lululemon
lululemon is effectively disconnecting MIRROR with an expanded app membership.
What’s happening: The athleticwear company unveiled a new digital fitness tier, the lululemon Studio App Membership.
Originally available as part of MIRROR’s exclusive membership, the new service grants access to 10K classes across 60 modalities, plus in-app content from partner studios (Y7 Studio, AARMY, and a number of Xponential concepts).
At $12.99/mo., the omnichannel membership also includes early-bird event signup and unlimited in-person classes held at its experiential stores in Minneapolis, Chicago, Boston, and Seattle.
Between the lines: It’s a slight adjustment from the original plan revealed in October. Drawn up as an ultra-basic “Essential” platform with limited classes, after voicing doubt in its connected fitness division, lululemon reallocated more aspects of the ecosystem previously hosted behind its MIRROR-required paywall.
While its $39/mo. All-Access option still exists with perks—like access to 1:1 training and discounted in-person class passes to partner studios—lululemon just unbundled MIRROR’s biggest draw: content.
Widespread App-eal
Even for those that still work from home, exercisers don’t want to be tied to a single space (or single type of equipment).
And while there are hundreds of digital platforms to choose from, connected fitness companies are shifting their focus from high-tech machinery to high-quality content.
- Last fall, Apple made Fitness+ available for all iPhones, ending its integrated Apple Watch requirement.
- In March, Liteboxer rebranded to Litesport and doubled down on VR fitness after achieving nearly 1M app install in less than a year.
- This May, Peloton repositioned its brand with an equipment-free app at the center while calling content its “golden goose.”
Lights, camera, action. For the in-person group fitness experience, top-notch instructors are a differentiator. For a sea of digital fitness platforms, talent may be even more important as part of highly produced, varied, and personalized content that keeps users coming back month after month.
A clear investment in experience, digital-first operators are layering it on to win over more users.
- obé Fitness just redesigned its app for greater personalization.
- BODi (formerly Beachbody) and Crunch Fitness’ new app focus on episodic content.
- FitOn is leaning into live shopping collabs with H&M and Bandier, while Alo Moves pioneers VR shopping and wellness tutorials.
Nike, meanwhile, expanded its reach for Training Club content with recent partnerships with Netflix and Strava.
Looking ahead: For lululemon, Peloton, and other fitness apps, having great content is one thing, but knowing how to use it could make or break the platform.
