Alo Yoga CEO Danny Harris Talks Shoe Launch & New Store Opening Strategy
When Alo Yoga launched footwear for the first time late last month, CEO Danny Harris set high expectations for the big moment.
“I’m a pretty optimistic guy,” the founder and leader of the red-hot athletic brand told FN on a call from Miami on Friday. “So when we sold out within minutes, my expectations were just blown out of the water. For a streetwear shoe made with no animal byproducts and recycled rubber soles to sell out so quickly … it’s pretty neat.”
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First launched online on May 19, the initial drop of sneakers sold out in 30 minutes, according to Harris. The second drop, which came on May 31, sold out in 27 minutes and was followed by two blow-out in-store events in New York and Miami last week. Right now, the style maintains an “impressive” wait list, Harris noted.
“There is a real opportunity for Alo in the footwear space,” he added. “The response has been phenomenal and has exceeded expectations.”
As for the sneaker itself, the Alo X O1 Classic is made with vegan leather and features many elements found in recovery shoes — like extra padding in the interior collar, a midsole containing a honeycomb wall encapsulating a cushioning system for support, and a horseshoe-shaped insole to encourage alignment and stability.
The lightweight unisex model also offers a hidden technology providing high-rebound cushioning that is responsive and moves with the wearer, while an invisible lift system provides 2 inches of height. The new Alo X O1 Classic sneaker retails for $185.
When asked if more models will be added to the Alo’s shoe offering, Harris noted that he is uncertain. “We have a number of ideas, but we approach everything we do mindfully and thoughtfully, especially when bringing a new product to market,” the CEO said. “You might see updates to this sneaker first rather than a completely new shoe for some time. Our goal is not to be everything to everyone in the shoe game. We’re going to come with a certain perspective, certain disciplines and stick to those for sure.”
This mindful way of doing business is rooted in Alo’s brand ethos. Founded by Harris and Marco DeGeorge in Los Angeles in 2007, Alo (which stands for Air, Land and Ocean) was started as a way to inspire more people to do more yoga through its clothing designs. “Inspiring mindful movement is at the core of why we do what we do at Alo — it’s our calling,” the brand’s website notes.
Over the years, the company grew gradually and became a worthy competitor to other athletic brands in the yoga and fitness spaces. But Alo’s big moment came in 2020, when its popularity took off early in the pandemic with help from celebrities and influencers who were seen wearing the brand’s “studio-to-street” fitness wear. Since then, the company said its business nearly doubled last year, pushing sales above $1 billion, according to a story in The Wall Street Journal.
For Harris, he credits having a great partnership with DeGeorge, who runs the operational side of the business, for this impressive growth. “When a brand experiences explosive growth like this, sometimes quality suffers or there are manufacturing delays,” Harris told FN. “But it’s pretty impressive to think that my best friend from when I was a kid would become the guy who makes sure that our products are shipped on time and makes sure the quality is right. It goes to show you that we have put together the right team and the right strategy.”
And this team will be put to the test further this year. Harris noted on the call that Alo has launched an aggressive store opening strategy. “We started 2023 with 10 stores across U.S. and Canada,” he said. “Next year, we will have over 100 stores companywide. We will be opening one new store every single week. That’s pretty crazy to think about.”
And these new stores are not just in North America. Harris said that the company is working on “three big stores” in London right now, with a few other locations coming in Paris.
“Our future is really bright,” Harris added.
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