Dive Brief:
- Following its entry into Spain, Lululemon will sell its products on Zalando, a European online fashion and lifestyle platform, according to an announcement emailed to Retail Dive. In addition to its stores, Zalando will distribute Lululemon’s products through its partnership program and shipping service.
- Shoppers can browse Lululemon’s clothing and accessories for yoga, running, training, and other activities in Zalando’s Fashion Store, according to the announcement.
- Lululemon chose Zalando as its partner to offer its products to European customers in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands, per the press release.
Dive Insight:
The Zalando partnership marks Lululemon’s continued expansion in Europe. In July 2022, the activewear retailer announced plans to sell its clothing in three cities in Spain: Barcelona, Madrid and Calle Serrano. The move was part of its plan to reach $12.5 billion in annual revenue by 2026.
In addition to Spain, Lululemon also said it plans to sell its products in Italy and Thailand as well as increase its presence in its current international markets, including South Korea, Germany, the U.K. and Australia. The company also expects to open 70 stores in China by 2026, bringing the store count to 220.
Though Zalando will offer Lululemon in 12 markets, the European fashion and accessories retailer has a larger reach overall. Zalando said in the announcement that it now has more than 51 million active customers in 25 markets.
“At Lululemon, we are focused on ensuring that our guests can connect with our brand and our ranges whenever and however they want,” Sarah Clark, senior vice president of EMEA at Lululemon, said in a statement. “Our partnership with Zalando will enable us to serve more guests in our existing markets and reach new guests in those markets where we don’t yet have a physical presence, helping us to continue to grow our global community.”
So far, Lululemon's global sales have helped it progress toward its revenue goal, but it is far from reaching the $12.5 billion mark. Last month, the company reported $2 billion in revenue in Q1 2023, up 24% from last year. Its international business spiked 60% year-over-year.
