Is Lululemon Losing Its Luxury Glow? Challenger Brands Are Turning Up the Heat

Part luxury status symbol and part performance wear, Lululemon has been the athleisure gold standard for years. But it’s star might be fading. According to fresh BERA.ai data, the brand is sitting in the dreaded “Boredom” stage with female consumers.

Translation? The relationship is stale, and it’s one bad move away from a complete breakup.

Let’s be clear: Lululemon still has functional chops. But when it comes to forming emotional connections, having experiential relevance, and showing up in culture? The brand isn’t going the distance. Currently, Lululemnon’s BERA Score among women is just 36.3 out of 100, and its experiential rating is even lower at 30.4.

This lags behind up-and-coming brands like Alo Yoga and Vuori (both with BERA Scores in the 40s) that are still in the getting-to-know-you stage. Although they’re still relatively new-to-market brands, they have strong momentum and there are already signs they’re beginning to win consumers’ hearts.

We used the same BERA.ai relationship model to compare Athleta, Alo Yoga, and Vuori with Lululemon to see where they stand, and then looked at their marketing strategies to understand what’s working with consumers. Let’s take a look:

• Athleta holds a strong position with a high emotional BERA Score (62.6). It’s benefiting from its inclusive approach to fitness, consistent sustainability messaging, and loyal community of women shoppers seeking quality and luxury at an accessible price point. Athleta’s performance-first messaging also resonates with its audience with a BERA Score of 78 for ruggedness.
• Alo Yoga is gaining traction thanks to TikTok-fueled virality and a fashion-forward POV. With strong digital presence and luxury vibes, Alo is flirting with consumers who may be rethinking their Lululemon loyalty. The brand’s influencer strategy includes tapping into aspirational fitness and fashion influencers and it’s paying off with high BERA Scores for having great people associated with your brand (83), sophistication (89), and excitement (86).
• Vuori, with its laid-back SoCal energy and understated design, is steadily climbing, appealing to both men and women who value versatility and lifestyle over logo. The company focuses on customer experience, including in-store classes, customer service, and those small details that make the weekend warrior’s performance and comfort a priority. This earned Vuori an exceptional BERA Score of 90 in the experiential category.

And consumers? They’re paying attention.

Even MediaPost called out the shift, noting that Gen Z is pushing back on Lululemon’s exclusivity and questioning its price point. For a generation fluent in filters, they know authenticity when they see it…and when they don’t.

To its credit, Lululemon sees the writing on the wall. According to a Think with Google article, the brand’s leaning hard into AI-powered performance marketing to personalize creative at scale. They even built their own engine, dropping acquisition costs by 33%. It’s smart, but it’s also just step one. Why? Because personalization without soul doesn’t create brand affinity. Brand love isn’t algorithmic; it’s emotional. It’s built through community, content, storytelling, and real-deal connection.

If Lululemon wants to stay iconic, it can’t just optimize its media buys. It has to reignite meaning, reimagine experience, and remind people why they fell in love in the first place. In a category where comfort is table stakes, the brands winning hearts are the ones taking creative risks, showing up with joy, and leading with cultural relevance.

Want to see how your brand stacks up on the BERA AI scale? Reach out to our team today.