Lululemon focuses on men's wear with stand alone store opening

Canadian yoga-inspired athletic wear firm Lululemon has turned its focus to its menswear, as the retailer aims to open its first men's-only store in Manhattan on Black Friday, November 28.

The athletic wear retailer has also been setting up more dual gender “flagships,” according to WWD as its men's wear growth continues to surpass Lululemon's overall growth over the next few years."

“We see the opportunity for men approaching 1 billion dollars in revenue over the next few years and are investing accordingly to bring that vision to life,” commented Felix del Toro, senior vice president and general manager of Lululemon Men's.

Menswear currently accounts for 13.5 percent of the volume of each store, taking up about 15 percent of the retail space and representing 17 percent of the assortment, bringing in about 300 million dollars for the firm.

The men's-only store in Manhattan is will be located directly across from a women's-only store, set to open next year winter. Within the new 1,600 square foot store, Lululemon aims to offer exclusive products as well as the retailer's normal assortment. The men's-only store will also feature tailor services, such as the choice to personalize a pair of shorts.

By turning it focus to menswear, Lululemon hopes to overcome the notion that it is just a women's brand. “I understand some people think of us as a women’s brand, but we've been in the men’s business for a long time — almost from the beginning,” pointed out Delaney Schweitzer, the company’s executive vice president of global retail operations.