ANALYSIS & COMMENT
Recognising that we’re competing against other entry- level roles where deeper pockets support bigger salaries and benefits packages, it should certainly mean nurturing a magnetic and fulfilling culture – something that should sit at the top of the boutique list of priorities. It’s on today’s employer to work out how to do all this – yet only 5 per cent of studios surveyed by BFS named ‘building a high-performing team’ as their number one business objective. #3 Deconstructing ‘boutique’ In its heyday, ‘boutique’ meant uniqueness, expert focus within a single discipline, elevated touches and the one- off specialness of a small business that people were willing to travel across town for. As boutique brands have scaled, big boxes have created high-quality in-club boutiques (with the security of
a membership model and the advantage of variety and additional amenities) and some regions became oversaturated by genre, that uniqueness has dissipated. Everyone is now striving to stand out in a sea of sameness. We might all think we still have clear USPs, but these are far less obvious to a brand new consumer, who is therefore confused by the different price tags for what they perceive to be very similar products along the high street or at the club. The reams of high-quality digital content on the likes of YouTube, Apple Fitness+ and Nike Training Club only compound the issue. The perspectives that used to set boutiques apart – specialisation, personalisation, community, meaningful interaction, premium experiences and high-end fit-outs – have been analysed and understood, and have begun to be absorbed into other businesses such as big box gyms, corporate sites and residential communities.
Other fitness businesses are taking elements of boutique and placing them in their own spaces.
Reformer pilates is a hot trend globally, with Xponential’s Club Pilates a major player in the US
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LONDON BOUTIQUE STUDIO REPORT 2023
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