The municipality strives to stand out in the crowded athletics market

The municipality strives to stand out in the crowded athletics market

Mark Wahlberg left many people frowning when the actor, businessman and former rapper revealed his daily routine, which starts at 2:30 a.m.

From there, Wahlberg, who starred in films including boogie nights, The dead and Ted, runs from the gym to golf, film shoots, meetings, meals and more, so comfortable and versatile clothing is essential.

Through conversations with longtime business partner Stephen Levinson and former Callaway Executive Vice President of Brands Harry Arnett, the trio noticed a trend in the athletics industry where many brands were doing the same thing. taking advantage of muted colors, great fabrics and stretch materials. But where was the color? The personality? The influence of street style?

“I don’t know if it took anyone one day Captain Obvious to say, ‘Why don’t we do this ourselves? “, Arnett says. “Even if it wasn’t necessarily a commercial success, it would be things that we liked, so we were like, ‘Let’s do it.

And so, Municipal was born.

Founded in 2019, the brand debuted during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, offering wearers a range of sport utility gear that was “the most comfortable, stylish and versatile take on the things you love to wear”.

“We started Municipal because anything that was comfortable and versatile wasn’t so cool and really had no style,” Wahlberg said via email. “Or if it was cool and had a style that we liked, it wasn’t very comfortable or versatile. So we wanted to create clothes that people liked and wanted to wear everywhere they went – ​​to and from the bathroom. sports, work, training, night out. Everywhere. Why can’t you be comfortable and look cool? So we created Municipal for that.

Boosted by the pandemic as more people work from home or in a hybrid capacity, demand for athleisure has grown over the past two years.

True Fit Fashion Genome (via Direct Commerce), which analyzes data from 17,000 brands and 180 million True Fit users, reported that athleisures orders increased 84% between March 2020 and February 2021. Lululemon reported a 2% increase in sales to $903 million in the quarter ending August 2, 2020, compared to the same period a year earlier, with online sales increasing 157% this trimester. Athleta, Gap’s athleisure label, reported a 6% increase in sales during the third quarter of 2020 despite the company’s overall sales decline.

The global athleisure market is expected to reach $662.56 billion by 2030, according to a report by Grand View Research.

“We’ve taken a category that’s growing like crazy – the attributes and physical characteristics of our gear being very comfortable, soft, stretchy, high performance with a very wearable style – and pushed it to a place where men and women feel like they can be cool without being uncomfortable with what they’re wearing,” says City CEO Arnett. “They don’t feel like they’re crossing the line of what would be portable (in terms of style) for them. This merging of everything I think really worked.

Professional and everyday athletes have taken notice. Worn by NBA star Steph Curry, Philadelphia Phillies wide receiver Donny Sands, pro boxer Gabriel Rosado and PGA Tour pro Wyndham Clark, Municipal is starting to make waves in a crowded athleisure market. According to the company, over the past two years, 30% of customers have purchased more than three times, 20% more than four times, and almost 10% have purchased more than five times.

With more than 20% of transactions purchased by women, either for themselves or for men in their lives, Municipal has accelerated the release of its women’s line, which debuted on October 6, “probably three years earlier. than expected,” according to Arnett.

A good problem to have, Municipal isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

The brand announced its first NIL deal with University of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker on Nov. 3 and plans to leverage more name, likeness and image among high school and college athletes, while promoting more of the company’s strategic athlete and artist investors.

Municipal also plans to open its first retail store, attached to the company’s headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif., in 2023, before expanding to other cities across the country.

The brand is also expanding into footwear next year and “other (categories) that are probably unexpected for the people we’re really passionate about,” according to Arnett.

“Municipal is a brand for people who don’t want anything to stop them from achieving a better version of themselves,” says Wahlberg. “Build a business. Be in better shape. Be a better husband, better wife, better brother, better sister, whatever. If your goal is to better yourself and the people around you, we are the brand you need.

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