Australian activewear brand Lorna Jane to open flagship store in Vancouver

According to Retail Insider, Australian activewear brand Lorna Jane plans to open free-standing Canadian flagship locations. It’s a bold move for the company, considering that homegrown Canadian retailers Lululemon and east coast Lolë are already fighting for local market share.

Image: amgraphretail.com

Lorna Jane is looking to enter the Canadian market with flagships in Vancouver and Toronto in the third or fourth quarter of 2015 or early 2016. Stores would feature traditional retail as well as in-store workout studios and health food cafes.

Lorna Jane currently operates 204 free-standing retail locations. Of those, 23 opened in 2014. The company plans to open about 25 flagships globally in 2015 and into 2016, in cities such as London, Paris, Berlin, Singapore, New York City and Hong Kong. The brand currently operates 42 American with nine featuring the brand’s ‘Active Living Room’ concept, featuring in-store workout spaces.

Lorna Jane will compete with Vancouver-based Lululemon, currently operating 53 Canadian locations in eight provinces. Montreal-based activewear brand Lolë also anticipates substantial Canadian growth, with plans to expand its current 17 locations to as many as 40 over the next several years.

Founded by Lorna Jane Clarkson in Brisbane in 1989, Lorna Jane retails women’s athletic clothing and related goods, including clothing and accessories. Designs are considered to be ‘fashion forward’ and each month, the brand releases between 70 and 100 new styles, according to its website. The company has three primary lines under the names Lorna Jane Originals, Uniquely Lorna Jane (higher-end, runway-inspired) and premium, performance-based LJ Black.