When you think about athleisure brands for daily wear, Adidas, Nike, Puma, etc, are the reputed names that would strike your mind. However, one name that is making its way to the top, besides the other luxury labels, is Lululemon.
Lululemon’s fame is here to stay for a longer run, as well as their price range. Many have noticed their sticker prices are also higher than those of their competitors. So, why is Lululemon expensive, and why are people still ready to buy from their clothing line? Let us analyse how Lululemon markets its products and what makes them retain brand loyalty. Keep reading to find out.
Their origin
The brand started in 2003 with its first US store in Santa Monica, California, and now has over 650 stores worldwide. Lululemon is now a powerful force in the athletic apparel market and has become one of the most sought-after clothing lines.
The whole vision was brought to life by Chip Wilson in Vancouver by initially launching shorts, leggings, and other essentials which have currently become an important part of the pop culture as well as a social media sensation, as many celebrities and influencers have hopped on the trend like Lori Harvey, the Kardashians and even, Kate Middleton, etc strut out in the Lululemon apparels even for running errands — just like the rest of us.
Answering the many questions
When it comes to activewear for day-to-day life, most people look for comfort and durability, and keeping this in mind, Lululemon has made quite a name in this part of the industry. Once you skim through their website, you will notice the prices almost resemble your phone bill. Those pieces are not even boots or luxury handbags that cost above $100 but mere leggings or hoodies in which you will be sweating most of the time. But some brand loyalists will still pay the exact amount; let us know the reasons.
1. Top-quality materials and design
One of the stores stated in late 2023 that Lululemon uses high-quality materials and premium fabrics, which are further designed to be durable, resistant, and comfortable, which can skyrocket the items’ scale of costs. Lululemon prioritizes good design and fit, resulting in well-tailored and focused fashionable activewear. Their attention to detail and craftsmanship can significantly contribute to higher production bills.
The brand utilizes specialized fabrics in its activewear, such as Luxtreme, Nulu, and Everlux, which are developed to mitigate moisture, provide breathability, and offer a four-way stretch to give you the best performance during workouts or yoga. Additional features include the promise of anti-stink so you do not get distracted, and they are waterproof and water resistant.
2. Shopping experience
Lululemon ensures whoever enters the store leaves with a smile and a bag filled with comfortable clothes. The stores are built in a way that is easy to navigate and have assigned associates ready to help solve all your queries. While some get intimidated by the extraordinary ambiance of the outlet, well, all we have to say is do not judge a book by its cover as this brand solely on enhancing every shopper’s experience, whether you are a novice buyer or a loyal user, is why customers continue to buy.
3. High research costs
Before a brand or company decides to launch any new products or services, it needs to be ready with well-equipped research and thorough analysis through consumer behaviour, market trends, etc., so that they are prepared for crisis management and knows how to do better than their competitors.
The whole process involves product testing and improvements to ensure they meet the many demands and expectations of their customers as well as the untouched audience to grab maximum conversions
4. High marketing investments and brand reputation
Over time, Lululemon has made its name amongst elite circles more than ordinary ones. It is widely popular as a premium activewear brand, and this is primarily because of the effective marketing strategies the brand employs. Interestingly, this led them to gain a great number of followers, majorly from Instagram alone.
While their target audience is the people who can afford their apparel, they make sure the word is passed around using influencer marketing, notably from the yoga industry, who guarantee to help drive awareness and brand loyalty.
5. Limited supply and high demands
One of the most vital chapters of microeconomics is studying and understanding consumer behaviour as well as the many analytics attached to it. Precisely, Lululemon creates a sense of shortage by decreasing the original supply of some products and leveraging high-demand aspects. Likely, the more in quantity you buy due to the shortage, the more profit you gain; it is just how quick maths works.
6. Fixed target audience
The brand knows that its clothes are not affordable for all, yet it shows no signs of lowering its prices. This is because it knows how far its demographic goes and wants the consumer to believe its brand is supposably a need, not a want. It is the mindset that matters, especially when it comes to luxury brands.
Lululemon often releases limited-edition collections or partners by collaborating with reputed designers or influencers, creating a phenomenon of exclusivity, and influencing demand, which further justifies the prices at peak. Their whole tactic is to gain the attention of the active shoppers of the younger generations, mainly leaning toward premium and luxury brands.
The three main factors that play a major role in their marketing:
1. Controversial moments
As far as controversy goes, the mentality is that any scandal is good if it drives fame. This can be one of the reasons many brands or companies’ team up with their PR professionals to create clever scandals that attract the right amount of attention. It is enough to become a hot topic, but it is also easily fixable, as these types of talks, unless they are not defaming their name, can be easily forgotten within a week.
Starting from people digging up the past to find the founder himself digging his grave by making concerning comments about women’s bodies followed by ‘controversial’ views on child labour.
In the case of Lululemon, the media’s involvement helped them gain fans via accessible constructive criticism, thus leading to free brand coverage broadcast nationally and internationally, leading to global brand recognition. All these aspects led to high product demand and a great response to sales.
2. Effective brand image and loyalty
Due to the well-strategized PR, they helped create a well-known brand identity and image amongst high-end individuals who are impulsive shoppers. While they did not have to hurt their pockets for extra marketing, as it was already done by the media, the brands leveraged the profits to launch effective collaborations with global influencers and celebrities.
Most high-end brands tend to import resources and export clothes in bulk, dramatically affecting the earth at small but hefty costs. While the problem does not end here, as most fashion brand workers fall victim to low wages and a harsh work environment, not when it comes to Lululemon promotes ethicality and sustainability via their products.
3. Constant innovation
Being updated to the advanced technology and digital interventions, lululemon has efficiently adapted to providing two significant things:
- Utmost performance – outfits that stay put during gruelling exercises
- Comfort & Style – clothes that deliver comfort as well as fashion
Wrapping up
If you want to make a fashion statement that is paparazzi-worthy even when you do your daily activities, Lululemon is the one option you should turn to. But your main question might be, is Lululemon worth the price? Well, we plead the fifth, as there is no right answer. It depends on your viewpoint; for example, if you work religiously with a routine and are searching for good activewear, you will not lose its shape, then yes; however, if you are only purchasing Lululemon because it has the label of luxury to it, then no. You should rethink your decision and think logically.
