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In a step to further position its men’s lineup to match its success in women’s, Lululemon introduced its first line of men's footwear.
Similar to the launch of women’s footwear in 2022, the men’s Beyondfeel running and trail shoe designs take into account the unique attributes of the male foot, including a wider heel, flatter arch, and more forceful landing when running compared to women.
“We’ve considered every anatomical nuance through biomechanical research of men’s feet through individual foot scans for this launch,” Simon Atkins, senior vice president of footwear at Lululemon, said last week at a press event, according to Footwear News. “Now, many of these elements to accommodate the male foot are hidden in the structural design, but the wearer will feel the differences.”
Lululemon also released its first casual sneaker, Cityverse, available for both genders.
The Vancouver-based yoga-themed retailer, founded in 1998, entered the men’s activewear category in 2014, and men’s reached 35% of sales in 2022. The growth has been boosted by continued innovations, including its breakout ABC men’s pants.
Having a compelling men’s footwear range will better position Lululemon to compete against the biggest men’s activewear players, Nike and Adidas — which are best known for their footwear — as well as upstarts such as HOKA and On.
Just lifting brand awareness will also help. Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald told analysts in December that unaided brand awareness in men was only 13% in the U.S., 12% in Australia, and single digits everywhere else outside of North America. He said, “Building awareness and consideration remains top of mind for us, and we see ample opportunity to increase the media and brand-building commitment to the men's business.”
Footwear overall remains in a “test and learn” phase for the retailer, but Lululemon is “seeing enough positive signals and response from the guest that we have an opportunity in this category,” said McDonald.
In April 2022, Lululemon set a goal to double its men's business by 2026 as part of a broader Power of Three ×2 strategy to double overall sales.
Reaching the men’s growth target is not “reliant on footwear,” Lululemon Chief Brand Officer Nikki Neuburger told CNBC. She added, “Doubling the men’s business is absolutely a key growth pillar for us, and while footwear is a relatively small category for us and we’re early in our footwear journey, we’re excited by the prospect of just the role it plays in offering him more choice.”