Lululemon, Karlie Kloss invest in buzzy fitness startup Mirror – Business Insider
The buzzy home-fitness startup Mirror just got the seal of approval from Lululemon.
The company behind the $1,500 interactive fitness mirror on Wednesday announced it raised $34 million in a round of funding led by Steve Cohen’s hedge fund Point72. Lululemon and the model turned entrepreneur Karlie Kloss were among the other investors contributing to the funding round.
At the same time, Mirror announced that it would be partnering with Lululemon to bring new content to the interactive device. A representative said that at first this would include meditation classes hosted by Lululemon ambassadors. Mirror’s CEO and founder, the former New York ballet dancer Brynn Putnam, was previously an ambassador for Lululemon.
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“MIRROR is an example of how Lululemon’s purpose to unleash the full potential within every one of us comes to life,” Celeste Burgoyne, Lululemon’s executive vice president of the Americas and global guest innovation, said in a statement announcing the news. “We’re proud of Brynn’s journey from being one of our ambassadors to CEO of an incredible company committed to helping people become the best versions of themselves.”
While Lululemon would not divulge exactly how much it had invested in the company, Burgoyne described the deal as a “strategic partnership.” It could help Lululemon to reach new customers and grow beyond apparel as competition in the athleisure market continues to heat up. It also signals that America’s best-known athleisure brand has confidence in this model being the future of fitness.
In the past few years, home-fitness concepts have become more advanced at being able to re-create the experience of a fitness class in your home. Experts say this is concerning for boutique fitness studios such as SoulCycle, Pure Barre, or Flywheel, as fickle customers are likely to stay at home if they can do the same workout in a more convenient way.
Peloton, who had led the way with its core product, the high-tech fitness bike, has also solved one of the biggest downsides of working out at home, which is not having the encouragement of a group to keep you motivated.
“They have managed to use technology to create a sense of community so people feel like they are part of something. They get both the convenience and the social aspect,” Jason Kelly, the author of “Sweat Equity,” said in a recent conversation with Business Insider.
Mirror is now taking home workouts to the next level. Earlier this month, it announced it would be offering personal training sessions on the interactive mirror. Putnam said this would pave the way for other types of content such as therapy and wellness. She sees the tech as eventually becoming a way for users to shop and chat with friends.
“We believe it will become the third screen in your life,” she previously told Business Insider.
Mirror launched its LCD mirror in September 2018. It looks just like a standard mirror and is operated using an app.
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