Abercrombie & Fitch Stretches Into Activewear

As Abercrombie & Fitch reinvents its brand, the apparel company is jumping into activewear with a new sub-brand, YPB, which stands for “Your Personal Best.”

YPB, which includes activewear and accessories for men and women, is a byproduct of research on models of all body types, as well as focus groups with fitness and lifestyle influencers and customers.

“They’re looking for fashion-forward activewear that actually performs, looks good, and combines quality with value,” global brand president Kristin Scott said.

Abercrombie & Fitch is the latest commerce company to launch its own activewear brand as more people work from home — activewear accounted for 40% of all online sales in 2020.

• Last year, sporting goods store Academy Sports + Outdoors launched its own women’s activewear collection, Freely, which expanded last month to include girls pieces, too. In March, Dick’s Sporting Goods unveiled VRST, a men’s activewear brand.
• Allbirds, known for its sustainable footwear, launched its first sustainable activewear line in August. Foot Locker announced LCKR, its first private apparel label since exiting the category three years ago.
• Target launched All In Motion in January 2020, which reached $1 billion in annual sales its first year.
• Peloton launched Peloton Apparel in September, its own private activewear line.

Active in the Market

Earlier this month, Abercrombie & Fitch’s full-year earnings featured a 19% year-over-year increase in net sales to $3.7 billion, with digital net sales accounting for 47%, or $1.7 billion, of that number.