Sweaty Betty Returns to U.S. Brick-and-Mortar

London-based women’s activewear brand Sweaty Betty has returned to U.S. brick-and-mortar retail with the opening of two new stores this past weekend: one in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., and the other in Chicago, located in the Southport Corridor. Our team visited the Chicago store to better understand the brand’s approach as it re-enters the physical retail market in the U.S. after closing its stores in 2020, citing the pandemic.

About Sweaty Betty

Founded in 1998 in London, Sweaty Betty has built a global reputation for high-performance activewear designed for women empowerment. The brand’s focus on technical fabrics and its signature “bum-sculpting” leggings attracts a loyal following. It operates 85 stores in the UK. Sweaty Betty has similar price points to competitor Lululemon but skews more promotional.

In 2021, Sweaty Betty was acquired by Wolverine Worldwide, the holding company for several footwear brands, such as Merrell, Stride Rite, Chaco, and Harley-Davidson Footwear. Sweaty Betty is Wolverine Worldwide’s first activewear and lifestyle brand in its portfolio. In Wolverine Worldwide’s most recent quarterly earnings report, the company cited strong performance in the U.K. but noted declines in U.S. direct-to-consumer and wholesale channels (Nordstroms and Bloomingdale’s) for Sweaty Betty.

Will Re-entry into U.S. Brick-and-Mortar Boost U.S. Performance?

The recent U.S. store openings appear to be a strategic move to strengthen brand awareness and loyalty in the U.S. activewear market, a notably competitive environment.? To assess Sweaty Betty’s relaunch, our team visited the location on Southport Avenue, a walkable shopping strip a few miles from Downtown Chicago. The Sweaty Betty is neighbors with a strong roster of activewear retailers, including Vuori, Athleta, Lululemon, and Arc’teryx.

Our Team’s Takeaways from the Chicago Store? ?

• Minimalist Layout: The store is approximately 825 square feet. It features just one dressing room in the back, a potential miss given that the unique fit of Sweaty Betty’s leggings is something best experienced through trying them on (I left with a pair myself after try-on!). The store lacked interactive, experiential, or technological features seen in competitor spaces, which could help differentiate and immerse unfamiliar customers in the brand.

• Muted Branding: While Sweaty Betty’s ethos of “women empowerment” is central to its identity, this was not strongly emphasized or explained in the store’s design, experience, or interactions with the employees. While the store team was well-informed about the product – and were wearing pieces of the collection themselves – they were less knowledgeable about the history and mission of the brand. Implementing visual storytelling and enhancing team training could better communicate Sweaty Betty’s brand attributes to customers and demonstrate the brand’s claim of being the “the OG’s of Female First Activewear”.

• Subtle Launch Strategy: There was limited fanfare online or on Sweaty Betty’s social media channels about its re-entry into the U.S. This contrasts with the community-driven grand opening by its neighbor Arc’teryx, which hosted events to engage the local audience. You can read more about Arc’teryx’s recent opening here (Arc’teryx Celebrates New Location with Community-Driven Grand Opening). Sweaty Betty did offer a 20% discount for customers to use during the opening weekend or on their next trip.

Based on our visit, we see opportunity for Sweaty Betty to amplify its core message of women empowerment and demonstrate its differentiated product offering through experiential retail and deeper community engagement. Activations, interactive displays, and partnerships with local fitness communities could help Sweaty Betty stand out among highly competitive U.S. activewear brands. Contact us to discuss how McMillanDoolittle can help your brand connect with customers and win in competitive markets.