How Lululemon Is Quietly Rebranding for Men and Why the Jordan Clarkson Collab Proves It

For years Lululemon has been known as a female forward brand. Yoga. Pilates. Boutique fitness. Women’s leggings that basically defined an entire era of athleisure, but over the past year there has been a subtle and very intentional shift, and the new Jordan Clarkson collaboration makes it impossible to ignore.

This campaign does not look like the Lululemon most of us grew up with. It is darker. Moodier. More athlete centric it is giving men’s performance brand not just premium athleisure.

And that is exactly the point.

A Visual Pivot From Wellness to Performance

Choosing Jordan Clarkson was not random. He sits at the intersection of basketball fashion and culture which is a space Lululemon has not traditionally played in.

The creative direction reflects that shift.

• Stripped back visuals

• Cinematic lighting

• Bold typography

• A design language that feels closer to Nike or Adidas than boutique fitness

  
  

This is not just a product collab it is a statement about where Lululemon is heading.

Jordan Clarkson Lululemon Campaign

Lululemon’s Bigger Move Owning Major Men’s Sports

This Clarkson campaign is not happening in a vacuum. Lululemon has already been making major plays in male dominant sports categories and doing it at scale.

1. NHL Partnerships All 32 Teams

Lululemon expanded its collaboration to include every team in the NHL which positions the brand as an official apparel presence in a league where men’s performance culture is the core identity.

2. NFL Licensing and Fan Apparel

They did the same with the NFL offering collections for all 32 teams. This is not just athlete endorsements. This is full league licensing.

3. NBA The Next Logical Step

The Jordan Clarkson collab feels like a quiet entry point. They are checking off league after league and the NBA feels like the next obvious frontier.

Together these moves signal a clear direction. Lululemon is not simply expanding their men’s line. They are building an entire men’s category with its own identity.

How Alo Is Playing a Different Game

To understand Lululemon’s strategy it helps to compare it to one of its closest competitors Alo Yoga.

Alo is definitely pushing into men’s performance although the approach is different.

Instead of partnering with entire leagues Alo is signing individual athletes.

• Joe Burrow

• Jimmy Butler

• Other male performance creators and pros

These collaborations are centered on personal branding lifestyle and performance tech rather than team wide deals or league licensing rights.

Alo is building credibility person by person. Lululemon is building influence team by team and league by league. Both strategies work, but Lululemon’s approach is larger in scope.

Why This Shift Matters

For years the industry has asked the same question. Will Lululemon ever take the men’s market seriously? Now we have our answer.

With full league licensing deals athlete centered creative and a serious visual aesthetic pivot Lululemon is doing something more ambitious than creating more men’s clothes.

They are positioning themselves as a legitimate competitor in men’s sportswear. This goes beyond yoga beyond lifestyle and beyond the female led roots of the brand.

This is the type of shift marketers watch for. A legacy brand identity evolving into a larger broader category with intention and clarity.

The Bigger Question

With the NHL and NFL already in their corner and with campaigns like the Clarkson collaboration setting the tone it feels like the next move is already in progress.

Is Lululemon preparing to make a major push into the NBA and other athletic leagues?

If this campaign is any indication the answer appears to be yes.

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