Inclusive Learning Tour on Activewear
The Gig
New Activewear Brand Innovation
The athleisure trend is here to stay, and a mass retailer sought to create a new activewear line that was functional and stylish as well as accessible and inclusive.
Approach
From instructors to workout goers, we learned how activewear affects staying active
We designed an inclusive recruit of instructors working across different genres of workouts, ages, and body types. We hosted a nationwide study across 4 cities with fitness instructors to gain their perspectives on activewear performance. And recruited from classes for product trials where we observed and discussed the successes and failures of the product.
To include diverse viewpoints of ‘active’, we met with those at home, where they gave us a show-and-tell of their entire closets. We tagged along to a workout class with them, where we watched for behavioral cues indicating comfort and confidence in their activewear as well as compensating behaviors, indicating poor fit and performance.
Impact
Actionable design challenges & category-adjacent inspiration
This cross-functional team was exposed to not only a range of workout intensities and unique body types but also a more inclusive lens of instructors and everyday activewear users.
Among other insights, we learned about the importance of product fit, fabric, and multi-functionality. Our summary outlined actionable design challenges and category-adjacent inspiration for both product development and positioning of the new store brand.
How can we help you? We’re here to listen.