Business Insider/Jessica Tyler
- Lululemon helped pioneer athleisure, but as competition heats up, the brand has been getting creative to attract and retain customers.
- Most recently, Lululemon is jumping on the popular cozy trend by teaming up with Penguin Random House to create a mini-library in its HUB Seventeen community space.
- The cozy trend isn't anything new - it became popular a few years ago, when the Danish concept of "hygge" started gaining traction.
- Even though Lululemon has always been known for athleisure, the new pop-up library space seems geared much more towards relaxation and feeling cozy than anything else. Here's what its like to visit.
Lululemon helped pioneer athleisure, but as competition heats up, the brand has been getting creative to attract and retain customers.
Earlier in December, Lululemon reported comparable sales were up 6% in the most recent fiscal quarter.
One way it's trying to win over more customers is by testing an Amazon Prime-style membership in certain markets. For a $128 annual fee, members are given a free pair of training pants or shorts, access to classes, and free shipping for online orders.
Most recently, Lululemon is jumping on the increasingly popular cozy trend by teaming up with Penguin Random House to create a mini-library in its HUB Seventeen community space. HUB Seventeen offers events like live music and free yoga classes.
"There is no doubt that the casualization trend has taken over the wardrobes of many Americans," NPD Group analyst Maria Rugolo wrote in a company blog post in November. "But this holiday season we will see this trend in all of its furriness."
The cozy trend isn't anything new - it became popular a few years ago, when the Danish concept of "hygge" started gaining traction. Pronounced "hoo-ga," the Danish concept is better translated as a feeling than a single word. Embracing the idea of hygge is all about feeling cozy and content by enjoying the simple things in life.
Lululemon's library space has over 1,000 books from Penguin Random House, mostly focusing on subjects like self-improvement, inner peace, and similar subjects. The space is small, but it certainly felt cozy and like a home when we visited - aside from the fact that it was surrounded by busy shoppers and merchandise.
Even though Lululemon has always been known for athleisure, the new pop-up library space seems geared much more towards relaxation and feeling cozy than anything else.
Here's what the Lululemon library is like: