Dive Brief:
- After teasing a Lululemon Studio membership earlier this year, Lululemon on Wednesday officially announced its replacement for Mirror’s fitness subscription. The program costs $39 per month and requires the user to own a Mirror.
- Lululemon Studio, which will launch next Wednesday, can be used via the Mirror at-home fitness device, through the app and via in-person “experiences.” The program includes Mirror’s original offerings and adds classes from fitness studios like Aarmy, Dogpound, Pure Barre and Yoga Six.
- At the same time, Lululemon said it would start selling the Mirror for $795 (almost half price the price at the time of publishing) come Wednesday and is also rolling out a free membership called Lululemon Essential Membership. The essential plan is not tied to Mirror and includes free access to Lululemon Studio classes, early access to product drops, receipt-free returns and other shopping perks.
Dive Insight:
As promised, a new Lululemon loyalty and content membership is here.
Lululemon Studio requires shoppers to own the Mirror device — which Lululemon acquired more than two years ago — but the program comes with benefits outside of the at-home fitness device. Members also get discounted classes at Lululemon’s studio partners, unlimited access to Lululemon’s in-person classes, 10% off purchases (with a limit of $5,000 per year) and all of the benefits of its free essential membership.
The launch also helps answer some longstanding questions about what role Mirror will play in Lululemon’s business and how the company plans to work toward profitability in its fitness arm. After the acquisition, Lululemon began selling the fitness tech in stores, but kept relatively quiet about the business’ financial performance and path to profitability.
“It’s going to generate revenue, it’s going to generate its own profitability, and it’s going to have the retention and spend benefits that you have within the loyalty program and something that’s truly unique within the marketplace,” Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald said of Lululemon Studio in April.
Lululemon has been emphasizing content at Mirror, opening a second production studio last year to double the amount of classes Mirror could offer. And when Mirror’s founder Brynn Putnam stepped down from the CEO post a year ago, she was replaced in January by Amazon Twitch’s chief content officer.
“Our guests’ fitness needs have evolved and lululemon Studio is solving for them by providing members with access to fitness content from our world-class trainers and studio partners at home, on the go and live in studios around North America,” Chief Brand Officer Nikki Neuburger said in a statement. “Lululemon Studio unlocks the versatility our community has told us they are looking for now.”
