Published
Dec 30, 2020
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M&S adds men and kids to Goodmove activewear line-up

Published
Dec 30, 2020

M&S has announced a major expansion of its activewear label Goodmove with the brand now launching for men and kids. The original women’s line debuted a year ago.


M&S Goodmove



While there was some criticism of the launch this time in 2019 — with some analysts saying it was too little, too late for the company — it’s actually been a notable M&S success. 

Its sales were helped by the “accelerated shift to casualwear seen during 2020” with the company conducting a survey that showed 52% of its customers have been “wearing activewear more and more as everyday clothing”. And with 80% of M&S customers saying they want to get fitter in 2021, the latest expansion makes good commercial sense.

The retailer said the further growth of the label reflects its “far bigger focus on casualwear” in the new normal, but also its more “strategic focus on more everyday kids’ clothing”.

M&S added that Goodmove has proved “incredibly popular with women looking to work out in style during the pandemic” and its survey of 800 customers showed one in four had bought activewear from the chain in the last year. 

Additionally, in the March to September period (the company’s first half), activewear sales on M&S.com were up over 200%. Given that the firm’s webstore is now “the UK’s second biggest clothing website”, that’s a significant figure.


M&S Goodmove



Its £25 Go Move Black leggings were a bestseller (in a quick-dry fabric with phone pocket) with 15,000 pairs sold. And for the new year, the company said it’s “backing the popular products like printed leggings with bigger buys and introducing new products” for women as well as debuting the men’s and kids’ products.

Among the women’s newcomers are its first “flexifit” sports bras. The flexifit material “offers 360 degree stretch for the ultimate comfort [and] has been incredibly popular during Covid within loungewear products”. Adding it for activewear “is part of M&S’s continued efforts to build on its market leadership in activewear bras”.

The new active kids’ offer comes as the firm continues with its new product age breaks and pieces designed specifically for younger or older children. Featuring bright colours and bold prints, the kidswear collection (which is for older kids) “has a fun, playful aesthetic with contemporary styling and includes mix and match items as well as co-ordinating sets”.


M&S Goodmove



For men, it’s more of an extension of its existing activewear offer but “with a more focused and cohesive range”. It comes as 47% of men say they will be purchasing activewear in the next three months, which is a higher proportion than women. 

M&S said the new men’s products include “a focus on relevant innovation with performance designs such as double layer shorts with an inner compression layer”. Reflecting changing customer habits, the products have been developed for a range of workouts and everyday activities. For example, the footwear offer includes both trainers and walking shoes.

And the new menswear offer “is the most sustainable to date”, with over 98% of products being made from sustainable materials including recycled polyester, nylon, and cotton sourced through the Better Cotton Initiative.

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