The Secret Behind Lululemon’s High Prices

SGB Media

A Lululemon store with popular merchandise.

Lucy Lu, Photojournalist
January 21, 2023

Lululemon is an active wear company that’s currently extremely popular with the younger generations. The Canadian athletic apparel company has built a reputation for producing high-quality, performance-enhancing clothing for yoga, running, and other forms of exercise and  is a household name in the fitness and athleisure worlds. Despite the premium prices for their products, it seems people are still willing to buy whatever the brand comes out with. But, why are people willing to pay more for Lululemon clothing?

One reason is the brand’s reputation for quality. Lululemon is known for using high-quality fabrics, such as a material called Luon, which is a blend of nylon and spandex, and their signature Wunder Under leggings are known for their durability, comfort and support. These fabrics are designed to withstand intense physical activity while providing a comfortable fit and feel.

Lululemon also has a strong focus on community and empowerment, which has helped to build a loyal customer base. The company has a strong social media presence and often hosts events and classes, such as yoga and running, to bring customers together and promote an active lifestyle. Their social media team is very active and creates content on the app TikTok which helps further engages the brand with the younger generation. For example, they send influencers new styles, and in return this brings in sales for them as the fans might be interested. 

Lastly, Lululemon has managed to create a sense of exclusivity, which also contributes to its premium pricing. The brand has a limited number of certain clothing items, so it makes it harder for customers to find and purchase those Lululemon products and increases the demand. This scarcity has helped to create a sense of exclusivity around the brand, making it more appealing to customers. In addition, the brand also has a wide variety of sizes. When asked why she continues to buy from the brand even with ridiculously high prices Sierra Paz (9) stated, “The quality is really good but the fact that they have different lengths on their leggings is what gets me. Long legged girls need to be appreciated too.” Lululemon leggings come in a variety of lengths, from 23 to 32 inches. To make it even more customizable to their customers the brand offers free hemming on most of their products.

Lululemon’s premium prices are due to a combination of quality, community, and exclusivity. The brand has built a reputation for producing high-quality, performance-enhancing clothing that is both stylish and functional. Additionally, the brand’s focus on community and empowerment, as well as its sense of exclusivity, has helped to build a loyal customer base who are willing to pay more for Lululemon’s products.