed. "You need conviction, grit, and an unwavering belief in your vision," Hikade says. After years of working undercover in regions where women had no seat at the table, she now stands at the helm of a brand that's redefining modern luxury—on her own terms.
"If my journey can help inspire someone, then it's worth sharing," she says. 'Whether it's working counterterrorism or building a $100-million company, women can do anything they put their minds to.'