Lululemon unveils initiative to study women's sportswear performance

Lululemon Athletica, the global leader in athletic apparel, footwear, and accessories, has invested in advancing the study of women's sportswear performance with the launch of its ultramarathon initiative.

The six-day "FURTHER" ultramarathon, kicked off just before International Women's Day, and concluded with 10 athletes covering 4,636.3 kilometers in total, each surpassing their personal distance records.

Jia Xiaomeng, a 38-year-old marathoner and entrepreneur from Beijing, logged an impressive 483.67 kilometers.

Jia said: "The journey has transformed me into a true ultrarunner, with support, resources, and innovative products tailored for female athletes."

The race occurred on a certified looped course at Lake Cahuilla in La Quinta, California, where Camille Herron set records, including a new Women's Six-Day World Record and 11 Women's World Best.

Lululemon's introduction of the FURTHER program is designed to respond to a striking disparity— an audit of select sports science and sports medicine journals found that only 4-13 percent of studies focus exclusively on women.

Nikki Neuburger, chief brand officer at Lululemon, emphasized the brand's commitment to rectifying this imbalance.

"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," she said.

As part of the athlete kits, a special edition of beyondfeel — the brand's latest running shoe — was launched globally online March 5.

Chantelle Murnaghan, vice-president of Research and Product Innovation at Lululemon, said: "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."

Lululemon conducted the ongoing studies in collaboration with the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific and the brand's academic research network. Findings will be published over the next two years, with initial results expected in fall 2024.

With diversified athletes—including three from Asia—the research will inform the development of products tailored to various sizes and styles, said the company.

Recognizing the importance of regional differences in fit and comfort, Lululemon boasts an APAC product creation team dedicated to crafting products specifically for the Asian market, supported by a specialized team in China.

Performance has been highlighted in Lululemon's product design, which has been traditionally strong in promoting a lifestyle of health and wellness. Neuburger said the company has focused on bringing a performance mindset to innovative fabrics for casual wear, a key area for growth.

For example, the versatility of Lululemon's designs, suitable for various occasions in daily life, is made possible by a design team focusing on performance and human movement, said Neuburger.

Lululemon is making continuous efforts to expand portfolio aims to meet the rising demand from existing consumers and enhance repeat purchases, said Adam Zhang, founder of Key-Solution Sports Consulting Company.

Zhang said in the year of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Lululemon's emphasis on performance and innovation is expected to boost their brand power, generating increased energy and awareness within their communities.