ANALYSIS & COMMENT
There is positivity and strength when small studios genuinely sit at the heart of, and contribute to, a community.
These other fitness businesses now know how to boost the emotional element of fitness. They understand what high-touch looks like. They recognise the importance of building communities of like-minded people. They’ve seen the beautiful environments and experiences. They are taking these elements of boutique and placing them in their own spaces. #4 Authentic growth One area in which smaller boutiques still excel, which should mean some continue to thrive, is in community outreach and service. There is positivity and strength when small studios genuinely sit at the heart of, and contribute to, a community. Strength as a fundamental exercise is also having its moment across two distinct executions: reformer pilates, and strength training using tools such as weights, racks and kettlebells. What is interesting here is the intersection of social dynamics and the mind space that strength training commands. For Generation Anxious, a great way to feel psychologically strong is to make yourself physically strong. For ageing populations, it’s a chance to enjoy the same gains regardless of age. For those brought to their knees by the pandemic, mental strength can be found in strength training. For women, CrossFit and all the lookalike programmes have helped drive the female empowerment agenda. In contrast to the hypergrowth of connected fitness during lockdown – where the sheer speed of growth was ultimately the kiss of death – we’re reminded that sustainable growth does not come from seizing the latest trend. It comes from something deeper and more authentic. In boutique, as elsewhere, this will be what delivers growth in the long term. With this in mind, the rise of the recovery category is an interesting one to watch as the dust settles post-pandemic. Fashioned on strategies applied to elite athletes, it will be interesting to see the staying power given our number one challenge in society is that people are not moving enough and arguably have nothing to recover from.
Each UFB brand remains distinct, with its own authentic identity, says Barry
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LONDON BOUTIQUE STUDIO REPORT 2023
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