Recent developments regarding the Chinese debut of Alo Yoga, one of the "new three essentials for the middle class," have taken a puzzling turn.
Multiple sources indicate that Alo's first stores in China are nearing their opening, with two locations expected to launch formally in the second quarter of this year. The chosen sites are reportedly in prime locations within top-tier shopping districts in Beijing and Shanghai, specifically at Shanghai's Jing'an Kerry Centre and Beijing's Sanlitun Taikoo Li North. Hoardings are said to be up, awaiting the unveiling. Alo's official channels have neither confirmed nor denied these reports.
However, an on-site visit by our team to the rumored Beijing Sanlitun location found no brand hoarding present. Furthermore, a systematic inquiry at the Sanlitun Taikoo Li property management office failed to retrieve any store registration or location information related to the Alo brand.
More critically, staff at the Beijing Sanlitun Taikoo Li mall explicitly stated, "Currently, our mall does not have this store, and we cannot find any information about the Alo brand. We have also heard rumors about its potential entry, but there has been no follow-up."
Industry insiders speculate this is more likely a marketing strategy, suggesting that "keeping a low profile while revealing just a hint" is a common market warm-up tactic for Western brands, intentionally building anticipation through controlled information leaks.
Our team visited the rumored Alo site in Beijing Sanlitun Taikoo Li North, where luxury brands like LV, Dior, and Tiffany & Co. stand prominently. This area is one of the speculated locations for Alo's Chinese flagship.
Founded in 2007, Alo started with high-quality yoga and athletic wear. In recent years, the brand has expanded internationally, now operating in 128 countries with over 100 stores across 26 nations, yet it has delayed its entry into the Chinese market.
Multiple sources claim the highly anticipated Alo China debut is quietly counting down, with two stores slated to open in Q2. Reportedly, the locations are prime spots in Beijing and Shanghai's top commercial centers, with one purportedly taking over the former three-story Jordan World of Flight space in Sanlitun Taikoo Li North.
Our investigation found that while three buildings in Sanlitun Taikoo Li North are under tight hoarding, none showed signs of Alo Yoga. One hoarding clearly displayed the LEMAIRE logo, and staff from adjacent luxury brands indicated the other two buildings were for Hermès and Chanel.
Furthermore, the Jordan World of Flight store continues normal operations. Staff there confirmed they had "heard Alo is coming to the North area, but don't know the specific location." When asked if their store would close or relocate to make way for Alo, they responded, "There is no official news."
Subsequently, our team checked with the Sanlitun Taikoo Li property management office's system but found no registered store or location information for Alo. An information desk staff member added, "We can check opened and hoarded stores, but currently, there is no information about Alo. The mall indeed does not have this store open now."
The staff member also mentioned, "We've also heard about Alo's potential entry, but there's been no follow-up. It could be misreported news, or the brand might be near Taikoo Li, or perhaps there are future cooperation intentions, but currently, we have not received any information about Alo."
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the physical stores, Alo's expansion into the Chinese market has been progressing quietly on another front. It is understood that over the past year, Alo has conducted several recruitment rounds in Beijing and Shanghai targeting overseas returnees, filling roles in retail management, brand marketing, e-commerce operations, and management trainees, indicating the assembly of a localized team.
A career blogger also posted that "Alo prefers returnees from the UK, US, Australia, and Canada, as business groups mainly liaise with these countries. Requirements include a bachelor's degree or higher, fluent English, and suitability for majors like CS, finance, stats, marketing." Our attempt to contact this blogger for updates on Alo's recruitment progress received no response by the time of publication.
Why has Alo's entry into China progressed so slowly? According to our understanding, Alo Yoga has expanded its Asian presence to Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, and others, opening multiple stores, yet it has not formally entered China. For over a year, despite repeated rumors of store openings, concrete progress has remained elusive.
"Brands with concepts like Alo—a bit pretentious, a bit bourgeois, a bit elite—are already 'flooding' Shanghai," said Rong Rong, a fashion blogger based in Shanghai. "I'm not particularly excited about Alo's entry; many bloggers have already reviewed it, and plenty of people around me have worn the brand. There might have been some novelty two years ago."
In her view, Alo's choice of Shanghai's Jing'an Kerry Centre is strategic. "That area attracts many white-collar workers from finance, advertising, and media industries who pursue a bourgeois lifestyle and need to project an elite image, making them more susceptible to such brands." However, she bluntly added, "From brand positioning to the products themselves, I don't see a significant difference between Alo and Lululemon. Moreover, its entry into China is relatively late; I'm not particularly optimistic about its market prospects."
Why is Alo's pace of entering China so slow? Zhou Ting, Dean of the Key Customer Institute, attributed the slow progress to two factors: "First, uncertainty about the brand's future—Alo isn't sufficiently confident about achieving success in China's competitive market. Second, selective brand strategy—polarized consumption is a reality all brands face; clearly, Alo has chosen to move upwards, pursuing a high-end route."
"On one hand, building a local Chinese team takes time; on the other hand, prime commercial locations are scarce resources, especially in core areas like Beijing's Sanlitun or Shanghai's Jing'an Kerry Centre. Securing such spots often involves chance and requires long-term communication and coordination with mall operators," commented Cheng Weixiong, a footwear and apparel brand strategy expert and founder of Shanghai Liangqi Brand Management Co., Ltd.
Cheng pointed out that shop spaces in Beijing's Sanlitun and Shanghai's Jing'an Kerry Centre have always been hotly contested by high-end brands, and incumbents rarely relinquish them easily. "Locations in these two areas cater to mid-to-high-end brands, who generally don't give up their spots easily. It requires multi-faceted coordination and adjustments; it's not something easily obtained. If Alo is determined to secure such landmark positions, it needs to wait for the right opportunity. From this perspective, a wait of over a year isn't particularly long."
He further analyzed that as an international brand without prior operational experience in China, Alo inevitably needs time for market research and localization studies to adjust its products, marketing, and operational strategies to better suit Chinese consumers. Additionally, from a brand strategy viewpoint, "creating buzz before arrival" and "keeping a low profile while revealing just a hint" are common market预热 tactics for Western brands. Continuously releasing information might also be a marketing strategy to build anticipation before the official opening.
Undoubtedly, as Alo's stores prepare to land formally, it will face direct competition with Lululemon Athletica in the Chinese market. Whether it can replicate its North American success has become a new focus of industry attention.
Alo's potential advantage stems from its precise targeting of the fashion trend niche. Compared to Lululemon's technology-focused positioning centered on functionality, Alo anchors its design focus on fashion expression, turning yoga pants into trendy items pursued by Gen Z. Leveraging celebrity endorsements from figures like Taylor Swift and Kendall Jenner has built powerful social media momentum.
Another notable aspect is Alo's commitment to high-end organizational structure and talent strategy. On January 10th, Alo appointed former Dior and Miu Miu executive Benedetta Petruzzo as CEO of International Business, responsible for overseeing the brand's global expansion. She will manage Alo's global operations, focusing on customer experience, market strategy, and brand image, while also overseeing Alo's wellness and lifestyle division. This appointment reaffirms Alo's intentions for high-end positioning and international expansion.
However, the challenges Alo faces in the Chinese market cannot be ignored.
Lululemon Athletica has been deeply entrenched in China for a decade, with around 200 stores building a significant channel barrier across dozens of cities—an advantage not easily challenged in the short term. More critically, Lululemon's technological积淀 centered on proprietary fabrics creates a professionalism gap compared to Alo's more fashion-oriented product design. For core fitness enthusiasts, functionality remains a primary decision-making factor.
"Alo and Lululemon are not on the same scale," Cheng Weixiong pointed out. In Q3 2025, Lululemon's net revenue in China reached $465.4 million, a 46% year-on-year increase, accounting for 18% of global revenue, up from 13% the previous year, making China its second-largest core market globally. Lululemon has accumulated a deeply rooted consumer base over ten years in China, whereas Alo has not truly entered the market. Globally, Lululemon's revenue is in the tens of billions of dollars, while Alo's is only about one-tenth. "The gap is too large."
He also noted that the complexity of the Chinese market environment further dilutes Alo's chances of success. The Chinese yoga apparel market is no longer a two-horse race. MAIA ACTIVE, acquired by Anta, diverts customers with its high cost-performance ratio. Giants like Nike and Adidas have also entered the yoga segment, while fast-fashion brands erode the market with affordable trendy items.
Furthermore, Alo's previous reliance on unofficial channels for entry into China has led to a proliferation of counterfeit products, making channel expansion difficult. Currently, major e-commerce platforms are flooded with sellers openly peddling counterfeit Alo products, with sales of knockoff yoga pants often reaching tens of thousands. For Alo, this means its entry into China must confront a tough battle against a "shadow army" from the outset.
"It's easy to make a grand entrance initially and spend heavily on a couple of stores, but scaling to 20 or 200 stores is complex. The real challenge lies in scalability and sustainability," Cheng Weixiong stated. "First, scaling expansion requires continuous and substantial capital investment; site selection, fitting out, and operation for each new store require real money, increasing pressure on cash flow and cost control. Second, systemic support is crucial; the wider the store network, the stronger the supply chain needed. More importantly, localization is key. Ambitious brands entering China are numerous, but truly succeeding and establishing a lasting presence is achieved by very few."
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