More men are shopping at Lululemon, but they're not buying what you'd expect

Lululemon

Lululemon's ABC pants retail for $128.

• Lululemon said during its most recent earnings call that 30% of its new customers in the quarter were male.
• The brand has had success with its men's casual clothing line, which includes $88 chino shorts and $128 stretchy pants.
• It is doubling down on its effort to transform men's into a $1 billion business by 2020, and management say it is well on its way to do so.

Lululemon is doubling down on men's apparel, and it appears to be working.

In its most recent earnings call in May, the company, whose bread and butter has long been women's yoga pants and workout clothing, told investors that it was on its way to achieving its goal to grow the men's wear category into a $1 billion business by 2020.

"We're really happy with how the men's business is performing," Chief Operating Officer Stuart Haselden said on the earnings call, adding that of the new customers added in the first quarter, 30% of them were men.

"We're probably a little ahead of schedule with men's in terms of our 2020 goals," he said.

It's not only surprising that this famously female-focused brand is attracting men, but also that these male shoppers aren't only coming to the brand for sportswear. Lululemon seems to be reeling them in with its casual wear - specifically, the men's office travel commute line.

The ABC (anti-ball-crushing) pant is one of its most popular items in this category, and it's paving the way. These $128 stretchy pants are Lululemon's version of comfortable jeans.

"The ABC pant in men's is probably one of the best. It's clear that our guests have an appetite for this," Haselden said.

"We're being pulled into these categories versus pushing our way into them if you will," he added.

The rest of the collection consists of apparel that is built to be practical and functional but also suitable to wear day-to-day.