*By Carlo Versano* When Lululemon ($LULU) almost single-handedly pushed the athleisure trend into the mainstream, it seemed a passing fad, at best, that regular consumers would spend upwards of $90 or $100 on workout clothes. But years later, Lulu is going strong and new entrants in the space are betting there's even more runway left in pricey nylon leggings. Vuori is one of those brands making a big bet that athleisure is not so much a trend as it is the future of casual wear. CEO Joe Kudla visited Cheddar Tuesday to announce Vuori's new women's line, which takes the company's laid-back, Southern California aesthetic that earned it a cult following among men, and applies it to women's activewear. "It was only natural that we'd bring that to womens'," Kudla said. In fact, Vuori took the model pioneered by Lululemon and flipped it. Lulu began as a yoga brand, gained a cult following among upscale urban women, and then branched out into menswear. Kudla said he found that women were buying Vuori's menswear pieces for themselves, a trend he called "encouraging" for the success of its first women's line. The brand did a successful capsule collection with REI and utilizes an omnichannel approach that puts it in select Nordstrom stores and "point of participation" locations like Equinox health clubs. That's key, Kudla said, to getting the products into the physical hands of customers, who often still want to be able to feel and try on premium athleisure wear before splurging. The approach has paid off, even with just the men's line. Vuori nearly tripled its year-over-year sales in 2018, and Kudla said he's planning to double that in 2019. The brand recently made a big hire, poaching the former vice president of design at Athleta, Gap's ($GPS) athletic line. As it expands in an increasingly crowded marketplace ー just about every mass-market retailer now dabbles in some form of athleisure, along with newcomers like Outdoor Voices and stalwarts like Lululemon ー Kudla said it's critical that Vuori maintain its SoCal startup ethos to design and produce clothes that can transition from the gym to the trail to the couch. The brand sits between Lululemon's urban style and Patagonia's outdoor cool, he said. "We really built product that we wanted to wear," he said. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/activewear-brand-vuori-launches-first-ever-womens-collection).

Share:
More In Business
Al Sharpton to lead pro-DEI march through Wall Street
The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to lead a protest march on Wall Street to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The New York civil rights leader will join clergy, labor and community leaders Thursday in a demonstration through Manhattan’s Financial District that’s timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963. Sharpton called DEI the “civil rights fight of our generation." He and other Black leaders have called for boycotting American retailers that scaled backed policies and programs aimed at bolstering diversity and reducing discrimination in their ranks.
A US tariff exemption for small orders ends Friday. It’s a big deal.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines’ new policy will affect plus-size travelers. Here’s how
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Load More