Born Living Yoga accelerates international expansion and plans to reach €25 million in revenue

Born Living Yoga is setting its sights on €25 million. The Spanish activewear and athleisure label concluded 2023 with revenues amounting to €18 million, marking a significant advancement in its distribution strategy with the launch of its first flagship store and initial in-store corners. This year, international markets will spearhead its growth.

“2023 was a pivotal year for the company and its future. We adjusted our objectives mid-year, mainly as part of our brand protection strategy, by reducing discounting and boosting wholesale activities. This strategy helped us increase our average e-commerce ticket by 11%,” Alvaro Roca and Arianne Puig, co-founders of the brand, shared in an interview with FashionNetwork.com.

Last year also marked Born Living Yoga’s venture into retail, inaugurating its first store in Barcelona’s L’Illa Diagonal, establishing corners in El Corte Inglés centers in Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid) and Málaga, and joining the new WOW center on Madrid’s Serrano Street, which opened at the end of 2023. “These were projects initially slated for 2024, but when the opportunity arose, we decided to seize it,” the founders recalled.

This year, the plan is to conclude with between 10 and 12 physical points of sale. To achieve this, the company is negotiating to add new corners at El Corte Inglés and does not rule out opening more standalone stores. Internationally, it already operates a shop-in-shop in Paris’ Galeries Lafayette and will debut its first proprietary retail space in Mexico this summer, in collaboration with El Palacio de Hierro.

“We are already featured in the multi-brand areas of three El Palacio de Hierro centers—Satélite, Santa Fe, and Perisur—and will be adding three more such spaces. Concurrently, we will launch our first standalone space in the country, in the group’s department stores in the city of León. The brand is performing exceptionally well in the market, and El Palacio de Hierro has chosen us as one of the six brands that will form part of its revamped sports offering in León,” Alvaro and Arianne detailed.

The United Kingdom is another key market for Born Living Yoga. The brand is present in the marketplace The Sports Edit, part of Marks & Spencer, and starting from the 2024 fall/winter season, it will be available in six John Lewis stores and on their e-commerce platform.

International growth is undoubtedly the driving force behind Born Living Yoga. “While Spain remains our primary market, there are other countries where the athleisure concept is more established and the segment is more mature,” the co-founders noted.

Currently, the brand is available in 350 multi-brand retail points across Spain, France (its second-largest market), Germany (third-largest market), Portugal, the United Kingdom, Andorra, and the Benelux region. “Italy is our target for 2025,” Alvaro and Arianne revealed, adding that they also plan to open a flagship store in Paris in 2025.

Born Living Yoga, which originated as an online-focused brand, still sees significant sales from its e-commerce, which accounts for 30% of its revenue. Another 35% comes from marketplaces, 8% from retail, and 27% from multi-brand channels, where the brand made its debut at the end of 2022.

Goal: brand protection

“Our ambition is to create an aspirational brand with a premium edge. Habitual discounting can be detrimental. That’s why in 2023 we chose to protect the brand and try to boost full-price sales,” the brand’s creators explained.

In line with this goal, recent initiatives include partnerships with the national rhythmic gymnastics team and sponsorship of the Movistar Team cycling group. “Despite this collaboration, we are not planning to launch technical cycling apparel at the moment. The team will wear Born Living Yoga during training, travel, and transfers—except during competition. This helps us position ourselves in the athleisure sector. Born is a brand that accompanies you in any daily situation,” they asserted.

Founded in 2017, the brand currently employs 40 people and centralizes its headquarters and operations in Spain. Among its upcoming initiatives is the launch of a “worldwide” version of its online store, currently available in Europe and Mexico.