Yahoo Finance The Gap steps into the men's athleisure game
The Gap to launch Hill City as a male counterpart to its Athleta activewear brand
In this Aug. 23, 2018, photo a Gap clothing store is seen in Winter Park, Fla. Gap Inc. is launching an athletic wear brand aimed for men as the San Francisco-based clothing chain hopes to capitalize on the popularity of the so-called athleisure trend. The chain, which also operates its namesake brand, Old Navy and Banana Republic, said Thursday, Sept. 20, starting mid-October Hill City will be exclusively available at hillcity.com and some items will also be displayed at 50 select Athleta locations. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Gap is stepping in to the men's athleisure wear game, which has exploded in recent years.
The clothes are intended to be formal enough to wear to the office, at least on casual Friday, and suitable for the gym or yoga studio directly afterward.
Gap's Hill City brand will roll out in mid-October at hillcity.com and will be on display at 50 of the clothing chain's Athleta stores, which sell technical, athletic clothing for women.
The Gap Inc. is struggling with weak sales and follows others in recognizing a sustained demand for work-to-yoga studio clothing.
Last month VF Corp., which makes Wrangler and Lee jeans, said it would break off its denim division to focus on its faster-growing brands like The North Face, Timberland, Altra, Icebreaker and Williamson-Dickie.
