Asics Corp. plans to expand its lineup of sportswear designed to be worn when not exercising — known as athleisure — to widen its market, the Nikkei Asian Review reported Aug. 1.
The Japanese sporting goods company will invest around ¥20 billion in advertising every year to promote its athleisure products, the Nikkei wrote, as it seeks the attention of nonathletic customers.
Asics' recently launched London flagship store will look more like an apparel shop than a sportswear store, with about 1,000 stores in and outside Japan to be renovated in the same vein, the report said.
The company aims to quadruple its annual athleisure sales to around ¥200 billion by 2020, compared with 2016. It also expects the category to represent around 30% of its sales in 2020, which is an increase of around 10% from 2016.
As of Aug. 1, US$1 was equivalent to ¥110.15.