Peloton is attempting to move on from its recent advertising gaffe with a new activewear collaboration.
The exercise equipment company (whose ad spawned a rash of Peloton Wife memes that stormed the internet on the cusp of Christmas) is teaming with activewear favorites on a new capsule collection.
Gap Inc.’s women’s and men’s athletic apparel labels Athleta and Hill City have debuted a line inspired by the bike brand’s legion of followers.
The Athleta & Hill City x Peloton Collection, which launched Wednesday, is comprised of 13 pieces for men and women. Athleta has designed eight women’s garments, including tanks, leggings, pullovers and sports bras, while Hill City’s five men’s offerings include shorts, pullovers, a tank and a graphic tee. Items in the collection range from $38 to $98.
The capsule is available for sale at Peloton’s Chelsea and Christopher Street studios in New York City, as well as on the company’s website. The Peloton-branded garments will not be sold at Athleta stores or on its e-commerce site.
“Our members had been vocal via social channels, letting us know they were fans of Athleta and Hill City. Since these brands are also community-driven like Peloton, this partnership felt organic and authentic right from the start,” Jill Foley, vice president of apparel for Peloton, said.
Peloton’s members were an active part of the design process, Foley told Sourcing Journal. Two of the pieces in the range were influenced by a social voting campaign in which 30,000 members of the Peloton tribe cast their ballots for their preferred designs.
“This campaign brought the community story to life in a really special way. We are excited to kick off the New Year with a collection that was inspired by and designed for our members,” Foley added.
Members were also incorporated into the advertising collateral. Five Peloton fans were featured alongside the company’s famed fitness instructors, Christine D’Ercole, Chase Tucker, Aditi Shah and Denis Morton, in campaign assets.
“We loved hearing that the Peloton community was asking for a partnership with Athleta,” Sheila Shekar-Pollak, Athleta’s chief marketing officer, said. The collaboration has been in the works for the past few months, she added, and the two brands worked on curating a collection meant to “celebrate the power of our inclusive communities while offering technical, sustainable pieces that stand up to the toughest Peloton workouts.”
Noah Palmer, vice president and head of Hill City, told Sourcing Journal that Peloton’s strong consumer bond resonated with the men’s lifestyle brand. He hopes the partnership will “create more synergies among [both brands’] growing communities.”
“We think January is the perfect time to kick off the collaboration, so we can help provide a high-performance collection that is inspired by Peloton’s members and instructors, to help them reach and exceed their wellness goals,” he added.
