Gap to Roll Out Men’s Athleisure Brand

Gap Inc. (San Francisco) will soon release a line of premium men’s athleisure wear, similar to its Athleta brand for women. The brand, called Hill City, will be rolled out in mid-October. The men’s casual athletic line will initially be sold online, with some items being sold at about 50 Athleta stores nationwide.

Speaking about the company’s decision to branch out into the sector, its general manager told CNBC, “There is a lot of really good, technological high-performance stuff on the market that we don’t think looks good. Our wish is to bridge that gap … [with] something that’s high-performing but where form meets function.”

Gap shares are down 20 percent this year, leading the brand to explore alternative strategies to reach shoppers, including reducing its namesake and Banana Republic stores and instead opening new locations for its Athleta and Old Navy brands.

Athleisure represents 22 percent of the apparel sector, generating $48 billion in 2017, and it’s expected to continue gaining market share.