Can anyone dethrone Lululemon in China?

The sportswear market has been unusually restless of late — nowhere more so than in yoga and women’s activewear. Lululemon has long held a commanding position in China, but intensifying competition is crowding the category, with a growing number of brands racing to follow its playbook and claim the title of the next lululemon. California-based activewear brand Vuori is accelerating its China push. After opening its first store in the country at Shanghai's Jing'an Kerry Centre in May 2024, the brand launched a new pop-up on April 27, further deepening its physical footprint. Sweaty Betty is also back. The British activewear brand — long positioned alongside Lululemon in the premium women’s segment — opened its first concept pop-up at Shanghai’s Jing’an Kerry Centre in April, marking a renewed push into China's competitive women's activewear market. Perhaps more telling is the renewed momentum behind Maia Active. The Anta-owned women’s activewear label — acquired by Chinese sportswear giant in October 2023 — has emerged from a relatively quiet post-acquisition period with a new brand message, “Move Again, Fear Nothing,” and a stepped-up calendar of offline events designed to deepen community engagement. As Chinese consumers place growing value on active lifestyles, physical self-expression and community-driven experiences, yoga and premium women’s activewear are entering a new phase of competition. Lululemon remains the benchmark — but the chase to catch it, or to redefine the space around it, has made the market livelier, and far more unforgiving. Brand updates Arc’teryx Shanghai Museum opens new exhibition on brand innovation and craft Canadian outdoor brand Arc’teryx opened its latest thematic exhibition, “From Mountains to People: The Craft Behind Arc’teryx,” at its Shanghai museum on May 1. The show shifts focus to the people and stories behind the brand — from the founding team in North Vancouver to the athletes who shaped it in the field, and the global community that has grown around it. Spanning four chapters, it traces how Arc’teryx forged its own path of innovation through mountain environments, real-world demands and continuous refinement. At the center of the space, two products separated by 26 years make the contrast plain: the Alpha SV jacket, first introduced in 1998, and the MO/GO exoskeleton softshell pants, making their China debut. The exhibition also extends Arc’teryx’s recent push into experience-led retail in China. In January 2024, the brand opened the four-story Arc’teryx Museum in Shanghai’s Jing’an Temple district, bringing together retail, mountain education and brand history. Rather than a conventional store, it was designed as an immersive space where visitors can begin to understand what makes Arc’teryx, Arc’teryx. Since opening, the museum has staged three thematic exhibitions. This latest edition not only charts the evolution of the Alpha SV and presents the MO/GO exoskeleton softshell pants; it also shifts the focus to the people behind innovation — designers, athletes, engineers and community members who together push products through repeated rounds of iteration. Hoka Speedgoat pop-up brings trail running culture to Hangzhou On April 29, Hoka opened its “Antelope-Inspired Space” pop-up at Hangzhou’s Hubin in77, running through May 5. Brand ambassador Jing Boran appeared on opening day in the Speedgoat 7 “Antelope Flash” — a black-and-white colorway paired with an outdoor windproof softshell jacket — bridging mountain-inspired energy with urban aesthetics. Built around the Speedgoat series' 11-year journey, the pop-up combines mountain rock textures with urban geometric lines across a program of product experiences, community workshops and social activations. Visitors can also explore an archive of past Speedgoat models and take part in community-led initiatives such as “Free Route Drawing” — a nod to Hoka’s “by runners, for runners” ethos brought into the heart of the city. Peak Performance expands with new stores in Wuhan and Shijiazhuang On May 1, Peak Performance opened its “Stonewood” store at Wuhan Wushang Mall, with a second location launching the same day at MixC Shijiazhuang. The space draws on Swedish alpine cabin aesthetics and the brand's signature Helium quilting, anchored by an immersive trail inspired by the Arctic Circle’s King’s Trail. It also marks the debut of ÅreLab, translating the brand’s sustainability thinking into a hands-on retail experience. Across the floor, Peak Performance presents its Ski and Hike lines alongside the Freelight family — built around the Swedish concept of Lagom, or “just enough” — grounding its outdoor spirit in both product and place. A second store opened the same day at MixC Shijiazhuang. NNormal opens its 1st global store in Chengdu on Earth Day On April 22 (Earth Day), NNormal opened its first global store at Chengdu Taikoo Li. The brand, co-founded by trail-running legend Kilian Jornet and Mallorcan footwear company Camper, takes its name from Norway and Mallorca, and designs its products in Spain before testing them in Norway’s fjords. The Chengdu store carries NNormal’s full range of footwear, apparel and accessories — including its terrain-specific Kjerag, Tomir and Cadí shoes — alongside a Vibram outsole experience and xTool running-shoe customization. On opening day, the brand hosted trail restoration and outdoor participation events. As a member of 1% for the Planet, NNormal arrives in China with its “Your Path, No Trace” philosophy intact: performance and environmental responsibility as two sides of the same coin. Fila Kids unveils garden tennis collection and launches 2026 Diamond Cup On April 27, Fila Kids staged a garden tennis show at the Fila Grass Tennis Park in Suzhou, unveiling a new “garden old money” collection and launching the 2026 Fila Kids Diamond Cup. Inspired by the Grand Slam, the show unfolded in three chapters — Elegant Entrance, Joyful Grand Slam and Garden Party — tracing the arc from pre-match atmosphere to on-court competition and post-match social life. Standout pieces included the Susan skirt, the Xuanbing polo and a lightweight carbon one-piece tennis racket, alongside a refreshed Settanta victory jacket. The collection marries technical fabrics with classic tennis codes — sharpening Fila Kids’ “looking good, playing well” positioning. From tournaments and training to community programming, the brand is building a youth tennis ecosystem that extends Fila’s tennis strategy across all ages. Maia Active launches ‘Move Again, Fear Nothing’ campaign with emotional brand reset On April 16, Maia Active launched its new brand message, “Move Again, Fear Nothing,” fronted by ambassadors Chen Haoyu, Deng Yawen and Chui Na Lisa. Built around three real stories of setbacks and restarts, the campaign deepens the brand’s decade-long focus on women’s inner lives — and signals a broader shift from product-led growth toward emotional connection. Under Armour launches year-long flag football campaign across China On April 17, Under Armour launched “This Is Flag,” a year-long campaign to grow flag football in China. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson kicked off the effort with his first China visit on April 28, taking in Shanghai and Wuhan for campus events, community programs and the Wuhan Hero Bowl national elite invitational. To support the campaign, the brand introduced a line of performance quick-dry T-shirts — spanning the Vanish, Iso-Chill and HeatGear styles — engineered for the sport’s rapid direction changes and high-intensity demands. Working alongside the Chinese Rugby Football Association and as a sponsor of China's national flag football team, Under Armour is building a participation pathway from grassroots play to elite competition. Goldwin hosts women-focused ‘By Me’ event at Shanghai’s Jing’an Kerry Centre On April 13, Japanese performance outdoor brand Goldwin hosted a women-focused product preview at Kinetic Space in Shanghai’s Jing’an Kerry Centre, themed “By Me.” Held inside the “Urban Gardens” concept space, the event featured trail runner Wang Ruotong speaking on navigating multiple identities, alongside a body-awareness stretching session and on-site skincare experiences in partnership with Noevir. The centerpiece was Goldwin’s Spring/Summer 2026 lifestyle collection, built around the idea of “Light Season” — lightweight, practical pieces designed to move between city and nature, and a continued expression of the brand’s focus on the fluid, shifting states of modern women. Converse releases Shai 001 premium sneaker in new ink colorway On April 22, Converse introduced the Shai 001 Premium in an Ink colorway, extending the Shai 001 line into premium territory. The shoe retains the series’ signature silhouette while upgrading the upper to natural leather, with layered heel panels and tonal embossed logos adding a refined finish. A radial traction outsole, forefoot Zoom Air unit and wraparound midsole deliver a low-to-the-ground feel with stable support underfoot. The Shai 001 Premium: Ink will be available from May 14 via Converse’s official WeChat mini-program and selected offline retailers.

Can anyone dethrone Lululemon in China?

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Can anyone dethrone Lululemon in China?

How Bottega Veneta weaved China’s forever it bag