It took 18 months and 10 versions of fabric to perfect. The pants she designed have generated $1 billion in revenue | Exclusive interview with New Look

Author | Xiaoxia Li

Editor | Qian Qiao

In 2005, Antonia, who had just completed her fashion designer training in Vancouver, chose to join a startup yoga clothing company called lululemon.

For a long time, Antonia remained unknown until 2015 when she was promoted to be in charge of the design work for the yoga category. The turning points of her personal career and lululemon quietly converged.

In this year, Antonia wanted to design a pair of pants specifically for yoga. She and the raw material team spent 18 months continuously researching, testing, and iterating through 10 different versions. Finally, the company's proud fabric, Nulu, and the world - famous Align leggings were born.

To some extent, it can be said that without Align, there would be no current global clothing giant, lululemon.

After the launch of the Align leggings, lululemon's revenue grew from $1.8 billion to $10.6 billion in the past decade. As Align expanded from a single legging product to a more complete category, it has grown into a product series worth $1 billion.

It is worth mentioning that, in addition to Align, most of lululemon's other hit products, such as Define, are also designed by Antonia.

Since a pair of yoga pants has achieved astonishing business value, there has been no shortage of imitators of lululemon. However, few people know the story behind the birth of these pants.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of Align. Recently, we had a chat with Antonia Iamartino, the senior director of product innovation and R & D at lululemon and the designer of Align.

Antonia Iamartino, Senior Director of Product Innovation and R & D at lululemon

The following is a dialogue between 36Kr and Antonia Iamartino, the senior director of product innovation and R & D at lululemon:

36Kr: Did you encounter any particularly memorable difficulties during the design process of the Align series?

Antonia: Actually, there were quite a few challenges. The most core one was the raw material. We had to develop extremely fine yarns, and we also hoped that the fabric would be dense, light, and soft. This was a new field in itself, and we modified the raw material 10 times.

Once we had the material, turning it into a product was also a challenge. For example, the waist needed to use a fully - wrapped elastic band; otherwise, it would squeeze the abdomen. The crotch also needed to be redesigned. It had to be convenient for movement and look different from the old version. Even the stitching had to match the elasticity of the fabric; otherwise, there would be a pulling sensation during exercise.

Another challenge was to make the product fit people of different body types. We adjusted the iconic V - shaped stitching on the back 12 times. We asked many athletes and brand ambassadors to try it on before finding the most suitable position.

36Kr: Align was initially designed for the yoga community. Did you expect it to become popular among the general public later?

Antonia: We knew at that time that this design could bring a brand - new wearing experience. When I tried it on myself, I also thought it was extremely comfortable and could be used in many scenarios. However, in the end, it was up to the customers to decide how they would wear it.

At the beginning, we focused all our efforts on making it the best in the yoga scenario. We didn't expect people to expand its use to so many scenarios and push it to the current level of popularity. In fact, it exceeded our expectations.

36Kr: As the wearing scenarios of Align have become more diverse, have you adjusted the design to meet these needs?

Antonia: The initial design was quite classic. Later, we mainly expanded the product forms.

For example, we added different length options, such as the inseam length of the pants and the length of the tops. We also launched many new products, such as sports bras, lined skirts, and the latest Align™ No Line high - waisted leggings launched this year.

We also consider the seasons. For example, in winter, we will launch thicker and warmer fabric versions. Generally speaking, we want it to better fit people's different life scenarios and sports needs.

36Kr: lululemon is well - known for its fabrics. How did you start the cooperation with the factory when developing Align initially?

Antonia: The main thing was to let them truly feel the value of the product. First, we let them touch, see, and even try on the product to feel the uniqueness of the fabric and the product. Then, we also conducted a lot of real - person wearing tests and collected a lot of feedback. We could clearly tell them what was good about the product, what problems it might encounter, and its positioning in the market. We used these actual evidences to reduce their concerns.

Moreover, although this new product was full of uncertainties, innovation itself was also an attraction for them. Once we reached a consensus on exploring together, they were willing to cooperate.

36Kr: Align has been on the market for 10 years. How do you keep it young and full of long - lasting vitality?

Antonia: Actually, it's about constantly adjusting according to the needs while maintaining the core. For example, we will expand more styles to fit different body shapes and styles. We will also continuously optimize the raw materials by adding some new technologies or functions and considering seasonal changes.

But the most fundamental thing is to ensure its wearing comfort and functionality, combining high - performance sports and high - style. After all, the main reason people like it is that it is comfortable to wear and convenient to move in. As long as this core remains, and we make minor adjustments according to the trends and needs, it will always have vitality.

36Kr: How has the success of Align affected you personally and your subsequent designs?

Antonia: Personally, I'm definitely very proud. It's really an honor that the things I designed are liked by so many people. It also strengthened my pursuit of the design concept of "science of touch", believing that a better feeling leads to better performance.

As for subsequent designs, I will always apply the experience of Align. For example, I will pay more attention to the wearing experience of customers in sports scenarios. Whether it's the fabric, function, style, quality, or design aesthetics, I will think about how to make people move more freely. This customer - centered thinking will always run through my work.

36Kr: Do you have any secrets to continuously designing hit products like Align and Define?

Antonia: Actually, the secret is to listen to people's ideas more. Whether it's products on the market or our own products, I'm very curious about people's wearing experiences, what they like, and what different experiences they hope to have.

Especially female customers. They not only want to be comfortable when wearing clothes but also hope to be confident and show their body features. So we will pay special attention to these points, such as the weight of the fabric, whether it fits the body, and whether the touch is soft. Only by thoroughly understanding these details can we create products that people really like.

36Kr: How do you usually communicate with consumers to understand their needs?

Antonia: There are many ways to communicate. We often communicate with lululemon ambassadors and listen to their feedback. We also go deep into the market ourselves. For example, we communicate with product educators in stores. They can collect a lot of real ideas from customers on the front line. Sometimes we also conduct market research, directly observe customers' dressing scenarios, and organize all the feedback we hear and see for use in subsequent product R & D.

36Kr: Is this your first time in China? Has the Chinese market inspired you?

Antonia: This is my fourth time in China, but the last time I was in Shanghai was 10 years ago. This time, I feel that the city has changed a lot. It's very dynamic, and there is an atmosphere of development everywhere.

What impressed me the most is that people have a very high acceptance of a positive and healthy lifestyle. Whether it's the passers - by on the street or the participants in the yoga classes I attended, I can feel that people are really enjoying this kind of sports and healthy life, rather than just following the trend. These discoveries and insights will definitely inspire my subsequent designs.

36Kr: Has the design team made any exclusive adjustments for the Chinese market?

Antonia: Yes. In 2018, we launched the Asian version of Align to make it fit the body shapes of Asian women better. We also provide more options, such as the length of the pants and the tops, to meet people's different needs for style and fashion, so that everyone can find products suitable for themselves.

36Kr: You have been working at lululemon for 20 years. What attracted you?

Antonia: What attracted me the most is the brand's attitude towards products. It doesn't just regard products as commodities but really cares about details, pursues quality, and also considers the market, the community, and the feelings of each customer.

Moreover, I've always been working on women's products, which is exactly the field I'm very interested in. It's very meaningful to help women find confidence in dressing through design. In addition, the company atmosphere is also great. It's very fun to work here, which gives me the motivation to keep going.

36Kr: Which category do you think the next hit product might come from?

Antonia: We are always looking for the next thing that can impress people. It could be a new raw material, a new trend in the fitness field, or other unmet wearing experiences.

However, in the end, whether a category can produce a "hit" product depends on whether customers really like it and are willing to use it in more scenarios. Now we are gradually exploring more product categories to find the most suitable direction.

36Kr: Will you come to China more frequently in the future to understand consumers' needs? Will there be products that are "first launched in China and then promoted globally"?

Antonia: I really want to come to China more often. It's been 10 years since I last visited Shanghai. There are still many places I haven't experienced this time. I'm also very curious about the new trends in the Chinese market and people's sports and dressing habits.

As for products "first launched in China", currently, when we design products, we take the feedback from the Chinese market as an important reference. For example, last week, some Chinese ambassadors went to our Vancouver headquarters to try out products and share their ideas. However, whether a product will be first launched in China needs to be comprehensively considered in combination with the situation of the global market.

36Kr: If you could ask Chinese customers one question, what would you want to know?

Antonia: What I most want to know are the special needs and concerns of Chinese women in dressing. For example, what kind of clothes make them more confident and what kind make them feel uncomfortable. Are there any places where they feel restricted by their clothes, and which parts of their bodies they want to highlight or not highlight.

Also, what kind of wearing experiences and fabric touches they hope to have in the future. Discovering these "unmet needs" is very important for our product design.