Camilla is evolving from an Aussie fashion label into a global retail force. Worn by celebrities like Beyoncé and Miranda Kerr and known for its immersive boutiques and daring collaborations with Disney and White Lotus, their signature prints aren’t the only thing that’s bold. The way they scale their business is just as fearless.
In this checkout we spoke to Luke Matthews, Head of IT at Camilla Australia. With a career that spans CTO leadership at Kitchen Warehouse and major consulting at Retail Directions, Luke is now focused on scaling Camilla’s technology infrastructure across Australia, the US, and beyond. He shares some of his curious tech experiments and the surprising tech and leadership philosophies that help him support one of Australia’s fastest-growing luxury brands.
From Homemade Drones to Global IT Leadership
Before ecommerce platforms and middleware layers filled his days, Luke was building long-range drones at home. “Before drones were a thing, I was trying to build drones and was importing long-range transmitters to try and build autonomous drones to fly up to about 40 or 50 Ks,” Luke recalled.
The DIY project reflected the same technical curiosity and hands-on problem-solving that he brings to his work today. “There was some weird, wonderful transmitter receiver hardware coming through on international posts,” Luke laughed, admitting customs probably had a few questions back then.
Learning From Resilience Close to Home
While many tech leaders look abroad for inspiration, Luke pointed to a brand much closer to home, Kitchen Warehouse. Having served as CTO there before moving to Camilla, he said, “I think they’re a pretty inspiring story.”
Reflecting on their ecommerce journey, Luke explained they saw, “Incredible growth over COVID, [and were] able to continue fulfilling and meeting customer expectations over the most difficult retail trading period we’ve ever had”. He also applauded their experimentation with tech, especially in building a stack of commerce tools for the web.
The Hidden Glue Behind Camilla’s Tech Stack
When it comes to essential tech, Luke doesn’t jump straight to flashy ecommerce platforms or CRM systems. Instead, he’s laser-focused on what actually connects everything behind the scenes: integration.
“For us, it’s back to basics for me, but a really strong integration solution,” he said. Managing a best-of-breed stack across platforms like NetSuite, Shopify and a CDP, Luke knows the real challenge isn’t picking the best tool, it’s stitching them together so they behave like a single system.
“You know, we have to have a really strong iPaaS middleware solution”, he explained. Without it, even the best platforms stay isolated, creating more friction than freedom. “Integration isn’t just an IT job. It’s what keeps the customer experience seamless”, said Luke.
Breathing Room for Leadership
Managing global systems across time zones isn’t just a technical challenge, it’s a mental one too. That’s why Luke recently turned to a source for stress management: breathing techniques.
“I’ve been reading Breath by James Nestor, which I think is a great book”, he shared. For someone operating in high-pressure environments, learning to manage internal calm is a competitive advantage. “It’s actually about taking time and learning to de-stress. This job, and a lot of jobs in the space, can be quite stressful”, Luke continued. It’s a reminder that no matter how technical your role is, resilience often starts from within.
The Challenge of Endless Opportunity
When asked about his biggest challenge, Luke didn’t hesitate. “The list at Camilla like in a lot of businesses is endless in terms of what we could do, what we want to do…trying to get to what are the most important aspects and focus on them in order is really tough,” he said.
With Camilla expanding globally and launching into huge new markets like the US, managing scope, as well as adding projects, is a critical leadership skill. The real magic, he revealed, happens when the business aligns around the handful of initiatives that drive true growth, rather than just the loudest ideas.
Calm, Curiosity and Discipline
Luke Matthews shows us that scaling a brand like Camilla isn’t just about tech horsepower or creative marketing, it’s about a deeper discipline. It’s about finding calm in complexity and in a world obsessed with moving faster, his message is refreshingly clear: to grow big, you have to build strong and stay steady under pressure.
Want more from Luke?
Listen to the full Checkout Episode here:
The Checkout is a short snippet of our conversations.
