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U.K. activewear brand Gymshark has made a series of executive hires to help it claim a bigger slice of the North American market, and it has a plan to take on its more established, homegrown U.S. rivals: Target gym-goers, not runners.
The company, known for its seamless leggings and crop tops, has appointed former Abercrombie & Fitch exec Kim Dolder to the new role of general manager, North America.
Taking on competitors such as Nike, Lululemon and Under Armour, the challenger is planning for gains in the world’s largest activewear market, which is expected to grow to $305 billion by 2030, per Fortune Business Insights.
Based in New York, Dolder will lead Gymshark’s U.S. team, with a remit to drive brand awareness and build physical experiences for its Gen Z and millennial customer base.
The exec spent four years at Abercrombie & Fitch, where she was senior vice president and general manager for the Gilly Hicks activewear brand. She’s also held senior positions at Target, Outdoor Voices and Under Armour.
Though the sports apparel sector is ripe for growth, 2023 and 2024 have been challenging for retailers contending with subdued demand and intense promotional activity.
However, digital-first retailer Gymshark has bucked this trend, reporting year-on-year sales growth of 15% in 2023 to reach $694 million.
In a statement, founder and CEO Ben Francis said North America was the brand’s biggest region by sales, responsible for half of Gymshark’s annual revenue. However, he noted the brand still had “such a small slice” of the market.