The End of Lululemon

The rise of athleisure has led to companies such as Lululemon to be very profitable. The problem is that athleisure is a bubble. Lululemon is in an industry that is a fad. How much longer will people want to keep wearing leggings outside of the gym. Furthermore, people are now focused on how their clothing enhances their workout rather than the looks. The CEO of Lululemon , Potdevin, is optimistic. He believes that as long as they keep adding new varieties they will survive the pop.

If I can be blatantly honest I don’t believe Lululemon has changed at all. I used to hoard Lululemon during my figure skating days. Now when I walk in I see the same styles of sports bras and leggings.

Furthermore, the market is saturated with Nike, Under Armour, and Addidas. Potdevin believes that the solution is through cultivating the “emotionally charged” image they have. I am skeptical since shoppers these days have the attention span of a goldfish. I don’t see Kylie Jenner rocking Lululemon in the near future. In fact, this is clearly seen with how well Addidas is doing this quarter, a 21 percent revenue increase. This is in part to Kanye working with Addidas.  Now I know I am pessimistic, but the company has grown. With the launch of their male wear, their sales have increased by 6 percent. So maybe this isn't the end, but brands like Lululemon are feeling the heat and I am not talking about hot yoga.