Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
* Australia's finest export → rmwilliams.com
* Full factory tour: How RMW makes Australia's national boot: youtube.com/watch?v=Lyeugwh6Des
* I make belts and bags from invasive pests: badleathergoods.com
They let me interview Australia’s richest man, isn’t that wild?
Dr. Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest went from ‘wealthy person’ to ‘national folk hero’ when he bought R.M. Williams 5 years ago, returning it to Australian ownership after it was sold to a French multinational conglomerate. It worked out well: when we filmed this, Twiggy had just doubled the size of the factory.
(Also, his doctorate isn’t honorary: he finished a legit phD in Marine Science at age 57. Billionaires, am I right?)
This was probably the most Australian moment of my life: hugging the owner of our national boot brand, wearing RM Williams boots and one of their kangaroo leather belts, right in the factory that makes them!
00:00 How Andrew Forrest made his money
00:57 Why Andrew Forrest bought RM Williams
03:23 The future of RM Williams
04:31 Why do Australians love Chelsea boots so much?
05:16 Andrew Forrest’s philanthropic charity work
07:43 Tall Poppy Syndrome: American individualism vs Australian egalitarianism
full article: stridewise.com/rm-williams-andrew-forrest-interview
* Australia's finest export → rmwilliams.com
* Full factory tour: How RMW makes Australia's national boot: youtube.com/watch?v=Lyeugwh6Des
* I make belts and bags from invasive pests: badleathergoods.com
They let me interview Australia’s richest man, isn’t that wild?
Dr. Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest went from ‘wealthy person’ to ‘national folk hero’ when he bought R.M. Williams 5 years ago, returning it to Australian ownership after it was sold to a French multinational conglomerate. It worked out well: when we filmed this, Twiggy had just doubled the size of the factory.
(Also, his doctorate isn’t honorary: he finished a legit phD in Marine Science at age 57. Billionaires, am I right?)
This was probably the most Australian moment of my life: hugging the owner of our national boot brand, wearing RM Williams boots and one of their kangaroo leather belts, right in the factory that makes them!
00:00 How Andrew Forrest made his money
00:57 Why Andrew Forrest bought RM Williams
03:23 The future of RM Williams
04:31 Why do Australians love Chelsea boots so much?
05:16 Andrew Forrest’s philanthropic charity work
07:43 Tall Poppy Syndrome: American individualism vs Australian egalitarianism
full article: stridewise.com/rm-williams-andrew-forrest-interview
