Lululemon opens first store in Italy

In a continuation of its international expansion plans, Canadian athleisure giant Lululemon has opened its first store in Italy. Located at Vittorio Emanuele II 24/28 in Milan, the site’s launch marks the first time the brand’s range of athletic apparel and accessories is physically available to the Italian market.

The store spans 5,700 square feet over two floors, within which Lululemon’s men’s and women’s collections are housed, with categories such as yoga, tennis and golf among the offerings.

Its interior intends to pay homage to Italy’s design heritage, utilising traditional craftsmanship and contemporary materials to formulate the architectural concept. The Lululemon Glide sculptural installation stands at the front of the store, expanding and moving to emulate the properties of fabric.

The decision to enter Italy contributes to Lululemon’s wider ‘Power of Three x2’ growth plan, with which the brand is aiming to quadruple international revenue from 2021 levels by the end of 2026. So far, the label operates stores in the likes of the UK, Ireland, Germany, France and Spain, among other key European markets.

Akin to these regions, its intention is to build up a community among Italian locals by hosting sports-centric activations throughout the year, including partnerships with local studios, run clubs and ambassador programmes.