From M&S GOODMOVE leggings to ALO at Victoria Quarter Leeds, fitness brands take over the High Street
With activewear – and even in-store gyms – taking over fashion on the High Street, Yorkshire Post Fashion and Beauty Editor Stephanie Smith finds out how the fitness and wellbeing trends are shaping the shopping experience.
The wellness revolution is taking over the High Street as athleisure brands muscle in and take over mainstream fashion spaces on the shop floor while health hubs move in to vacant stores - reflecting the trend for increasing numbers of people of all ages to prioritise self-care.
Fashion lifestyle brand ALO recently opened a large store in the Victoria Quarter, stocking women’s and men’s activewear, outerwear, accessories, and wellness products.
“The growth of wellbeing brands reflects a powerful shift in consumer priorities,” says Rachel Bradburn, head of Leasing at Victoria Leeds owner Redical.
“Shoppers increasingly view retail spaces not just as places to purchase goods, but as hubs for lifestyle and self-improvement. This trend is driven by a surge in health consciousness, with more people investing in active lifestyles, preventive care, and products that support mental and physical wellbeing.
"Sportswear brands now occupy prime retail space. At the same time, healthcare-oriented services and products, from specialist nutrition stores to wellness clinics, are meeting a rising demand for accessible health solutions.
“Allertons in Victoria Gate is currently the UK’s only self-care department store, evolving with growing wellness trends, and now offers one whole floor of self-care products, alongside its salon services.”
Rachel points out that retail stores and brands that are embracing this evolution benefit from increased footfall and customer loyalty, as visitors spend more time engaging with interactive experiences rather than simply browsing.
“Ultimately, the success of wellbeing brands underscores a broader cultural movement toward holistic health, where shopping aligns with personal values and lifestyle aspirations,” she says.
Launched in 2020, Marks & Spencer's Goodmove range has, since 2022, become M&S’s largest in-house activewear brand, and is now a market leader in women’s activewear, selling 5,000 pairs a month of its Go Move leggings.
The M&S Spring 2026 Goodmove range continues to reflect how customers want to wear their activewear beyond the gym, especially at weekends.
The collection has been designed to flatter the body and support every type of movement – across sizes UK 6-24.
The new collection brings breathable, moisture-wicking, supportive styles that adapt from workout to wind-down, in fluid lines and soft colours, created to instil calm and confidence.
Layering is key so customers can build versatile outfits tailored to changing temperatures and routines, with mix-and-match tops, bottoms and outerwear that coordinate across the range.
Flannels on Briggate in Leeds has even put a fitness centre in-store with the launch of HiiCLUB Leeds, a cutting-edge 5,000 sq ft fitness and recovery space, alongside fitness brands Vuori, On Running, Lululemon, Varley, Boss Green, Represent 247, and a 18montrose shop-in-shop.
The Flannels space offers HiiTRAIN, a strength, conditioning and running zone with four signature workouts, 18 treadmills, 15 benches, seven rigs, and more than 20 ergs.
It also has Leeds’s largest Reformer Pilates studio, featuring 15 reformer beds, and a hot and cold therapy suite, with two Brass Monkey ice baths and a six-person sauna.
“We currently stock a wide and evolving mix of specialist sports and wellness brands, reflecting how performance and fashion are increasingly intersecting,” says a Flannels spokesperson. “We’re also seeing strong interest in seasonal and destination-led activewear, with brands such as Fusalp, and collaborative drops like The North Face x Skims, resonating particularly well across ski and après-ski.
“Like all areas of fashion, fitness and wellness collections have had to evolve quickly in response to cultural shifts and changing sporting interests. As certain activities grow in popularity, brands are adapting their focus accordingly.
“For example, as marathon entry becomes more competitive, we’re seeing brands that traditionally leaned into casual athleisure now investing heavily in technical running ranges.
“Similarly, with padel emerging as one of the defining sports of the summer, many labels are introducing tennis-inspired silhouettes that feel both functional and fashion-led.”
It has become essential for brands to stay relevant by expanding beyond the sport that they are traditionally associated with.
“Consumers no longer see performance wear as something confined to a single activity; it now forms part of a much broader lifestyle shift towards wellness as an everyday experience,” says the Flannels spokesperson.
“We’ve seen technical trail and sports sneakers become staples of urban wardrobes, and it was only natural that apparel would follow. Activewear today needs to work just as well on the street as it does in the studio or outdoors.
The move towards multi-purpose store and clothing design has been building for some time, particularly since lockdown, and is now firmly embedded in everyday style.
“Customers are routinely wearing high-performance waterproofs, technical trousers and running layers as part of their daily wardrobe. The distinction between gym wear and streetwear is more blurred than ever, in many cases, they’ve become one and the same.
“That shift in behaviour is a key reason behind our partnership with HiiCLUB at our Leeds store.
“HiiCLUB sits on the same floor as our Flannels Active offering, creating a seamless connection between what customers are wearing and how they are living.
“It gives luxury consumers access not just to product, but to experience, from Reformer Pilates and high-intensity training to hot and cold recovery, all under one roof.
“As activewear continues to move beyond the gym and into everyday life, partnerships like this allow us to respond directly to shifting consumer behaviour, offering a fully integrated approach to fashion and wellness.”
The Couture Club new Performance collection reflects a broader movement of lifestyle brands stepping into the activewear space and was launched with a high intensity workout class and recovery session at HiiClub in Flannels Leeds.
As for the next big trend? Flannels says: “We are already starting to see the rise of tech-inspired workwear, particularly in tailored pieces like trousers, and that will continue to develop.”
“Sportswear is increasingly making its way into office environments, with an emphasis on comfort combined with a more elevated finish.
“We are also seeing growth in technical tees being styled over classic cotton basics, as well as continued momentum in footwear trends. Dance-inspired ‘sneakerina’ silhouettes are gaining traction, while ultra-low-profile, boxing-inspired trainers are becoming increasingly visible in menswear, and neither trend shows signs of slowing down.”