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Burna Boy and On Are Serving Up a New Era of Sport and Culture

Plus: S&S Activewear shutters recycling program over unverifiable data

Author

Rafe Houston
September 10, 2025

Styled Athletics

Here's what's happening this week in the world of athleisure marketing:
- On bets on Burna Boy-led tennis culture.
- Gymshark rides sorority rituals for efficient reach.
- Lululemon outlook clouds amid tariffs and softness.

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The Peak Playbook 2025 distills five lessons from Fospha data, including how Footasylum unlocked +32% blended revenue YoY last BFCM, so you can enter Peak ready to win.
Swipe through for the highlights.

📌WEEKLY MUST-KNOWS

On appointed Afrobeats star Burna Boy as Clubhouse President to front its culture-first tennis push, pairing product storytelling with Clubhouse Nights events. The move aims to broaden tennis beyond core athletes by fusing music, nightlife, and community. It raises the bar on culture-led category entry for performance brands and creators.

S&S Activewear ended its Give Back Box textile takeback after an audit found unverifiable end-of-life data and a net negative emissions impact; it will shift investment to facility energy and efficiency. The decision spotlights rising scrutiny of recycling claims and the need for traceable circularity metrics. Distributors, recycling partners, and ESG teams should anticipate tighter validation requirements.

Head Sportswear will debut Vonn, a 25-piece women’s luxury skiwear collection priced up to $1,800 and distributed mainly through high-end North American ski retailers. With Vonn’s Olympic spotlight, the line blends technical performance with premium fashion. It signals continued premiumization in winter sport apparel and a path to higher AOVs in specialty channels.

LeBron James and Stephen Curry returned to China to promote their shoe lines, with the NBA adding two preseason games in Macau. The reentry could reopen a key growth channel as Nike and Under Armour posted double-digit declines in the region while Anta gains. US sportswear brands, retail partners, and influencer teams recalibrating China strategies will be directly impacted.

⚡QUICK READS

Gymshark Leans Into Sorority Rituals For Efficient Reach: Gymshark is driving outsized TikTok and Instagram engagement by embedding into US sorority moments like Member Class reveals and Bid Day, turning campus culture into a scalable, low-CAC channel.(More)

Lululemon Misses Revenue; Tariff Risk Clouds Outlook: Q2 sales rose 6.5% to $2.53B but missed expectations, with US product softness and potential tariff pressures forcing tighter assortment and margin management.(More)

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