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Lululemon has a store for tween girls that is taking over retail

Here's Ivivva's pop up shop in Union Square.

Lululemon has a store for tween girls that is taking over retail

Inside, it's like a younger, brighter Lululemon. In fact, it's eerily similar to Lululemon.

Inside, it

Ivivva girls get their own version of Lululemon's famous pant wall.

Ivivva girls get their own version of Lululemon

And just like Lululemon's infamous pants, these pants are also subject to negative reviews. Although some reviewers of the Rhythmic Tight love the pants, many complain about pilling.

The tank tops are extremely similar to Lululemon's styles.

The tank tops are extremely similar to Lululemon

This shirt is nearly identical to one of Lululemon's shirts.

This shirt is nearly identical to one of Lululemon

But you wouldn't find these one pieces at the adult Lululemon.

But you wouldn

That's the thing about Ivivva — it distinctly sells apparel for activities young girls might do, like dance or gymnastics — activities grown women might not do. (Lululemon's 'activities' include yoga, run, swim, and "to & from;" Ivivva's activities include golf, gymnastics, dancing, running, swimming, tennis, and yoga). It's a classic tale of aging: kids go to dance after school and possibilities are endless — and then they grow up and go to barre class after work.

Proof this is really Lululemon's younger sister? There's a wall of inspirational quotes — only the fuel that Ivivva girls need is slightly more joyous than the Ayn Rand quotes of Lululemon.

Proof this is really Lululemon

Pro tip for petite women: the pants are pretty similar. You can probably fit into a 12 or 14. They're cheaper than their counterparts at Lululemon.

Pro tip for petite women: the pants are pretty similar. You can probably fit into a 12 or 14. They

Although donning a pair of Ivivva pants in your boutique fitness class might come with a hearty dose of judgment from your classmates.

Lululemon's overall motives seem ostensible: hook young girls onto Ivivva when they're young, encourage them to grow into Lululemon, dress their future spawn in Ivivva — and have customers for life.

Lululemon

Ivivva also has a board for product feedback, establishing the community feel with its customers. It also shows transparency to any growing pains it — and its consumers (or their parents, to be more precise)— might have.

Ivivva also has a board for product feedback, establishing the community feel with its customers. It also shows transparency to any growing pains it — and its consumers (or their parents, to be more precise)— might have.

The store offers fitness classes, not to dissimilar from Lululemon. There's a clear perk to Ivivva: it could potentially inspire more young women to exercise.

The store offers fitness classes, not to dissimilar from Lululemon. There

There's a dreams and goals wall, too — further proof that Ivivva is Luluemon's younger sister who aspires to be like her when she grows up.

There

Like Lululemon, Ivivva strives to create community. It has a section devoted to 'community' on its website, where it claims to help women achieve their "PB" or "personal best."

It's a part of a series of workshops.

It

Ivivva offers 'Dreams and Goals' sessions for customers at some locations to help young women chart their goals for the years to come. The company advertises these events by location on its website. (It seems like a junior version of the infamous Landmark retreat, which, up until recently, Lululemon pushed its employees to attend, as the New York Times reported.)

If Lululemon served alcoholic Kool-Aid, then Ivivva serves the virgin version of that same drink.

Sarah Halzack of the Washington Post expressed some concern about the brand last spring. Sure, kids are dressing like their parents and feel cool — but what does that mean for their parents?

Sarah Halzack of the Washington Post expressed some concern about the brand last spring. Sure, kids are dressing like their parents and feel cool — but what does that mean for their parents?

"That’s right, Lululemon has created a sister brand for elementary and middle school girls whose leggings, tank tops and sport bras look like miniature versions of the garments you’d see in its adult outposts," Halzack wrote. "And the brand’s recent streak of impressive growth may be a signal that this fashion trend has reached its peak."

Of course, there are plenty of arguments as to why not to purchase expensive apparel for kids — namely, the fact that they'll grow out of it. But as long as there are wealthy parents, there will be kids dressed head-to-toe in designer apparel — in gym class, now, too.

And though it may make some diehard Lululemon fans wince, the brand is growing. Further, if it's inspiring young women to feel confident about exercising — and just feel confident, in general — virgin Kool-Aid or not, it's hard to entirely lambast the brand.


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