Source, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Ellie Silverman

Fabletics, the athletic clothing brand cofounded by Kate Hudson as an online-only retailer, opened a store this month at the King of Prussia Mall.

The 2,635-square-foot store opened July 4 on the lower level of the plaza and will have its grand opening Saturday, July 20. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

This is part of the digitally native retailer’s brick-and-mortar expansion, with a planned 12 store openings this year, the company said in a news release. Fabletics, the El Segundo, Calif., company, opened its first five stores in 2015. Other businesses that originated online, such as Warby Parker, have expanded to include physical retail stores.

“I’m excited to continue to expand our retail footprint and bring our new store concept to the King of Prussia Mall,” Hudson said in a news release. “Fabletics is a brand for all women and our mission from the very beginning was about so much more than just creating cute activewear. We wanted to build an inclusive community that inspired women to live an active lifestyle — and I am thrilled to bring that to the amazing women in Pennsylvania!”

The King of Prussia store will feature iPads in the fitting rooms that are linked to each customer’s online account. If you don’t have an account, a sales associate can set one up or sign you in as a guest.
When a customer goes into a fitting room, a sales associate will have scanned the clothes being tried on so that they are loaded on the iPad. If a pair of leggings is the wrong size, the customer can log that. A customer wanting another size can tap a button for an associate without having to leave the fitting room.

Customers can tag #myfabletics in Instagram posts to show how they styled their clothes, and those pictures could be shown as “outfit inspiration” in fitting rooms. A shopper who finds something online that is not in a store can order it and receive free shipping.

This technology aims to “elevate the Fabletics shopping experience,” according to the news release.

Female contestants from the Bachelor television series, and other social media influencers, often show off their Fabletics outfits on Instagram stories and promote the brand. The Fabletics’ website includes outfit suggestions for different occasions, such as yoga and studio, running, and gym and workout.

The two-piece gym outfits of matching leggings and sports bra range from about $30 to $50. Leggings from Lululemon can cost more than $100.

“We are excited to welcome Fabletics to King of Prussia Mall and are eager to see this popular online retailer come to life in our area,” Kathy Smith, King of Prussia’s director of marketing, said in a release.

“Our goal is to provide our customers — from near and far — a memorable and enjoyable experience, complete with the best and most exclusive brands. Adding Fabletics to our retail roster will do exactly that for our shoppers.”