Gap Inc announces arrival of Athleta to Next.co.uk
Gap’s Athleta premium performance and lifestyle brand is now shoppable within the UK and Ireland through Gap’s joint venture with Next.
The joint venture was formed in 2021 to grow Gap Inc’s business in the UK following its decision to close all physical stores. Athleta offers a range of clothing for women for yoga, training, travel and sleep.
Athleta has joined fellow Gap Inc brands Gap and Banana Republic on next.co.uk and now offers 100 styles ranging from sweat tops, joggers, and shorts to stretch leggings, sports bras, tank tops and waterproof outerwear.
Jon Jeffery, managing director of the joint venture, said: “I am delighted to bring Athleta back to the UK market through the Next.co.uk platform. Athleta is a truly aspirational brand with inclusivity at its core and a strong design aesthetic, with proven performance and lifestyle products, which will allow us to engage with new audiences and build strong brand community within the UK and Ireland.”
The first milestone of the joint venture was the return of Gap to the UK high street in March 2022, with the opening of a Gap-branded shop-in-shop within the Next store on London’s Oxford Street, which covered over 4,000 square feet of retail space. This was followed by shop-in-shop openings in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Thurrock.
Meanwhile, the Gap.co.uk site migrated to the Next total platform in August 2022 and Banana Republic began offering a collection for women and men from November of that year.
