By Viktoria
Updated: August 18, 2023
7 minutes
Everybody now embraces the comfort and style of athletic wear. So whether you hit the gym daily, attend yoga classes every month, or just like to feel stylish while working from home, you would want to know the best activewear to make you comfortable.
Athleta
and
Lululemon
are two of the best activewear brands out there. They have been at the forefront of the athleisure market in leggings and other products for over 25 years.
Since both activewear brands sell similar items, you may be confused about which to choose. To help you determine whether or not Lululemon or Athleta is your perfect match, we’ve done a deep dive into their histories, styles, prices, and item range and the best thing from both brands. Let’s start with their history:
Athleta vs. Lululemon: Brand History
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country of origin: USA Year of foundation: 1998 (25 years ago) Brief history: Athleta is a performance apparel company for active women. The company was founded in 1998 by Nancy Green and Diane Waters. The idea was to create a woman-focused catalog clothing business, so they could work out and participate in sports, especially cycling clothes that were both comfortable in fit and style.
Athlete’s first store opened in Mill Valley, California. Athleta had a period between 2004 and 2007 where it stagnated. The initial shareholders eventually sold it to Blue Highway holdings. They moved their distribution center to Grove City, Ohio, to cut expenses by being closer to most purchasers. In addition, the company grew the number of people receiving catalogs from 13 million in 2007 to 21 million in 2008. Both advancements made Athleta more desirable for acquisition. Apparel and accessories giant The company now has over 100 stores across the United States. Main features: Athleta offers high-end performance apparel to inspire healthy, active, and confident women. Athleta is an excellent choice for active women who want high-quality, stylish sportswear.
Reputation: Athleta is well known for its stylish and quality products. Athleta also supports initiatives promoting female empowerment, such as Focus: Athleta, staying true to the Power of She, only offers women’s outfits. Athleta’s mission is to empower women through sport and fitness. The company strives to provide products that enable women to lead active, healthy lives. |
Country of origin: Canada Year of foundation: 1998 (25 years ago) Brief history: Lululemon is a yoga-inspired, technical athletic apparel company for women. The company was founded in 1998 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Lululemon began with a simple observation; the founder of Lululemon, Chip Wilson, when he was at a yoga class, noticed that the women around him were all wearing ill-fitting cotton clothing, not appropriate for sweating and stretching integral to yoga. So, Lululemon started as a design studio by day and a yoga studio by night. It became a standalone store in November 2000. The original vision for the store was to create a place where people could get workout gear comfortable enough to sweat in and a place where people could learn and discuss the physical and mental aspects of healthy living. The clothing sold by lululemon was initially designed for women to wear during yoga, but the brand branched out into pieces for cycling, training, running, and other sweaty activities. Over the years, it has also become a trendy athleisure retailer for men, opening several stores just for men. Its products sell in over 50 countries through corporate-owned stores, wholesale accounts, and e-commerce. ‘Lulu,’ an abbreviated form of Lululemon has developed into a forward-thinking, quality-obsessed brand. Main features: Lululemon, on the other hand, is known for offering technical athletic apparel for yoga, running, dancing, training, and other sweaty pursuits, as well as lounge and streetwear. Reputation: Lululemon is a trusted brand. It is also a trendy brand known for high-quality products. Fans of Lululemon rave over the perfect designs and quality of their clothing. Focus: Lululemon started as a women-led and women-focused brand. It empowers women through the practice of yoga and also creates a community that inspires healthy living. However, Lululemon has also become a very popular activewear retailer for men. As a result, it has opened several stores mainly for men. |
Athleta vs. Lululemon: Range of Items
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Pants Shorts and skorts Joggers and sweatpants Sleep bottoms Bras Women workout tops Jackets Primary specialization: Cycling and performance apparel |
Pants Tops Shorts Jackets Bags Socks Yoga mats Primary specialization: yoga and exercise apparel. |
You may think the two brands are similar since they offer many of the same products, but once you visit both stores or look at their online stores, you’ll quickly notice how they differ.
Athleta can offer more variety by producing clothes for different activities, like paddle suits for standup paddling (SUP), dresses for tennis, and skirts for golf. It even has a sleepwear line. However, Lululemon’s designs are influenced by sets you would wear to a yoga studio, spin class, or gym.
Athleta vs. Lululemon: Price Range
Athleta and Lululemon are high-end athletic wear brands. Their prices reflect this, with most items falling in the $100-$200 range. However, there are some significant differences between the two brands regarding pricing:
● Lululemon is generally more expensive than Athleta. This is especially true for items like pants and jackets, which can easily cost $50-$100 more at Lululemon.
● Athleta often runs sales and promotions where you can get significant discounts on your purchase. Lululemon, on the other hand, rarely has sales or promotions.
So, if you want to save money, Athleta is the better option. However, if you’re looking for the highest quality athletic wear, Lululemon is worth the extra cost.
Lululemon vs. Athleta: Styles
Lulu was founded with a focus on yoga. They have since expanded into menswear, loungewear, and technical clothing for sports like tennis. However, Athleta has a broader appeal for hiking, running, weight lifting, swimming, and other activities. Therefore, Lulu’s customers tend to be more hippie yogis or elite athletes, whereas Athleta is more like casual athletic streetwear.
Also, at Athleta, most of their pieces are available in neutral colors of varying light and dark shades. They have a stray red or blue here and a camo print there, but nothing outside the box. Conversely, Lululemon has covered you on the neutrals but tends to be more creative with its color schemes, patterns, and designs.
Bottom line: If you’re a fan of neon and shiny high-end apparel for a specific activity, Lululemon is your choice. Conversely, if you want a neutral quality product for various activities, Athleta should be your choice.
Note that: Both brands have a lot of versatility and stylish legging styles. And each of their offerings, regardless of brand, comes in at least one other color.
Some are available in more than ten! So wherever you look, there’s sure to be at least something you’ll like from either store.
However, if you’re into tie-dye, sequins, glitter, and some of the more, let’s say, modern takes on sportswear, you’ll have more success finding that at Lululemon. Gap (Athleta) has a safer, more dignified approach to things.
Athleta vs. Lululemon: Quality
There’s no denying that both Athleta and Lululemon offer high-quality clothing. However, regarding quality, the two brands have a few key differences.
For one, Lululemon is known for using technical fabrics in their garments that are designed to wick away sweat and keep you comfortable during intense workouts. On the other hand, Athleta focuses on using natural fibers like cotton and linen in their garments.
More so, Lululemon garments are often lined with mesh or other breathable materials to keep you cool and comfortable, while Athleta’s garments tend to be heavier and more substantial.
Athleta vs. Lululemon: Social Media
Now, let’s see how each brand interacts with its audience. Social media is critical in this modern world as we learn the latest news and updates. Therefore, how do Athleta and Lululemon feel about technology?
Athleta and Lululemon are on the most popular social media – Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. So let’s check their numbers and how they interact there!
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Instagram: 834k followers |
Instagram: 4.4m followers |
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Twitter: 52k followers |
Twitter: 980k followers |
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Tiktok: 4.4k followers |
Tiktok: 601.8k followers |
Lululemon is well-known for its good interaction with its audience. They give positive replies to each of their mentions and customers’ comments. Maybe that’s why it records huge followership every day. On the other hand, Athleta uses its social media pages mainly for passing information and keeping track of mentions.
Athleta vs. Lululemon: Celebrities
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Kristen Bell Lady Gaga Whitney Port Michelle Young Billie Eilish Amita Suman Adele Arden Cho |
Paris Hilton Maria Manuel Ryan Leir Chris Ryan Jeremy Walton Ashytain Rothchild Charlie Dark Emma Chamberlain |
Athleta vs. Lululemon: Where to Buy
If you have made up your mind and want to add more high fashion wear from Athleta or Lululemon, you most certainly would like to know where to purchase the items that catch your fancy. Here are the ways to get the items:
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Local stores |
Outlets |
Athleta vs. Lululemon: Which is Better?
The right brand for you depends on the activities you like to do. For example, Lululemon is best suited for you if you want to; do yoga, attend Pilates classes, and work out at the gym. On the other hand, Athleta’s styles are more appropriate for streetwear, like when you have errands to run or when you’re meeting a friend for coffee. We hope you’ll be happy and satisfied with your purchase no matter which side you choose.
