Winning Attention in Athleisure: How Brands Can Lead the Charge in 2025

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Aug 25, 2025

Winning Attention in Athleisure: How Brands Can Lead the Charge in 2025

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Fashion

KEY TAKEAWAYS

→ Athleisure is outpacing traditional fashion by 2–6% across the US, China, and Europe.

→ 84% of Gen Z are more likely to trust a brand that features User-generated Content.

→ Sweaty Betty saw a +12% increase in AOV from integrating UGC across their eCommerce experience.

Health, identity and comfort now shape how people dress, and nowhere is this more evident than in athleisure. In 2025, Gen Z and Millennials wear athleisure multiple times a week¹, not just for workouts, but as everyday ‘outfit of the day’ (OOTD). Activewear has become a visible expression of personal values: wellness, style, and community.

This shift has driven exponential growth. Sportswear is now outpacing traditional fashion across the US, China and Europe by 2–6%¹ and rapidly making an entrance into the luxury space³. Challenger brands like Vuori, Hoka and Alo Yoga are generating momentum, and are expected to capture 57% of the segment’s economic profit this year, overtaking legacy brands for the first time¹. And category leaders like Lululemon and Sweaty Betty are setting the bar by investing in innovation, building community, and mastering the path from inspiration to conversion.

The athleisure consumer is active, expressive and seeking brands that match their momentum. As competition intensifies, attention is the new currency. With the right mix of content, technology and community, brands that engage, empower, and personalise the path to purchase will lead the next phase of growth.

The State of Athleisure in 2025

Today’s athleisure shopper is focused on functionality and meaning. They want kit that performs, yes, but also clothing that expresses identity and aligns with their lifestyle.

Six people in athletic wear are doing a yoga pose with their arms raised. The text "THE KEY SOURCES OF INSPIRATION & DISCOVERY ARE OFFSITE" is at the top of the screen. With an arrow going to 'Social and events' and another going to 'How do you bring those experiences online?'

Brands are winning by doing three things exceptionally well:

Targeting niche sports and communities where they can speak authentically – Adidas Terrex, for example, connects with outdoor enthusiasts by sponsoring grassroots events like the Maverick X Series trail runs⁹.
Investing in visible innovation, such as Hoka’s instantly recognisable soles.
Building deep cultural capital through grassroots engagement and celebrity storytelling – Nike blends performance with personalisation through its Run App, branded events, and tailored ecommerce journeys.

McKinsey’s 2025 report underlines this momentum: consumers are forming stronger emotional bonds with brands that feel built for them, not everyone⁵. Adidas has successfully leaned into this by evolving beyond performance and into lifestyle, drawing from streetwear aesthetics to build emotional relevance with new audiences⁷.

Lululemon’s recent performance reflects the power of a consistent stream of product innovation and a deep commitment to community-first brand building, both online and in-store. In Q1 FY25, the brand reported $2.4 billion in revenue, including an 8% lift in men’s apparel and 6% digital sales growth⁸. It’s a reminder that staying culturally in tune, while delivering meaningful brand experiences, is a key differentiator in this space.

To achieve that, brands must go beyond static ecommerce. The future lies in experiences that mirror how consumers live, move and discover: dynamic, social, and participatory. Athleisure thrives in the real world: on trails, in yoga studios, on coffee runs, and at community events. Forward-thinking brands are showing up in those moments, then capturing and re-surfacing them online with community-driven content. The result is ecommerce that reflects life, not just inventory, and makes shoppers feel seen, inspired, and ready to engage.

Building Credibility Through Community Content

The text "REAL PEOPLE, REAL IMPACT: THE POWER OF UGC" is on the left with a heart icon. The text "90% SEEK UGC BEFORE MAKING A PURCHASE DECISION" is below it. On the right, a collage of mobile phone screens shows user-generated content from brands like Speedo, Berghaus, and Ellesse. The logos for StoryStream and Pentland Brands are at the top.

Community is the engine behind modern brand growth. What athleisure shoppers wear affects how they feel: strong, focused, capable. When brands reflect diverse users, they build relevance and trust. Sweaty Betty has led the way here, using inclusive UGC to show that their products are made for all women and all journeys.

That’s why leading brands are moving beyond the traditional influencer model. They’re giving space to real people, micro-creators, everyday athletes, and loyal customers, and letting their stories shape the brand. User-generated content (UGC) is the most powerful tool to turn that desire for representation into measurable action. In fact, 84% of Gen Z say they’re more likely to trust a fashion brand that features UGC².

Sweaty Betty shows what’s possible when UGC is done right. By using StoryStream to publish content from their community directly across their ecommerce experience, they achieved:

+12.1% lift in AOV
+43.2% increase in session length
-28.7% bounce rate reduction

The title "SWEATY BETTY GROWING ENGAGEMENT WITH DIVERSE CONTENT" is on the left side of the screen. The text "-29% BOUNCE RATE", "+12% AOV", and "+43% SESSION LENGTH" are also on the screen. On the right, a website and a mobile phone screen display shoppable user-generated content galleries from Sweaty Betty.

Sweaty Betty’s campaigns go beyond aesthetics, they celebrate personal progress, recognise real journeys, and bring the brand’s community values to life. Crucially, Sweaty Betty also brought the excitement and energy of social media into their website and made this content directly shoppable, turning inspiration into action seamlessly.

And that’s where most brands fall short. According to our research, while 83% of Gen Z now discover products on social, a staggering 86% abandon their purchase after being redirected to a traditional ecommerce site². The reason? The experience doesn’t match what inspired them. It lacks the authenticity, movement and discovery that hooked them in the first place.

To win in athleisure, brands must fix this broken journey, by bringing immersive, social-style product discovery into their eCommerce storefronts and keeping the momentum going from scroll to sale.

Shoppable Video That Moves with the Customer

The Lululemon website is shown with a collage of user-generated content photos. The text "Wear it. Share it." is written above the photos. StoryStream and Lululemon logos are at the top. Cycles through to the Office shoes website, with another UGC gallery.

Short-form video is the number one content type to win attention, and athleisure is made for it.

75% of Gen Z and 70% of Millennials say video content influences their buying decisions². They want to see products in motion and in context, not just on a model, but on someone like them. That’s why Lululemon and Sweaty Betty (both StoryStream customers!) are doubling down on video from their communities. When shoppers see themselves reflected (in sizing, activity, or setting) it builds emotional resonance. It signals: this brand gets me.

And that plays perfectly into athleisure’s core strength: movement. Whether it’s how leggings stretch, how jackets breathe, or how materials flow, video brings these benefits to life.

Sweaty Betty again leads with intent. Their new Stories module features dynamic, swipeable and shoppable videos of real women doing real workouts, turning content into commerce-ready experiences. It’s social-first storytelling, adapted for the ecommerce environment.

Brands investing in this kind of movement-led content are making pages more engaging and building shopping experiences that match how consumers now explore, compare and decide. Whether it’s a post-run selfie, a milestone Peloton ride or a postpartum recovery workout, these are moments that resonate. And when amplified with care, they convert.

GEO and the Rise of Discovery Commerce

Shoppers aren’t just searching “black leggings”. They’re asking: “What leggings are best for hot yoga?”, “What jacket works for spring runs?” Discovery is becoming more conversational, visual and contextual.

In line with our latest guide, From SEO to Gen AI, visibility now relies on context-rich, question-driven content. To appear in AI search results and Overviews, brands must focus less on keywords and more on intent. This is especially important for athleisure, where performance depends on context. What works for Pilates isn’t right for trail running.

Audiences increasingly seek tailored solutions that fit specific activities rather than general product descriptions. This presents an opportunity for athleisure brands to use marketing insights to provide more pointed answers about their products, enhancing customer experience and satisfaction.

To help brands meet this shift in discovery, StoryStream is introducing a new solution: AI Visual Stylist, an agentic shopping assistant built to match the expectations of today’s social-first consumers.

Integrated directly into ecommerce environments, the AI Visual Stylist lets shoppers prompt the site with questions like “What should I wear for hot yoga?”, returning curated looks that blend branded and social content.

All content is instantly shoppable and automatically matched to the product catalogue, turning high-intent discovery moments into compelling, real-time experiences. Whether it’s styling inspiration, full outfit curation, or AI-powered content hubs built around seasonal themes or occasions, the AI Visual Stylist helps brands stay visible, relevant, and ready to convert.

Key Takeaways for Athleisure Brands in 2025

Prioritise attention: Discovery starts on social, but conversion depends on maintaining that same inspiration across ecommerce with immersive shoppable experience.
Tell stories that move: Use UGC and video to highlight real people in motion, showing how products fit into their active lifestyles.
Empower with information: Help shoppers choose based on use-case, fit, and community endorsements, not just features. This will help you show up in places where people are actually looking, such as social media and AI Overviews.
Optimise for social shoppers: Personalisation, authenticity and instant shoppability are non-negotiables.
Invest in cultural capital: Whether through ambassadors, grassroots movements, or niche sports, connection is your best differentiator.

A woman is depicted in a running stance, wearing a black sports bra and leggings. On the right, a crumpled piece of paper with a list of key takeaways is shown. The text "KEY TAKEAWAYS" is on the top left, with "SOCIAL-FIRST, CONTENT-RICH, COMMERCE-READY" below it.

How we can help: StoryStream powers the new era of social-first shopping experiences to help turn attention into conversions. Our AI Visual Shopping Platform uses agentic AI to transform how brands connect with today’s social-first shoppers. With tools like our AI Visual Stylist and video-led content hubs, we help brands deliver instantly shoppable, immersive discovery journeys.

You can source high-performing, authentic content from real people, as well as influencer and brand content, and seamlessly transform it into engaging product discovery experiences across ecommerce. From AI product tagging and video commerce to UGC galleries and GEO-ready storytelling, we help brands win attention and inspire sales, at scale, in motion, and on every screen that matters.

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