Fabletics

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Fabletics, LLC
Company typePrivate
IndustryRetail
FoundedJuly 2013; 11 years ago (2013-07)
FoundersAdam Goldenberg
Don Ressler
Ginger Ressler[1]
Headquarters
El Segundo, California
,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Don Ressler, Co-Founder & Adam Goldenberg, Co-Founder[2]
ProductsMen's & women's activewear
ServicesMembership and retail
Revenue$500 million[3][4]
Websitewww.fabletics.com

Fabletics is a global, active lifestyle brand that sells both men's and women's sportswear, footwear and accessories, commonly referred to as "activewear".[5][6][7] The company operates on a membership model and is known for its e-commerce business approach and also has over 85 brick-and-mortar stores.[8][9][10][11] The brand has a membership program that allows shoppers to become "VIP Members", with access to special membership discounts and perks.[12][13] Fabletics offers its members personalized outfits chosen for them based on their lifestyle and fashion preferences[14] and releases capsules weekly in sizes XXS-4X for women and monthly in sizes XS-XXL for men.[15][16][17]

History

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Fabletics launched in 2013, and was co-founded by Adam Goldenberg, Don Ressler, Ginger Ressler. In 2015, Fabletics collaborated with Kate Hudson to launch their first celebrity inspired line which proved to be a success, Kate Hudson owns 20 percent.[18][10] With both Hudson's Line and the Fabletics brand being under the umbrella of fashion incubator TechStyle Fashion Group, Fabletics quickly became its fastest-growing label.[19][20][21] At its locations, Fabletics stocks apparel based on analytics of its online trends.[22][11] The company added collections for dresses and swimwear in the spring of 2017.[23] In September 2017, Fabletics announced its first line of official footwear including slip-ons, lifestyle sneakers, and workout shoes.[24][25] In 2020, Fabletics announced that it had surpassed $500 million in annual revenue and has more than 2 million VIP members.[26]

In April 2020, Fabletics expanded to menswear, signing Kevin Hart as an investor and the face of the new brand.[27][28] In March 2021, Fabletics released its Fabletics Fit app, which has hundreds of on-demand workouts, meditations and other content. Fabletics VIP members can access the app as part of the program, but nonmembers must pay $14.95 per month.[3] The company expanded into loungewear in 2021 and has since launched a velour capsule with actress Vanessa Hudgens.[29] Fabletics was named to Newsweek's Best Customer Service List of 2022.[30] In January 2022, Fabletics announced that Kate Hudson would be transitioning from principal face of the brand to an advisory role.[31]

In May 2022, Fabletics launched a tennis line for both men and women.[32]

Locations

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In the fall of 2015, Fabletics expanded to brick and mortar retail with its first store in Bridgewater, New Jersey. Since then Fabletics has opened over 73 North American stores and expanded into Europe.[31] In October 2021, Fabletics opened its first non-US store in Berlin which was followed the company's first UK store, an experiential pop-up, on London's Regent Street.[33][34] The London and Berlin stores bring Fabletics to 75 stores worldwide.[9] Fabletics was one of few retailers to avoid layoffs during the Covid-19 pandemic, and shifted retail staff to "omni-associates" during this time.[35][36] Fabletics has developed and deployed OmniSuite, a proprietary, cloud-based enterprise retail platform, in all of its stores. OmniSuite combines e-commerce, POS and order management solutions with back-office systems, and is utilized in all Fabletics retail locations.[35][34] As of 2020, Fabletics has established carbon neutrality at all of its stores, transitioned away from plastic shipment bags to recycled, biodegradable and reusable polybags and launched an eco-conscious capsule for Earth Day 2020 made entirely from recycled or upcycled materials.[33] The company expanded into retail resale with ThredUp, in 2021.[37]

In May 2022, the company opened a new location in Valencia, CA.[38]

Partnerships

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Hudson was named the ambassador for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer with Fabletics partnering on a pink capsule collection to support breast cancer awareness.[39][40] In May 2017, the company announced a collaboration with singer Demi Lovato in support of the United Nations Foundation's Girl Up campaign.[41]

In October 2018, Fabletics announced a partnership with Varsity Spirit, making Fabletics Varsity's official activewear partner. As a part of this deal, Fabletics launched pop-up shops at Varsity Competitions in the US.

In October 2020, Fabletics and Varsity extended their partnership through 2024.[42] In the same month, Fabletics announced a long-term partnership with Hydrow, the at-home rower with live and on-demand athlete-led workouts. As part of the Fabletics x Hydrow partnership, Fabletics members can purchase a Hydrow at members only pricing, plus access to an accessories and gear package. In addition, Fabletics is Hydrow's official apparel partner, designing and producing all Hydrow apparel, and Hydrow's trainers will exclusively wear Fabletics in all of Hydrow's workout content.[43]

In 2021, Tough Mudder chose Fabletics as its "active lifestyle" partner.[44] In November 2021, Fabletics began working with college athletes and tournaments to grow its men's business. The company sponsored the Jacksonville Classic, and announced that it is planning partnerships with individual NCAA players.[45] In April 2021, Kevin and Eniko Hart released the Hart Collection, the brand's first capsule designed for men and women.[46] In December 2021, Vanessa Hudgens was announced as a spokesperson for the brand, releasing the Velour x Fabletics collection, with pieces made of velour.[47]

In April 2022, Hudgens also released a summer Y2K-inspired collection designed by herself, called Sun-Daze by Vanessa Hudgens.[48] In the same month, Fabletics partnered with singer Lizzo to launch a size-inclusive (sizes of 6X to XS) shape-wear brand called Yitty.[49]

Since launching, Fabletics has released a number of capsules with notable brand partners, including Maddie Ziegler,[50] Kelly Rowland,[51] Madelaine Petsch[52] and others.

Controversy

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An investigation by Time magazine into Hippo Knitting, a manufacturing company that supplies Fabletics, received reports from at least 38 workers alleging sexual and physical abuse from management. A Fabletics spokesperson said the brand vowed to do "everything in [their] power to further remedy the situation". Production at Hippo Knitting stopped on May 3, 2021. After a three-month pause, Fabletics resumed production in August 2021 while taking steps to improve workers' rights, including a new anti-intimidation policy, a new grievance procedure and other initiatives.[53]

References

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  1. ^ "In My Gym Bag: Getting Fab With The Co-Founder Of Fabletics". Chalkboard Mag. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  2. ^ Hamanaka, Kari (November 21, 2016). "TechStyle's TechFirst Strategy Has It on Course to Hit $1B". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Fabletics releases fitness app". Retail Dive. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  4. ^ Wertz, Diana (August 4, 2017). "Why Successful Brands Like Fabletics Leverage the Power of the Crowd". Huffington Post. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
  5. ^ "How Kate Hudson's Fabletics is cashing in on the athleisure craze". Yahoo Finance. August 16, 2016.
  6. ^ Young, Katy Young (October 16, 2013). "Fabletics: Kate Hudson's new workout gear". The Telegraph. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
  7. ^ "Fabletics". JustFab Inc.
  8. ^ "Shop-in-shops are everywhere — here's what it means for stores". Glossy. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Fabletics to open first UK store in London". Fashion United UK. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Gibbs, Alexandra (April 20, 2018). "Kate Hudson on Fabletics: I wanted to create a brand that was more about lifestyle than fitness". CNBC. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Paul Armstrong (November 16, 2016). "How Kate Hudson's Fabletics Is Taking On Amazon". Forbes. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  12. ^ "How Our Flexible VIP Membership Works". Fabletics. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  13. ^ "Is Kate Hudson's 'Fabletics' A Scam?". HuffPost. September 30, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  14. ^ MacVean, Mary MacVean (November 2, 2013). "It's workout time with Kate Hudson, who's wearing her Fabletics gear". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  15. ^ Kell, John (October 19, 2016). "Kate Hudson: It's Important Fabletics Is "All Inclusive"". Fortune. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
  16. ^ "JustFab Rebrands as TechStyle". Retail Info Systems. August 18, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  17. ^ "JustFab Changes Name to TechStyle Fashion Group". Women's Wear Daily. August 18, 2016.
  18. ^ "Kate Hudson's Fabletics Line Launches Today: Will You Shop It?". People. October 1, 2013. Archived from the original on May 10, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  19. ^ Erdogan, Melodi Erdogan (April 5, 2016). "When Do Fabletics Dresses Come Out? Shop These Athleisure Styles, Stat". Bustle.
  20. ^ Finger, Bobby (November 30, 2015). "Kate Hudson's Fabletics Targets Lululemon, Visible 'Pussy' in New Commercials". Jezebel.
  21. ^ "Kate Hudson Makes Her New Fabletics Spot 'Feel Like You're Scrolling Through Her Instagram Feed'". Adweek. July 28, 2016.
  22. ^ Hughes, Aria Hughes (June 4, 2015). "Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson Celebrate FL2 Launch". Women's Wear Daily.
  23. ^ Kaiser, Amanda (November 17, 2016). "Kate Hudson's Fabletics Plans Aggressive Retail Expansion". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
  24. ^ Kari Hamanaka (September 19, 2017). "Kate Hudson's Fabletics Launches Women's Footwear Push". Women's Wear Daily.
  25. ^ O'Connor, Clare. "Fabletics, Kate Hudson's Controversial Athleisure Brand, Plans To Open 100 Stores". Forbes. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  26. ^ "Retailer co-founded by actress Kate Hudson plans Roseville store". Sacramento Business Journal. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  27. ^ "Fabletics' Adam Goldenberg and Kevin Hart on what's next for the activewear empire". TechCrunch. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  28. ^ Bonner, Mehera Bonner (March 29, 2016). "Kate Hudson to the Lazy-Girl Rescue: Steal Her Secrets for Wearing Athleisure at Night". Marie Claire.
  29. ^ "Fabletics expands to loungewear". Retail Dive. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  30. ^ "America's Best Customer Service 2022". Newsweek. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  31. ^ a b "Fabletics Co-Founder Kate Hudson Announces Transition to Advisory Role". KULR Channel 8. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  32. ^ Tennis.com. "Style Points: Fabletics hits the court with new Universal Tennis collab". Tennis.com. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  33. ^ a b "TechStyle Partners with Good360 for Recurring Apparel Donations". Sourcing Journal. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  34. ^ a b Thomas, Lauren (July 10, 2018). "Kate Hudson's Fabletics athleisure line plans to open 75 new stores in global push". CNBC. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  35. ^ a b "Fabletics avoids pandemic layoffs with 'omni-associates'". Chain Store Age. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  36. ^ Chapman, Adele (February 15, 2016). "Fabletics Plans to Open 100 Stores in the Next Few Years". Racked.
  37. ^ "Fabletics is getting into retail". Glossy. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  38. ^ "May 5: Fabletics Opens New Store at Valencia Town Center". SCVNews.com. May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  39. ^ Chabbott, Sophia (September 28, 2016). "Kate Hudson Talks Fitness and Style as She Takes on Ambassadorship of Fashion Targets Breast Cancer". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
  40. ^ "Kate Hudson Was Destined For Hollywood Greatness. Then She Pivoted To Leggings". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  41. ^ Tom Ward (June 6, 2017). "Kate Hudson: From 'Almost Famous' To Fabletics Greatness". Forbes.
  42. ^ "Fabletics to Kick Pop-Ups Into Gear via Varsity Spirit Deal". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  43. ^ "Fabletics enters longterm partnership with rowing workout company Hydrow". Fashion Network. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  44. ^ "Fabletics Named 'Active Lifestyle' Partner of Tough Mudder". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  45. ^ "Fabletics is leaning on college tournaments and athletes to grow its men's business". Glossy. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  46. ^ O'Connor, Clare. "Fabletics, Kate Hudson's Controversial Athleisure Brand, Plans To Open 100 Stores". Forbes. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  47. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Vanessa Hudgens Models Fabletics' New Category Launch, Velour". WWD. December 1, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  48. ^ "Vanessa Hudgens' Y2K-Inspired Fabletics Collection Is An Ode To California". Harper's Bazaar. March 31, 2022. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  49. ^ Caminiti, Kasey. "Yitty, Lizzo's shapewear line, just dropped. Here's what to know". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  50. ^ "Kate Hudson and Maddie Ziegler team up for Fabletics". Malay Mail. June 12, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  51. ^ "Fabletics collaborates with Kelly Rowland on nineties nostalgia collection". Fashion Network. January 9, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  52. ^ "Madelaine Petsch Was Inspired By 'Riverdale' For Her First Fabletics Collection". Nylon. July 31, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  53. ^ Donovan, Louise & Nkune, Refiloe Makhaba (June 10, 2021). "Dozens of Workers Allege Abuse in Fabletics Factory". Time.
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