Dick's Sporting Goods Launches New Men's Athleisure Line
Business Insider | March 16, 2021
Dick's Sporting Goods is launching a men's activewear line, VRST, offering athletic wear and casual clothing. Built for the modern active man who lives life on-the-go," VRST's line will include pants, joggers, shorts, tees, and hoodies priced from $30 to $120. It will be sold in Dick's U.S. stores and on its own e-commerce platform.
Activewear and athleisure sales have performed well throughout the pandemic of the past year as people increasingly turn towards comfortable, functional clothes. While apparel overall lagged behind other sectors, sporting goods saw 75% growth according to Adobe's Covid-19 report. Apparel sales were down 34% between March and July, but shorts, sweatpants, and sports bra sales all rose.
Dick's Sporting Goods, Athleta, and other brands reported increased demand for athleticwear in the second quarter of 2020. Target's athletic brand All in Motion reached $1 billion in sales in 2020, within only a year of launching. Athleisure brands like Lululemon have traditionally relied on women for the majority of sales, but they're turning to men as potential customers, too. Dick's and VRST seem to be capturing these customers in the new line for men.