Last Updated: 7th June 2025
Athleta is a women’s athletic apparel brand under Gap Inc., founded in 1998 with the mission to inspire women and girls to build confidence, strength, and a sense of belonging through movement.
The brand integrates performance and technical features into its clothing, catering to a wide range of activities such as running, yoga, swimming, and hiking, with a focus on supporting an active lifestyle through intentional design details.
Athleta was founded in 1998 in Petaluma, California, to create athletic apparel that puts women first, combining both style and technical performance. It was the first performance brand designed specifically for women, challenging the status quo of athletic wear by offering apparel that looks as good as it performs.
Since being acquired by Gap Inc. in 2008, Athleta has expanded to over 250 stores across the US and Canada, and it emphasises sustainability and social impact as a certified B Corp.
Athleta is recognised for blending performance apparel with feminine design and innovation, supporting a full active lifestyle. It competes with brands like Lululemon but distinguishes itself by focusing exclusively on women’s apparel and a broader range of athletic activities beyond yoga.
Athleta also promotes community and empowerment through initiatives such as The Power of She platform and partnerships with athletes and purpose-driven figures.
The brand expanded its offerings with Athleta Girl and began sponsoring athletes, with Allyson Felix becoming its first sponsored athlete in 2019.
Athleta presents a wide range of activewear and lifestyle apparel primarily for women and girls, designed with performance and technical features for activities like yoga, running, swimming, and hiking.
Their tops and tanks section includes seamless fabric options, poplin, and button-down tops suitable for both active and casual wear.
The bottoms section features leggings, joggers, shorts, skorts, and trousers in various styles such as high-rise leggings, mid-rise trousers, and performance shorts, often constructed with technical fabrics and stylish prints.
Versatile dresses that can be styled up or down, including midi and casual variations, are found in the dresses section.
Outerwear includes jackets and sweatshirts designed for layering and outdoor activities, while swimwear comprises swim tops, one-pieces, and bottoms crafted from breathable, quick-drying fabrics.
In the bras and underwear section, sports bras and support tops tailored for active lifestyles are available.
Hats and accessories feature hats and bags that complement active and travel needs. Girls’ clothing is designed to support active lifestyles with durable performance fabrics, including tops, bottoms, and sportswear suitable for school and sports activities.
Their special collections offer lightweight, breathable clothing such as dresses, jumpsuits, rompers, and swimwear, ideal for travel and resort wear, alongside an outdoor collection with specialised gear for hiking and outdoor pursuits.
Athleta’s website provides a seamless shopping experience with features like combined checkout for Gap’s brands (Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Athleta), free shipping for rewards members on orders over $50, and free returns either by mail or in-store.
It also regularly updates with new arrivals that cater to various active lifestyles, offering versatile and stylish options suitable for both athletic and casual wear.
The site design focuses on a clean, user-friendly layout that highlights Athleta’s core mission of providing high-performance, stylish athletic apparel for women and girls.
Straightforward navigation menus categorise products by activity (yoga, running, swimming), type (tops, bottoms, dresses), and new arrivals, making it easy for users to find specific items or browse collections.
High-quality images and clean typography showcase products in action, reinforcing the performance and technical features of the apparel.
The use of vibrant colours and lifestyle photography supports the brand’s energetic and inclusive identity.
Features such as store locators, membership benefits, and rewards programmes are integrated seamlessly into the design, enhancing the shopping experience both online and offline.
The site also includes sections that communicate Athleta’s mission, history, and commitment to women’s empowerment and sustainability, reinforcing brand identity and community engagement.
The site is optimised for mobile devices, ensuring that users can easily browse and shop on smartphones and tablets. Athleta also maintains an active presence on several social networks to engage with its community and promote its mission of empowering women and girls through activewear.
Athleta offers women’s athletic and yoga clothing with prices generally ranging from about $35 to $125, depending on the item and style.
For example, crop tanks and shorts start around $35, while leggings and pants range from approximately $44.50 to $125, with some items like the Transcend High Rise Legging priced between $59 and $99.
Other bottoms like the Salutation Stash High Rise Flare Pant range from $59.50 to $119.
Socks, for example, the Athleta Everyday No Show Sock 3-Pack, are priced at $35.00.
Sale prices can reduce these amounts significantly, sometimes by 25% or more, with final sale items like the Transcend High Rise 5″ Short available for around $34.97.
New arrivals and technical athletic wear tend to be priced higher, with tops and shorts around $85 to $99.
Discounts and promotions such as 25% off at checkout or 30% off on select bottoms are common.
Athleta offers various shipping options and benefits depending on membership status and order amount.
For the U.S. there is free standard shipping (3-5 business days) is available on Athleta orders of $50 or more for Rewards programme members. Icon members receive faster free shipping (2-3 days) on orders of $50 or more. For non-members or other customers, free 3-5 day shipping applies on Athleta orders of $100 or more if the 3-5 business day shipping option is selected at checkout.
For customers outside the US, Athleta recommends shopping through a region-specific site if available, as the US site does not support shipping abroad.
Athleta is a comprehensive online destination for women’s and girls’ activewear that blends performance, style, and social responsibility under the Gap Inc. umbrella.
The brand emphasises versatile and technical apparel that transitions from workout to everyday wear, catering to a broad range of active women and girls.
The site balances functional e-commerce features with brand storytelling and loyalty programme integration, aiming to create an engaging and rewarding shopping experience for customers.
This design supports both ease of use and customer retention through rewards and personalised benefits.
In summary, Athleta is favoured for its stylish, durable, and sustainable activewear with good sizing and frequent sales, but some of their cons may frustrate some shoppers.
Continue To Athleta
athleta.gap.com
