Dive Brief:

• Fabletics, the athleisure brand co-founded by actress Kate Hudson, has announced that this fall it will open six brick-and-mortar stores in New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio, Maryland, Missouri, and California.

• The company also recently launched its line for men, dubbed FL2.

• Fabletics has been operating as pure-play e-commerce and has gained a reputation for quality and affordability amongst its customers.

Dive Insight:

Kate Hudson has surprised many with her success with Fabletics. The retailer assertively posts comparisons to competitors like Lululemon and Athletica on its site, highlighting its much lower prices. And, despite that affordability, has gained a reputation for quality and good design.

In fact, while of course basic black is a staple at Fabletics as it is pretty much anywhere, the company also features a lot of fun, colorful designs that Lululemon wouldn’t deign to offer. The fact that Kate Hudson herself is smiling while modeling the gear also helps a lot.

“You can’t really get a better deal than a complete activewear outfit for less than $30 (that’s good quality, at least),” writes fashion writer Eliza Florendo at Bustle. “And while I’ve always been hesitant about ordering online (as a very, very petite woman, it’s always a risk), I’m ecstatic about these store openings, because I can actually try things on. As someone who always falls between sizes for my sports bra, this is major news.” 

This need to actually touch and try items on has been a big motivator for purely online retailers like Fabletics, Warby Parker, and Bonobos to open their own brick-and-mortar locations. While these stores come with added overhead, they also give retailers the opportunity to expand their brand and provide another level of customer service not possible online.