With the help of some high-profile celebrities, a new company is challenging the dominance of lululemon.
Initially intended for yoga and stretching, Alo Yoga products have evolved into activewear for all workouts. The company, founded in 2007 in Los Angeles, sells clothing like leggings, tank tops, T-shirts, sports bras, shorts, skirts, hats, and one of the most sought-after items: a matching sweat set. Alo, which stands for air, land, and ocean, according to the company’s site, keeps up with the latest modern fashion trends by offering neutral colors like navy blue, shades of brown, black, grey, and shades of white. They also sell non-athletic clothes such as cashmere pants and sweaters along with dresses.
Prices for sweatpants range from $98 to $200. Sweatshirts start at $78 and go up to $120; cashmere sweatshirts and sweatpants go up to $350.
Alo started to gain more attention when celebrity sisters Kylie and Kendall Jenner started posting videos and pictures at the gym in their Alo gear. Since their opening in 2007, Alo has opened 50 stores in America, which, according to its site, it calls “sanctuaries.” Many feature yoga studios. Alo also branched out from athleisure, and now sells sneakers, luxury ski wear, and a skincare brand, Alo Glow System, which it unveiled at New York Fashion Week in 2022.
Compared to lululemon, Alo has a much wider range of sizes for customers to choose from. Their price range is similar, but for most items, Lulu is more expensive. Lululemon has been called out many times for their exclusion of plus-size bodies in their stores. Many customers have noticed that the stores do not display any sizes past a six on their mannequins. This has caused many to feel uncomfortable while shopping, and to look for an alternative athletic clothing store like Alo.
Naomi Simpson, a senior, thinks lululemon has set a unrealistic beauty standard for young girls.
“I think their clothes are overpriced and it creates an idea for girls that you have to fit into their clothes,” she said. “I think it has really negative connotations and I don’t like the material.”
Junior Mina Sugiyama thinks lululemon is overrated, and Alo is superior since it matches the latest trends.
“I just think lululemon got too big and is over-hyped,” Mina said. “Alo looks better and fits the clean girl aesthetic; it’s also a lot more modest.”
“It’s not as expensive but you still look bougie,” she added.
Mina thinks that lululemon has become painfully mainstream and too basic.
“I think lululemon lacks individuality,” she explained. “Every girl wearing their stuff makes them seem basic and like they conform to what is trendy at the moment.”
Annika Song, a junior, appreciates that unlike lululemon, Alo makes clothes that fit Williston’s dress code, so students can wear their products to class.
