PENT
Fitness gear is getting a high fashion revamp.
- Last month, Technogym launched a gym equipment collection with Dior and released its own high-end Personal Line, designed by Antonio Citterio.
- Hermès just wrapped up a four-day workout popup in Brooklyn with classes that incorporate its wares, from yoga with silk scarves to “voguing with hats”.
- In early 2021, PENT. launched two fitness equipment collections—handmade with wooden, steel, and genuine leather—for the hospitality market.
Ahead of the game, during the first wave of the pandemic, Louis Vuitton released designer dumbbells, monogrammed jump ropes, and more.
Fit for IG. After spending months indoors, consumers are taking a critical eye to their home décor — particularly, their large, clunky home gyms. With at-home fitness skyrocketing during the pandemic, designers saw an opportunity to jump on the boom.
Bala grew their business by 10x this past year as consumers sought out sleeker fitness solutions. “It’s really a sculptural object that looks attractive even if it’s leaned up against the corner of your living room when not in use,” remarked founder Max Kislevitz.
Same goes for items like Feier Design Studio’s pastel ceramic kettlebell, EQUIPT’s Ubarre, and Addition Studio’s marble dumbbell. On the connected fitness front, Forme, Ergatta, and Ciclotte build equipment that can blend beautifully into a living space, and Eric Villency is well-known for designing Peloton and SoulCycle’s workout bikes.
A chic workout. Beyond aesthetics, high fashion fitness claims to be the antithesis to the ultra-serious, high-stakes world of fitness.
“By making it art, you add sensuality to the traditional movement; it evokes a different emotion than what a dumbbell [would]… the hand is going to reach for what is beautiful.” – Kodi Berg, founder of EQUIPT
That may be true, but not many can afford to spend $2,000 on a pair of LV dumbbells. The real service here is a chance to signal social status — for the fitness elite to show off their luxurious new equipment on social media.
Next up, recently launched Tempo Move offers a middle ground—a small, screenless home gym that’s affordable and designed to disappear into a living space.
Takeaway: While visually appealing, high fashion fitness targets those who already have all the access they need to health and fitness — those who have long integrated workouts into their daily routine and are now looking to inject an extra dose of opulence.
But as Peloton stumbles, many question the staying power of at-home fitness. Will fashion’s fascination with at-home fitness equipment last, or will it be out of style by next season?
