When fashion invests in the world of wellness

Fashion has proven many times in recent years: it has more than one trick up its sleeve. While Coco Chanel fought to make clothes more comfortable, Christian Dior invented the New Look, and Elsa Schiaparelli offered trompe-l'oeil tops, today's fashion houses are moving further away from clothing to embrace literally any other category that could remotely fit. Sports items fully decorated with the Céline logo, tech collaborations between Balenciaga and Apple, restaurants signed by Louis Vuitton, even extending to the real estate sector with luxury condominiums and entire residences signed by Dolce & Gabbana, fashion houses set no boundaries. And the current crisis in the luxury sector might have something to do with it. Sales declines, "luxury shame," brands have no choice but to reinvent themselves and brainstorm to offer projects that will capture the attention of customers eager to be won back. The latest to present a quirky project is Jacquemus, who lands in London to open a Gym Club. However, the young designer from Marseille is not the first to present a similar proposal. A couple of weeks ago, Sisley opened its first spa in London, while celebrated sportswear brand Alo Yoga continues undaunted to host influencers and content creators in its Pilates studios. Is the wellness sector becoming the new cash cow for fashion houses? Who are these houses attempting a shift into this sector?

Jacquemus and his gym

Jacquemus continues his sports journey after Le vestiaire, a pop-up with an immersive path that gives the visitor the impression of being in the middle of a swimming pool, and this time opens a real gym in the Selfridges department store in London. It's in collaboration with Nike, an association that led to a collection including shoes, bags, and sportswear, that Jacquemus offers a sports experience to the English capital, riding the wave of the ongoing Olympic and Paralympic Games. The all-metal space is stained with the bright red of a huge life-size Swoosh bag containing the starter pack of every respectable athlete (sponge wristbands, headphones, and even mint tablets), surrounded by lockers to store belongings before hitting the treadmill. Other always Jacquemus sports accessories like dumbbells or a skipping rope are also part of the decor. A decor not only dedicated to athletes and physical activity but mainly serving as advertising for the brand as it naturally includes pieces from the Nike x Jacquemus collection for sale.

Sisley and its beauty institutes

After opening its first beauty center in Paris, Sisley decided not to limit itself to a single location. A second center opened in the French capital before the brand also expanded to Bordeaux, Lyon, Saint Barth, Brussels, Knokke, and even the United States. Facial care, body care, hair care, LED care: the list of services offered by the institute is long. But is it so different from what can be found in any reputable beauty institute? What is certain, in any case, is that the fashion house name associated with the wellness center gives its clients the impression of living a unique experience reserved for an elite clientele. A placebo effect that quickly makes one forget the roughly €270 spent on facial care.

Dior and its retreats

Dior has also decided to turn to the wellness market, and to do so, it has set up shop all around the world. The Maison has even gone further, organizing complete retreats, immersing its clients in a total experience lasting four days and three nights. The program includes spa rituals, regenerative meals, mindfulness workshops, and fitness classes, as well as individual sessions with the institute's wellness experts. For those in a hurry who don't have four days to dedicate to relaxation, "simple" spas decorated with the brand's insignia are open in Qatar, Dubai, Paris, the French Riviera, Scotland, and even in the heart of Malaysia. Temporary spas also periodically open their doors. Currently, we find the Spa Cruise in Paris, the dream garden Dior pool in the heart of the mountains and in Beverly Hills, or the spa decorated by the French brand at the Splendido hotel in Liguria.

Hermès and its yoga tutorials

With Hermès, however, there is no need to travel the globe to find wellness, as the Maison offers it at home. The Maison has found the balance between luxury and sport, proposing a few years ago online yoga tutorials on the WeChat platform, a Chinese instant messaging application. Although the idea was clearly to offer its clients an opportunity to exercise in style, the initiative was primarily born to promote the Maison's accessories, showing participants how to incorporate them into their yoga routine. Precious leather belts turn into accessories for stretching the arms, while silk scarves become essential for maintaining balance. A subtle way to highlight the versatility of its products but above all to slowly enter the wellness and sports market while maintaining its image as a respectable luxury Maison.

Celine and its Pilates gear

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Still in a sports context, Maison Celine, in turn, takes advantage of the Pilates princess trend to announce last June the launch of an entire collection dedicated to Pilates. After dog bowls, board games, bottle holders, and hammocks, the brand once again shows originality and steps into the sports industry this time. From suitable clothing for practice to the reformer (a machine composed of a sliding board, straps, and springs that allows simultaneous muscle and flexibility work), the collection is as complete as it gets and offers the customer an athletic experience entirely signed by Celine. Of course, weights, kettlebells, yoga mats, and blocks are also available to match leggings with equipment. A first step towards wellness and beauty as the brand announced the launch of its first make-up collection in the fall, along with the Pilates collection which will be available next October.