Athleta and Lululemon thrive by catering to athletically active women. By Thomas J. Ryan

While Athleta is a catalog operation that specializes in women's fitness apparel, Lululemon is a retailer focused on yoga clothing. Both believe they have figured out a problem that has vexed sporting goods purveyors for decades: how to serve athletically active females. Herewith is a close look into what makes both companies, and their female clientele, tick.



ATHLETA

During the mid-'90s, cyclist and surfer Scott Kerslake (who at the time was working for technology giant Sapient) noticed that many of the women with whom he trained complained that the only performance sports apparel options available to them were either sized-down men's items, or worse, Jane Fonda leotards and leg warmers left over from the 1980s. Moreover, customer service was just not up to par.

"At that time, Title 9 was the only other retailer addressing the women's market, and most sporting goods stores were incredibly unfriendly environments for women shoppers," remarks Tami Anderson, marketing director at Athleta. "The women's product was typically shoved to the back of the store or spread out in different areas, and often the only person available to answer questions about sports bras or running shorts was a teenage boy. Research showed that women made 80 percent of purchasing decisions in this area, and yet virtually no one was focused on serving them."

In spring 1998, the first Athleta catalog was launched along with the online store, with the goal of filling a void in the market for stylish sports apparel for women.

"We knew women wanted performance products, but they also wanted to look good and express themselves with items that were flattering and stylish," explains Anderson.

Today, Athleta offers a choice selection of items from manufacturers such as Adidas, Marmot, Patagonia, Prana, Sugoi, Cold As Ice, Moving Comfort and Sportiff. It also boasts a private label collection that has grown to account for more than 50 percent of the company's sales. The first Athleta catalog included some items under the Athleta Essentials label?mostly fitness/yoga pieces?and these private label offerings have since been expanded into categories such as running and outdoor apparel. "These styles are consistently in the top 10 best-sellers for each season," says Anderson.

One key distinction is that Athleta merchandises on a product-by-product basis, rather than carrying the majority of a vendor's line.

"Most women don't have time to dig through 20 pairs of running shorts to find the best one for them. We took a boutique approach and edited the selection to what we felt was the best of the best," says Anderson. "In our own line and others, we look for a combination of performance