Athleta is Building off a Strong Year for Athleisure

Pandemic-related lockdowns sent apparel Mentions to new lows last year, which were immediately reflected in severe sales declines for many clothing retailers and producers alike. However, Leisurewear remained in high demand.

Athleta (GPS) managed to capitalize on the shift in consumer preference with 4 consecutive quarters of YoY PI growth in 2020.

Although Athleta’s Purchase Intent Mentions in 21Q1 (ending 5/1) are showing slight weakness relative to the prior year, they are still trending up +16% vs. 2019.

Paired with the announcement that Olympic Gold Medalist Simone Biles switched from Nike to represent the Athleta brand long-term, things appear to be looking up for the leisurewear brand and GPS as a whole.