Oakley Is Addressing An Epidemic Within The Women's Activewear Market

Sunglasses company Oakley is tackling what is says is one of the biggest problems in activewear: women wearing their spandex yoga pants to brunch.

"Women wear their activewear as leisure wear right now," said Josée Perreault, Oakley's senior vice president of global business. "We're seeking to address the issue."

The company, which is publicly traded under eyeglass company Luxottica, just released a line of women's athletic apparel.

To connect with women (90% of Oakley's customers are men), the brand launched its "Made For More" advertising campaign, which focuses on the distinction between workout clothing and leisure clothing.

"For running, not for running errands," reads one ad. Another says "For exercising not socializing."

Oakley also released YouTube videos poking fun at the trend. The videos show women wearing exercise clothing as they order fancy coffee drinks or sip mimosas.

"Fitness is important to women, so we're encouraging them to make it a priority when they wear their gear," Perreault told Business Insider.

While the women's activewear sector is growing twice as fast as the fashion industry as a whole, Oakley is facing stiff competition.

Lululemon currently dominates the market. Gap's Athleta, Nike, and Under Armour have also entered the market as key players recently.

Perreault said that Oakley's unique campaign and approach helps it to stand out.

The women's workout line includes shorts, sports bras, running pants, and tank tops. Price points are similar to Lululemon's, with $200 jackets, $90 pants, and $35 shorts.

The line is currently available at Oakley stores and online. It's doing well a week after its launch, a company spokesperson told us.

"We see this as the company's largest growth opportunity," the spokesperson said.