Athleisure Isn’t a Trend, it’s a New Category. Are You Owning It?

‍Athleisure is no longer a trend, it’s a permanent shift in consumer behaviour. Valued at $500 billion globally, athleisure now makes up 50% of the sportswear market and continues to outpace traditional categories.‍

From city streets to boardrooms, consumers expect clothes that perform and look good.

Yet many brands, especially those rooted in technical sports or outdoor gear, are still hesitating to embrace this opportunity. Here’s why that hesitation could cost you and what CEOs must do to win in this booming category.

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The Size of the Prize: Why Athleisure is Dominating

Consumers demand versatility. They want clothing that seamlessly transitions from the gym to social settings to work. Post-pandemic lifestyle shifts, remote work, wellness culture, and casual dress codes have fuelled explosive growth.

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Market Impact:

• 50% of global sportswear sales now fall under athleisure.
• $500 billion global market value, growing at ~9% CAGR.
• The UK market alone is expected to hit £25 billion by 2026.

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Key movers and shakers:

• lululemon: Athleisure pioneer, now valued at over $58 billion, continues double-digit growth.
• Gymshark: $1.4 billion valuation with a DTC-driven athleisure model.
• Alo Yoga: Leading the premium athleisure space, expanding into wellness.

If you’re not in athleisure yet, you’re leaving market share on the table.

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What Consumers Want: Performance + Style + Purpose

Today’s consumers, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, expect more:

• Functionality: Technical fabrics, stretch, breathability.
• Style: Looks as good at brunch as in the gym.
• Sustainability: Ethical materials and production

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Stats to know:

• 72% of Gen Z prefer versatile clothing suitable for multiple occasions.
• 62% of consumers would pay more for sustainable athleisure options.

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Key movers and shakers:

• adidas x Stella McCartney: Leading designer collaborations for premium performance.
• Nike: Blending streetwear and performance in lifestyle lines.

Athleisure is where form, function, and values converge and brands that miss this intersection are losing relevance.

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Why Some Outdoor and Sports Brands Are Missing Out

Many legacy brands are over-focused on technical performance or core sports and are missing the broader opportunity:

• Outdoor brands: Focus on hard performance gear but ignore urban outdoor crossovers.
• Sports brands: Stuck in sport-specific products, neglecting everyday wear.

Meanwhile, athleisure brands are stealing their customers, especially younger and female audiences.

Your next customer is not a marathon runner, it’s someone who wants to look and feel good picking up kids or heading to dinner.

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Product Innovation: What Makes a Winning Athleisure Line?

Winning athleisure collections combine:

• Technical materials (moisture-wicking, anti-odor, stretch).
• On-trend silhouettes (oversized hoodies, tapered joggers, sleek leggings).
• Sustainability-first design (recycled fibres, ethical manufacturing).

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Key product trends:

• Gender-neutral collections.
• Smart fabrics integrating wellness tech (e.g., Lululemon’s Mirror fitness integration).
• Fashion-led limited editions.

Fashion and tech teams must collaborate to win here, this is not traditional sportswear design.

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The Role of Brand and Community: Selling More Than Product

Athleisure success isn’t just about product, it’s about community, purpose, and lifestyle alignment:

Community-led growth:

• Gymshark: Built a £500m brand via community-first marketing.
• Lululemon: From yoga classes to in-store events, community is baked into their growth engine.

Brand values:

• Alo Yoga: Wellness and mindfulness as part of the brand ethos.

Athleisure brands own a relationship beyond product; they sell identity and belonging. How does your brand engage beyond transactions?

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Why Athleisure Is Also a Menswear and Outdoor Opportunity

While women dominate the athleisure segment, men’s athleisure is booming. It is projected to be a $110 billion global market by 2025.

Outdoor crossovers:

• Urban hiking-inspired lines.
• Technical parkas and city-appropriate outdoor gear.

Key movers and shakers:

• Arc'teryx Equipment Veilance: Luxury urban outdoor crossover.
• Nike ACG: Combining outdoors with streetwear.

Athleisure is gender-inclusive and multi-category, think beyond leggings.

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What CEOs Should Be Asking Right Now

• Market fit: Where does our brand naturally play in the athleisure space?
• Product: Do we have the design and innovation capability for this category?
• Customer: Are we engaging the younger, urban, wellness-focused consumers driving growth?
• Channel: How are we selling this? (DTC, collabs, influencers, retail?)
• Team: Do we have the creative and product talent to do this well?

If you’re not actively investing in athleisure, your competitors are, and they’re gaining on you.

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Athleisure is no longer an emerging trend, it’s the future of sports and lifestyle apparel. The brands leading the way are those that understand what today’s consumers want: performance, style, and purpose in one product.

• Reassess your product strategy, are you creating for the modern consumer?
• Invest in community and experience, athleisure brands thrive on deeper connections, not just transactions.
• Stay ahead of industry shifts, sustainability, gender inclusivity, and performance innovation are key.

If this resonates, follow Virtua for more CEO insights on where the industry is headed and how to position your brand for success. And if you found this valuable, share it with your network, let’s drive the conversation forward.

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