Threads and Tales by Sofia: Even Your Alo & Lulu are Political

By Sofia Lamdichi | November 10, 2025

Photo Credit: Adrian Greenwood | Wikimedia Commons

The recent surge in Black women embracing premium athleisure on campuses like the University at Albany is a powerful visual statement that pushes back against a long history of systemic exclusion of them from wellness and fitness spaces. This isn't merely about fashion, it's about claiming space that was historically denied through a variety of socioeconomic, environmental and cultural barriers.

The earliest barriers to Black engagement in fitness were stark and overt: racial segregation. Throughout the 20th century, Black communities were actively excluded from public recreational facilities like swimming pools, beaches and parks. These places, which served as critical sites for health, leisure and childhood development for white Americans, were either inaccessible or hostile spaces for Black families.

Neighborhood Disparities: Residential segregation and systemic disinvestment led to Black neighborhoods often having fewer and less maintained green spaces, playgrounds  and safe areas for outdoor activity, directly impacting health outcomes and limiting fitness options.

Health Sacrifice: Research has consistently shown that a significant percentage of Black women have reported actively avoiding or limiting exercise. The very activity that combats chronic diseases disproportionately affects them. The casual, sweat-wicking nature of athleisure, while appealing, was often incompatible with this complex reality. The high cost of premium athleisure brands like Lululemon and Alo Yoga is itself a reflection of the class and race barriers that define the modern wellness industry.

High-end workout classes (yoga, spinning and Pilates to name a few) are prohibitively expensive. Making the athleisure lifestyle promotes an elite experience. For a population that faces persistent wealth gaps, this “luxury” model of fitness remains economically challenging. The fitness and wellness industries have historically used imagery that reflects a “white default.”  Featuring predominantly thin, white models and staff in their marketing. This lack of representation creates an unconscious message that Black women are not the target audience, making them feel unwelcome, or even invisible, in these spaces.

By wearing these clothes outside of the gym and around the clock, they are rejecting the notion that wellness is a racially exclusive pursuit. The rise of Black-owned fitness studios, supportive online communities and the broader social justice focus on self-care has created authentic, welcoming spaces where the decision to prioritize physical health no longer requires sacrificing cultural identity or financial stability.

The adoption of the athleisure trend by Black women is, therefore, a contemporary marker of progress. A visible sign that the right to health, comfort and stylish leisure is being fiercely and successfully claimed. The influx of Black women adopting this trend is intrinsically linked to recently expanded access to fitness and wellness spaces. Historically, systemic barriers have limited the participation of Black women in certain structured workout classes, yoga studios and exclusive fitness communities.

As more Black-owned fitness studios, accessible online classes and supportive sisterhoods have gained prominence, a majority of Black women have only recently been able to fully experience the privilege of easily and consistently utilizing fitness spaces. This newfound, or at least more recognized, freedom and comfort in embracing an active lifestyle naturally lead to a demand for the clothes that accompany it.

The purchase of expensive athleisure sets from brands like Lululemon and Alo becomes more than a fashion statement, it's a marker of leisure inclusion and self-care, worn proudly around the clock across campus and beyond. The trend at UAlbany, therefore, isn't just about stylish compression shorts and matching tops. It's a highly visible reflection of increasing equity and visibility in the culture of wellness.