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.
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.
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.
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.
What Consumers Want: Performance + Style + Purpose
Today’s consumers, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, expect more:
Athleisure is gender-inclusive and multi-category, think beyond leggings.
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.
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.
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