Lululemon Launches Digital Platform Lululemon Studio for Mirror Users
Lululemon is raising the bar on its at-home Sweatlife.
The Canadian activewear firm unveiled Lululemon Studio on Wednesday at a presentation in New York.
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The digital platform launches to consumers on Oct. 5 and can be accessed by way of Lululemon’s at-home fitness system Mirror, the Lululemon app or real life Lululemon experiences, in stores and partner studios. It will connect Lululemon lovers and fitness fans in cyberspace, allowing them to browse Mirror’s more than 10,000 on-demand and livestream workout classes, as well as wellness content from fitness and health experts across North America, details on the company’s in-person events and a 10 percent discount on Lululemon products (up to $5,000 a year). Lululemon Studio members will also be able to stream weekly classes from exercise partners — such as Aarmy, Y7 Studio, Dogpound, Forward_Space, Pure Barre, Rumble, AKT and YogaSix — by way of the platform, or sign up for studio classes IRL.
“Our guests’ fitness needs have evolved and Lululemon Studio is solving for them by providing members with access to fitness content from our world-class trainers and studio partners at home, on the go and live in studios around North America,” said Nikki Neuburger, Lululemon’s chief brand officer. “Lululemon Studio unlocks the versatility our community has told us they are looking for now. No longer will you have to choose between going to your favorite studio or streaming a class at home. You can have both.”
Membership is $39 a month and requires the purchase of Lululemon’s Studio Mirror. Current Mirror owners automatically become members of Lululemon Studio for the same monthly subscription price for 12 months. The company is looking into launching a digital-only version of Lululemon Studio sometime in 2023 that would not require the purchase of Mirror.
In addition, starting Oct. 5, consumers can purchase the at-home fitness system for the special price of $795 (compared with price tags that normally range between about $1,500 and $2,000) and receive free delivery.
Also launching Oct. 5, is the company’s new “Essential Membership” program. The membership, which is free for consumers in North America, offers additional shopping rewards, information on community experiences and early access to product drops and select Lululemon Studio classes.
While the future of at-home fitness is still unclear with consumers embracing a hybrid lifestyle and offices and gyms reopening, sales of activewear continue to climb with no end in sight — at least at Lululemon. The retailer logged roughly $1.9 billion in revenues in its most recent quarter, despite global inflationary pressures that have caused many consumers to pull back on discretionary items, such as apparel. The firm also continues to expand into new markets, including brick-and-mortar stores in Spain and on China’s JD.com, while launching new product categories.
During the pandemic Lululemon expanded its assortment to include footwear, as well as golf and tennis apparel, hiking gear, workout hijabs, mushroom bags and the launch of last year’s Like New resale program. Lululemon is also the official outfitter of Team Canada (a role it will retain through 2028). In addition, the retailer has added accessories such as dumbbells and ankle weights to its Mirror business.
But the at-home fitness system — which Lululemon purchased in 2020 for $500 million — could be a potential headwind amid continued supply chain bottlenecks, inflation and other macroeconomic issues. At Lululemon’s Investor Day in April, the company said it would no longer separate Mirror revenues from total company revenues during earnings reports, a potential sign of trouble within the business.
Even so, Michael Aragon, chief executive officer of Lululemon digital fitness, said, “Mirror has always been one of the most flexible platforms that can adapt to changing fitness trends.”
During the presentation, Aragon acknowledged that gym memberships are up, compared with pre-pandemic times, thanks to vaccines and consumers increasing comfort levels around others. But he added, “this is obviously a good thing.
“While people have returned to gyms and studios, 60 percent of fitness enthusiasts have said they still want an at-home or on-the-go option, because it is convenient and because it has become such an ingrained part of their daily lives,” Aragon said. “We know that people today want a hybrid fitness experience. Meaning, they want to work out in studios or at gyms, but they also want to work out, or have the option to work out at home, or on the go.
“With Lululemon Studio, we’re expanding our offering to solve for our guests’ needs, extending our relationships with new studio partners and our ambassadors to add hundreds of hours of content in one place, while providing access to in-person studio classes for the ultimate hybrid experience,” he continued. “We see Lululemon Studio as being the daily go-to destination for experiencing the most dynamic content from the industry’s top trainers and studios, covering a range of fitness genres for all levels.”
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