lululemon’s First-of-its-Kind Women’s Ultramarathon, FURTHER, Begins March 6 to Better Understand Human Performance and Challenge World Records
lululemon unveils new products developed with female athletes for a women's ultramarathon, featuring innovative running gear and accessories. The brand aims to support women in athletics and close gender gaps through its FURTHER initiative.
lululemon's recent unveiling of its FURTHER initiative, which includes a product line developed specifically for female athletes, represents a strategic move to address the historically underserved women's segment in athletic wear. The initiative aligns with growing consumer demand for inclusivity and diversity in product offerings. By focusing on women-first innovations and leveraging the insights of female athletes, lululemon is positioning itself to capture a larger share of the women's athletic wear market, which has been expanding globally.
The introduction of a special edition beyondfeel running shoe and other tailored products could potentially drive an uptick in sales, particularly if these innovations resonate with the broader consumer base. The brand's commitment to research and development, as evidenced by its collaboration with athletes and investment in scientific research, may enhance product differentiation and brand loyalty. However, the success of the initiative will largely depend on the market's reception of the new products and the effectiveness of lululemon's marketing strategies in promoting the FURTHER line.
From a financial perspective, lululemon's FURTHER initiative and its associated product launch could have significant implications for the company's revenue streams and growth trajectory. The dedication to a women-first approach and the potential to set new records in women's ultrarunning may create a strong brand narrative that can be leveraged in marketing campaigns, potentially enhancing the company's competitive edge and driving consumer interest.
The financial impact will be closely tied to the production costs of these new innovations, the pricing strategy adopted and the ability to scale the offerings. Investors will be looking for indicators of consumer adoption rates and the initiative's contribution to top-line growth in subsequent earnings reports. Moreover, the $1.5 million USD contribution to Girls Opportunity Alliance showcases lululemon's corporate social responsibility efforts, which may positively influence brand perception and customer loyalty, albeit with a short-term impact on profit margins due to the charitable expenditure.
The partnership with Girls Opportunity Alliance and the commitment to contribute $1.5 million USD underscores lululemon's strategy to align its brand with social causes that resonate with its customer base. This approach not only strengthens the brand's image as a socially responsible entity but also appeals to a consumer segment that values corporate ethics and empowerment initiatives. The potential long-term effects of such partnerships include increased customer loyalty and brand advocacy.
While the immediate financial impact of the contribution might be negligible in comparison to overall revenue, the social capital gained could be substantial. The investment in social impact initiatives can foster a positive corporate image and potentially lead to increased market share among socially conscious consumers. However, the true measure of impact will be the effectiveness of these initiatives in creating tangible change and how well the brand communicates these efforts to its stakeholders.
03/05/2024 - 02:00 PM
Head-to-toe athlete kits, including a special edition beyondfeel running shoe launching today, feature women-first innovations shaped by athletes and research insights
VANCOUVER, British Columbia --(BUSINESS WIRE)--
lululemon (NASDAQ:LULU), as part of its FURTHER initiative aimed at showcasing just how far women can go with support and access to resources and product innovations typically reserved for men, today unveiled new products developed with and for the female athletes competing in the brand’s first-ever women’s ultramarathon.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240305929624/en/
lululemon FURTHER Athletes Group Portrait (Photo: Business Wire)
Products designed for the six-day ultramarathon, which begins March 6 just ahead of International Women’s Day, were co-created with 10 female athletes from the brand’s global ambassador collective to ensure their unique needs would be addressed on the course.
The 36 new innovations consider situational and always-on functions needed for a multi-day race, all shaped by athlete insights and backed by research. Several products also include features to help the runners stay cool and store items they need during the race. A special edition colourway of beyondfeel, the brand’s latest running shoe and a featured piece of the FURTHER athlete kits, will launch online for guests globally starting today, March 5, in markets with lululemon footwear.
“Women have historically been overlooked and underserved in athletics, and as a brand committed to helping all people feel their best, we have a responsibility to create more equity for our communities by investing to close this gap,” said Nikki Neuburger, Chief Brand Officer, lululemon. “When supported with innovation and resources, we are confident women will continue to redefine the limits of what’s possible. This is the motivation and purpose behind our FURTHER initiative.”
The design collaboration with female athletes underscores the brand’s continued commitment to supporting women with research, innovations, and resources they’ve long been denied, to help them unlock greater possibilities. The 10 athletes taking part in FURTHER inspire the communities they represent, have a unique running story, and expressed the desire to pursue a bold goal. The ambassadors will attempt to run the furthest distance of their careers in the race that will occur on a certified looped course at Lake Cahuilla in La Quinta, California , with the opportunity to set distance and time-based world records. This includes the chance to exceed the men’s six-day world record which would mark the first time a woman sets the current overall ultrarunning distance world record.
Participating lululemon ambassadors from around the world include:
Montana Farrah-Seaton (Age: 27): Ultrarunner, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Model
Stefanie Flippin (Age: 34): Coach and Ultrarunner, BIPOC Advocate, Doctor
Camille Herron (Age: 42): Ultrarunner, World Record Holder
Kayla Jeter (Age: 34): Runner, Strength & Wellness Coach
Xiaomeng Jia (Age: 38): Marathon Runner, Entrepreneur
Yoon Young Kang (Age: 44): Ultrarunner, Judo Black Belt, Joy Seeker
Vriko Kwok (Age: 32): Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Athlete, Runner, Entrepreneur
Mirna Valerio (Age: 48): Ultrarunner, Author, Adventurer
Devon Yanko (Age: 41): Ultrarunner, Coach & Mentor, Food Entrepreneur
Leah Yingling (Age: 32): Ultrarunner, Biomedical Engineer, Women’s Advocate
Running Innovations to Take Athletes Further
The collaboration with the featured runners helped lululemon to create products that can not only support them but also be of use to others. The designs factored in research insights tied to improving performance and extending running duration, such as the role of compression and cooling.
“Our ambassadors shared what they needed for a multi-day race, and we knew we could create something that hasn’t been seen in the sport,” said Chantelle Murnaghan, Vice President, Research and Product Innovation, lululemon. “These innovations were designed to solve the real problems these athletes and many women runners experience. By understanding their holistic needs and using our research insights, we engineered bespoke kits that meet their physical and emotional needs so they can unlock their potential.”
Key designs include:
beyondfeel Women’s Running Shoe – Shaped by guest insights and validated by FURTHER athletes to redefine how comfortable and supportive a running shoe can feel, this was built off a unique last informed by the shape of the female foot.
New supercritical foam offers a cushioned feel and softer heel-to-toe glide, and a ventilated mesh that stretches and supports each step.
Special edition colourway was created for athlete kits and now available online here , with comparable men’s running shoe here .
Support Code Bra – A high-support running bra with a minimalist, chafe-free construction. Through its advanced make, technology, and material, this sports bra unlocks a new sensory experience for a barely there feeling. Runners can move comfortably while feeling supported and without restriction. Formally launches to the public in Fall 2024. A bespoke version was created for the athletes with an added storage feature, made with a proprietary construction, to hold running essentials like hydration and nutrition.
Runsie – Inspired by the opportunity to evolve the women’s ultra uniform, it fuses performance with aesthetic. It does this through a comfortable on-body feel, 360-degree waistband storage, unique design and construction at the back and waist to simplify bathroom breaks, legwear split for range of motion, and other intentional product benefits.
Cooling apparel and accessories – Designed to prioritize cooling functionality and elevate performance, the Running Ice Vest has a women-first design, storage features, and delivers targeted cooling informed by scientific research and insights.
Other innovations include an ice tank, UV cooling ice sleeves, and cooling headwear.
Continued Research into Unmet Needs
lululemon's scientific research program, led by the brand’s internal research team and operated in partnership with the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific and lululemon’s academic research network, will continue during and after the race to better understand human performance by advancing women’s-first research and helping close the sex and gender data gap in sports science.
The ongoing research will dive deep into topical questions such as whether female ultrarunners have superior fatigue resistance compared to males and will study areas that haven’t been explored, such as the lived experiences of women ultrarunners and the physiological and biomechanical effects of six days of running. All findings will be published over the next two years, with initial findings to be published in the Fall of 2024. Takeaways will serve as a catalyst for additional research on female and women athletes and inform lululemon’s pipeline of women-first innovations.
Partnering with Girls Opportunity Alliance
lululemon is committed to breaking down the barriers that prevent access to wellbeing and partners with organizations that share a similar mission. Through the lululemon Centre for Social Impact, the brand is making an additional $1.5 million USD
Girls Opportunity Alliance is a program of the Obama Foundation focused on empowering adolescent girls globally through education and wellbeing tools, allowing them to achieve their full potential. Too often, girls around the world face barriers to pursuing their education and dreams. Investing in adolescent girls positively impacts their families, communities, and countries. The Centre for Social Impact will have contributed over $5 million USD
For more information on FURTHER, the lululemon Ambassadors taking on this feat, and to track the athletes' distances throughout the ultramarathon, visit https://www.lululemon.com/further .
About lululemon
lululemon (NASDAQ:LULU) is a technical athletic apparel, footwear and accessories company for yoga, running, training, and most other activities, creating transformational products and experiences that build meaningful connections, unlocking greater possibility and wellbeing for all. Setting the bar in innovation of fabrics and functional designs, lululemon works with yogis and athletes in local communities around the world for continuous research and product feedback. For more information, visit lululemon.com .
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About Canadian Sport Institute Pacific
Offering world-class Olympic and Paralympic training environments in Vancouver , Whistler and Victoria , Canadian Sport Institute Pacific (www.csipacific.ca ) is committed to Powering Performance. Inspiring Excellence. Working with national sport organizations and fueled by our national and provincial partners such as Sport Canada, viaSport, Own the Podium, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee and the Coaches Association of Canada , we are driven by our mantra to Collaborate. Serve. Innovate. Perform. Our team of sport science, sport medicine, coaching & life services experts provide leading-edge programs and services to athletes and coaches to ensure they have every advantage to win medals for Canada . Learn more: www.csipacific.ca
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240305929624/en/
Sebastian Masmela
smasmela@lululemon.com
lululemon@edelman.com
Source: lululemon athletica inc.
What is the purpose of lululemon's FURTHER initiative?
lululemon's FURTHER initiative aims to showcase how far women can go with support and resources typically reserved for men, creating equity for female athletes.
When does the women's ultramarathon featuring lululemon's products begin?
The women's ultramarathon starts on March 6, just ahead of International Women's Day.
What are some key designs of the products developed for the ultramarathon?
Key designs include the beyondfeel Women's Running Shoe, Support Code Bra, and Runsie, all tailored to meet the unique needs of female athletes.
How is lululemon continuing its research efforts after the ultramarathon?
lululemon's ongoing research program aims to better understand human performance, advance women's-first research, and close the sex and gender data gap in sports science.
What organization is lululemon partnering with to support adolescent girls globally?
lululemon is partnering with the Girls Opportunity Alliance, a program of the Obama Foundation, to empower adolescent girls through education and wellbeing tools.
