How A Chanel-Branded Surfboard Changed The Way Fashion & Fitness Converge

On a typical sunny Malibu morning in late December 2023, a reserved Kaia Gerber stands on a beachside patio, decked out in all-black fitness gear. Shot by Hedi Slimane himself, the model is in head-to-toe Celine, from the shiny leather baseball hat and oval sunnies to her fur-lined boots. The notable accessory, however, is the workout mat slung casually over her shoulder, logoed out in the label’s signature Triomphe symbol, serving as a subtle signal of Celine’s new Pilates collection, which is available for purchase in October 2024. And, no, the brand didn’t stop at conspicuously printed mats and bike shorts. The installment’s pièce de résistance includes an elaborate wooden reformer, complete with calfskin handles and sterling-silver hardware. (The price has yet to be released on the equipment, but considering a trinket bowl is priced at $410, it’s safe to assume the reformer will not be a bargain buy.)

While a first for Celine, this new wellness-focused foray is actually one of many similar moves made by luxury design houses over several decades. In fact, the intersection of athletic wear and high fashion has been something of low-hanging fruit since the early aughts, when Stella McCartney first collaborated with Adidas in 2005. Since then, brands like Gucci, Jacquemus, Victoria Beckham, Maison Margiela, Off-White, and many more have all followed suit, that is, remaining in the athletic apparel and footwear categories. The health and fitness world — including equipment — remained mostly untapped until now.

In recent years, design houses have jumped into some uncharted waters. There was the Gucci X Oura Ring partnership in 2022, the same year Technogym released limited edition gym equipment with Dior, which included a state-of-the-art treadmill and multifunctional weight bench with dumbbells. “These iconic Technogym products were redesigned with Dior’s signature style, transforming them into symbols of excellence and craftsmanship that reflect the values and culture shared by both brands,” explains Nerio Alessandri, founder and president of Technogym.

Then, in 2024, Levi Strauss & Co. acquired lifestyle label Beyond Yoga at the top of 2024. Even Louis Vuitton has jumped on the bandwagon, launching an “Art of Living” curation on its site, dedicated to its lifestyle offerings, which includes a robust lineup of branded fitness products like dumbbells and jump ropes. And, now, Celine is entering the chat.

“I think, in a strange way, a lot of it probably has to do with branding,” says Luke Meagher, the voice and figure at the helm of the uber-popular fashion industry commentator account Haute Le Mode. “I think about those Chanel surfboards, the famous ones that Karl Lagerfeld did. It goes back to this idea of novelty. Yeah, sure, you can buy a beautiful piece of Pilates equipment or, I don’t know, a boogie board somewhere. But, in reality, isn’t it also cool to have a Chanel boogie board or a Celine reformer?”

Perhaps this was the question Lagerfeld asked himself way back in 1990 when he sent Linda Evangelista down a Chanel Spring/Summer 1991 runway in a sequin suit jacket and bike shorts, clutching a custom surfboard. The beachy sports accessory was initially sprinkled into the occasional collection as a specialty prop, but surfboards were eventually sold as part of collections by the early and mid aughts.

The fitness tech boom of the 2010s also opened up a world of options and revenue stream opportunities for the high-fashion world — and they wasted no time. When the first Apple Watch hit the market in 2015, Hermés jumped at the opportunity to collab with the brand that initial year. The buzzy collection included limited-edition, finely crafted bands in distinctive Hermès styles. Then, of course, there was the aforementioned 2022 Gucci X Oura Ring release, which combined Oura’s research-grade technology personalized guidance and insights with Gucci’s crafty design, including a subtle interlocking G monogram and a delicate, braided trim in 18-karat gold. The limited-edition launch sold out in a matter of weeks.

Brooke Ely Danielson, former wellness and fashion editor and certified plant-based nutritionist, points to the great lockdown of 2020 for the growing interest in and demand for a well-executed fashion-fitness hybrid product. “I think the pandemic exacerbated a much more casual adoption of dress from day to day across the board,” she notes. When the world went into social distancing mode, people’s interests suddenly shifted to more casual, athleisure attire and health-minded products, and it continued to grow well after the world opened back up. In fact, from 2020 to 2022, the global wellness economy jumped from $4.5 trillion to $5.6 trillion and is set to hit $8.5 trillion by 2027.

“To me, this is all connected,” Danielson says, also referencing the onslaught of luxe fitness studios and private sports clubs and wellness spas that have sprouted in recent years. “The private clubs, the wellness clubs are growing and growing, and they’re tiered. Some are so astronomically expensive, catering to the 1%, but we’re seeing more of this type of business model emerge. Whether it’s organic manicure salons or models like The Well. Tracy Anderson’s doing a private club in London in conjunction with renowned physician and author Mark Hyman.”

It’s only natural, then, that fashion brands are working fitness offerings into their product rosters. The new category adds value and competitive edge to these heritage labels. And, of course, it helps them appeal to a wider audience and demographic, a difficult feat in this TikTok era that has the trend cycle running on overdrive. “Yes, [the products are] athleticism-focused, but these capsules and these campaigns — marketing gimmicks, if you will — is what’s keeping the other brands just competing against one another. Like they’ve got to one-up each other, in a way.”

But at specially high price points (Louis Vuitton’s dumbbells ring in at a cool $2,640, while a Dior X Technogym treadmill was priced at a staggering $12,000), it raises the question: Who are these products designed for, and what purpose do they serve? “In my opinion, [the buyer] is a mix of collectors and I would imagine someone of status, or a fashion lover,” muses Danielson. Alessandri seconds this, saying of the Technogym X Dior collection, “Given the exclusivity of this limited edition, it targets customers who seek out unique, one-of-a-kind products.”

As someone deeply entrenched in the fashion industry, Meagher falls into this category nicely. And, yes, he did in fact get his hands on the coveted Loewe X ON Cloud sneaker collab, which hit shelves this spring and quickly sold out. Meagher says he “really enjoyed” wearing his viral kicks — for the few times he actually put them to use. “They’re like pure white, and so I’m too scared to actually like wear them and venture out in them,” he says. “I think to me, it’s more like the novelty of it. As somebody who is a fashion observer, […] there needs to be like some sort of experience to it.”

Danielson takes it a step further explaining the power of an aesthetically pleasing object or setting, something fashion brands are experts in creating. “For me, as an athlete, environment is everything,” she says simply. “If I feel the part, I feel like I perform better. I actually think about my running outfit when I train, and then I feel like I’m more confident because I’m not only comfortable and functioning, but I feel like I look cool, too.” This mentality and approach extends to other aspects of fitness, including equipment and devices. “It all has to function, first and foremost. Secondary, if it looks great and is aesthetically pleasing, it makes me feel even better.”