5 Brands That Moved Fast into Leading the Athleisure Space

With millions across the globe WFH for several months and perhaps (at least) another several to go, everyone’s looking to stay comfy while still looking good.

Numerous fashion brands put their slippers on and jumped on the bandwagon in hopes of helping people stay stylish while they remain at home with fashionable activewear, streetwear, and casual wear lines. You know this as athleisure.

According to Technavio Market Research, the athleisure market is “poised to grow by $80.74 billion between now and 2024.” While a SimilarWeb report found that “there has been a remarkable growth of the athleisure market in the United States over the last few months.”

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Here are five brands that were nimble enough to make this adjustment faster than others. 

#1 – Lululemon

Of course. The Canadian athletic apparel brand, lululemon, is facing some up and coming competition as the COVID pandemic has caused a major shift towards athletic wear lines. But it’s not in the business of letting anyone overtake them in their own… well, home.

According to Nasdaq, “lululemon announced an increase in sales even as many other retailers have struggled from impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Even before the pandemic, there has been a global increase in health and fitness awareness – which Lulu has obviously benefited from. Some might say lead. Thanks to today’s relaxed dress code, the stylish athletic brand is benefiting even more.

#2 – Kohl’s

A little less predictable name on this list, huh? Kohl’s is adding a private label athleisure brand, the FLX line, to complement its current lineup of active and casual wear with a higher-end athleisure offering.

“As customers have been increasingly shopping for a more comfortable and casual lifestyle, Kohl’s identified a plan to more aggressively serve as the most trusted retailer of choice in these categories,” said Kohl’s chief merchandising officer, Doug Howe. 

“With an emphasis on high-quality athleisure, FLX fills a white space in our current private brand portfolio and will be a great answer to these growing consumer trends.”

The line will include sportswear giants, including Columbia, Champion, Adidas, Nike, Under Armour, and more. High-quality items with functional details, such as shorts, sweats, and other bottoms and cotton tees and seasonal pieces (jackets and fleece), will be on offer for both men and women of all sizes. 

# 3 – Asos

According to an article by The Guardian, “Asos more than quadrupled profits as its mainly twenty-something shoppers snapped up comfy casual wear and skincare products during the lockdown.”

The online fashion brand also noted that its site was in shortage of sportswear due to increased demand and sales surges.

Asos CEO Nick Beighton said, “we are working hard to make sure we have supply.”

We guess being in the right place at the right time is a great starting point. 

#4 – American Eagle

As recently reported on PostFunnel, AEO’s new OFFLINE brand was launched due to consumer demand for athleisure amid the ongoing pandemic.

Built for “REAL movement and REAL comfort” with soft and cozy materials, the brand started by offering customers an online shopping experience and now is opening its first location in CoolSprings Galleria, Tennessee.

“We’re excited to host the first location in the country for OFFLINE by Aerie and provide shoppers a destination to shop for all their activewear needs!” said Offline Marketing Director, Tori Dean.

#5 – Madewell

American fashion brand Madewell just launched a new athleisure category due to popular demand.

It’s called Madewell athleisure, and the collection is titled, Make Weekends Longer.

To really get in touch with customers and understand what they want, Madewell issued a survey asking various questions that concluded, “81% of customers had evolved their style since March at the start of the pandemic, incorporating more casual and comfortable clothing, such as sweatpants and leggings”.

According to Elle Magazine, “Madewell’s customers’ desired clothing that fit with the times—comfy, casual apparel that can be worn as loungewear or paired with Madewell’s signature pieces.”

Bottom line, either by owning the space from the beginning like lululemon, having the right audience like Asos, or by moving fast enough – the way these brands are staying relevant and answering consumers’ needs is a surefire way to enhance customer relationships.