ZestW

• I visited the Vuori store in New York City. 
• The activewear company is known for its sweatpants and performance materials.
• Vuori landed $400 million in funding from SoftBank, valuing the company at $4 billion.

Vuori is a buzzy activewear brand based in Carlsbad, California, known for its sweatpants.

The company was founded in 2015 but took off in 2020, when the pandemic drove demand for athleisure. Joe Kudla, its founder and CEO, said the brand nearly tripled revenue that year.

Fans swear by Vuori's versatile pieces for travel. Celebrities and TikTokers can't get enough of its "hero" piece — a $100 jogger.

In 2021, the direct-to-consumer company landed $400 million in funding from SoftBank, valuing the company at $4 billion. Insiders say Vuori is planning to go public next year, Bloomberg reported.

The company's focus on using more-sustainable fabrics and a commitment to ethical manufacturing practices is a point of differentiation from competitors such as Lululemon and Athleta. The company asks all its suppliers to follow a code of conduct. While this is only a starting point, it's more than many fashion brands are doing.

The company is focused on growing its brick-and-mortar business. It has 40 stores globally and plans to open 100 stores by 2026.

The company's aggressive plan to expand its retail footprint includes goals to open stores in China, Canada, Australia, and Japan.

I visited Vuori's SoHo location in New York City to see what's so special about the brand.

Vuori's New York City store is in SoHo.

For many brands that start online, opening a flagship store in SoHo signals that they have arrived. Vuori opened this 5,000-square-foot location in October 2022.

When considering new store locations, Vuori looks at ZIP codes where e-commerce sales are high compared with the local population, Modern Retail reported. The company also considers data from its wholesale partners to identify demand in a particular market.

Inside, the store is full of "natural" light, even though there aren't many windows.

An employee greeted me as soon as I walked in.

The store was designed to evoke the California coast. The walls and tables are a sandstone color, and the floor is light wood. Potted plants adorn nearly every corner.

Women's clothing lived on the left side of the store.

The store was spacious and displays were spread out — an intentional part of the store's design. Catherine Pike, the company's vice president of retail, told Modern Retail that newer stores would be bigger than stores built in 2020 and 2021 to give shoppers more space and avoid feeling crowded.

The displays were clean but not boring.

Each section, whether it was a table or a rack, followed a color palette and used a variety of levels and props to keep the merchandising interesting.

The sales associates were very attentive. Several were stationed around the store to check in as customers shopped. At least three approached me to ask whether I was finding everything OK.

I was surprised to find some business-casual pieces amid athletic apparel.

There was a pair of tailored pants, called the Meta Wideleg, that came in gray, black, and off-white. They signaled to me that the company was finding ways to transition from just an activewear brand known for supercasual pieces such as sweatpants to a place customers could also go for slightly more dressed-up looks.

Vuori has significantly expanded its product offerings since launching with a single pair of men's joggers. Pike told Modern Retail that its assortment varied from store to store depending on the local climate and style.

Most of the clothing came in neutrals and earth tones.

The brand focuses on colors that can easily complement customers' wardrobes. The BlissBlend leggings were so soft I had to try a pair.

Getting customers to feel Vuori's technical fabrics is a focus for the company. Nikki Sakelliou, its chief marketing officer, told Modern Retail that its stores were popular with customers because they could "touch and feel the product."

I couldn't find my size in any of the BlissBlend leggings.

As I was looking for my size, an associate offered to help me and explained the fit. They didn't have any size small left, but she said that while most of their leggings ran true to size, this one was really stretchy. She suggested I could fit into the extra small if I didn't mind them being a little tighter.

There was a display in the middle of the store near the registers.

A table displayed a lookbook and tags that Vuori placed in its clothing. A plaque read, "The inspirational messages hidden within our clothes are there to shift perspective and give people something to think about."

The men's clothing was in similar colors as the women's clothing.

Men's sweatpants came in dark gray, light gray, and brown.

An employee led me down a mesmerizing hallway to the dressing rooms.

Two hallways with glowing arches connected the men's and women's sections to the dressing rooms.

The dressing room was minimal and had good lighting.

I wished there were more hooks on the wall to organize my clothes. Some of the clothes kept falling off the hooks, and I had to pile a bunch on the stool in the corner.

There was an inspirational plaque next to the mirror.

The inspirational note didn't resonate with me. It just felt corny. But maybe it would for someone else.

First, I tried on a tracksuit.

The courtside tracksuit was really comfortable, and I could picture myself lounging around my home in it. It was made with 88% recycled polyester and 12% elastane. I tried on the BlissBlend sports bra underneath it, which felt comfortable and supportive.

I tried a cutout tee and sweatpants.

The cove-cutout tee was made with 96% modal, a human-made cotton alternative that isn't always more sustainable, according to the brand-rating site Good on You. The shirt fabric was soft but felt a little too thin.

I also tried on the famous performance joggers. These were 89% recycled polyester and 11% elastane and super comfy. I could see myself getting a pair one day.

The BlissBlend legging was soft but too tight.

Because I had to try the BlissBlend leggings in extra small, these were a little too tight on me. They were really soft and made from 75% recycled polyamide and 25% elastane.

The Studio Pocket legging was almost identical but more comfortable.

Since these leggings were a size small, they fit better. They have a small pocket on the hip and were 75% polyester and 25% elastane.

I tried the wide-leg pants and a classic white polo.

I wasn't a fan of the polo, though I think it had more to do with my preferences. Polos make me feel like I should be back in high school wearing the ones I had from Aeropostale.

The Meta trousers were comfortable and flattering. According to Vuori's website, the fabric is anti-odor and moisture-wicking, but it's 100% nonrecycled polyester.

I tried a mahogany bodysuit.

I really liked the bodysuit. It's made from 89% recycled polyester and 11% elastane, has a snap closure, and includes a built-in sports bra.

Finally, I tried on a matching jacket and legging set.

The matching set was cozy and warm, so warm that I started to get hot. It would be a nice set to wear for a run in the winter — if that were something I did.

I dropped off the clothes and caught another look at the waiting area, where people were hanging out.

I wouldn't be buying anything this shopping trip, so I dropped off the clothes with an employee stationed in the dressing rooms.

The waiting area had plush couches, a cool chandelier, and a wall installation of backlit mountains. According to a company press release, the art piece represents "vuori," the Finnish word for "mountains."

There's a lot of opportunity for Vuori to lean into bodysuits.

I was impressed with this bodysuit — it had a flattering fit, it was comfortable, and the fabric was soft. I was surprised the store had only one style in just two colors.

I later checked Vuori's website and found the Halo bodysuit was available in white and gray. There's also the Bleeker bodysuit, a long-sleeve style that comes in black only.

If Vuori added more styles and colors, it could cash in on a huge opportunity to cater to more customers and compete with brands such as Skims and Abercrombie, which have made bodysuits so much more than undergarments. A good bodysuit has become a staple of the modern woman's wardrobe.

The Halo bodysuit was the one piece I would have purchased if I weren't taking a break from spending on clothes. I would also recommend it to friends looking for a slightly more sustainably made alternative to Skims' wares.

I'm not convinced I'd pick Vuori over other athleisure brands, but I would consider it an option.

Overall, I liked the minimalist vibe of Vuori. The spacious store and friendly employees made it easy to shop, though it needed more inventory of popular sizes. The fabrics are soft, and I like that many products are made partly with recycled polyester.

While the brand has mastered basics, I left wishing there were more stylish pieces — sports bras with more strap details or a wider variety of legging colors. Vuori seems to have an aversion to patterns and bright colors, but I think those could attract a broader set of customers and be done in a subtle way that stays true to its DNA.

The bag brand Dagne Dover does this well. The direct-to-consumer company keeps its hero products simple — backpacks and duffle bags in muted, neutral colors. Meanwhile, the brand experiments with fun patterns, bright colors, and trendy details for its limited-run seasonal collections.

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