Lululemon Will Give You Free Leggings in Exchange for Your 'Dupes'
By now, many people are aware of "dupes," where shoppers are opting for affordable alternatives to popular pricey products. According to Vogue Business, searches for #dupe on TikTok have soared in the past two years, the hashtag amassing 3.5 billion views. Brands are beginning to tackle the issue — and, in some cases, addressing it explicitly.
On Monday, Lululemon announced a pop-up experience it's dubbing the "Align Legging Dupe Swap" in Los Angeles. On May 6 and 7 at the Westfield Century City Mall, shoppers can exchange their Align legging dupes for actual Align Pants, for free.
Photo: Courtesy of Lululemon
In an e-mail pitch, a representative for Lululemon wrote that, since it launched in 2015, the Align pant has grown from a single item to a full franchise that spans tops, bottoms and dresses. Naturally, it's also inspired a lot of dupes: On TikTok alone, #lululemondupe has accumulated over 180 million views, with the Align Pant being the most coveted item. So, the brand wants shoppers to experience the actual thing.
Photo: Courtesy of Lululemon
This is an interesting marketing strategy to counter the growing dupe trend, which has been propelled by Gen Z over the past few years, with shoppers wanting more affordable options for brands like Lululemon with higher points of entry. However, with dupes come issues of authenticity, with many of these items veering close to counterfeits and intellectual property infringement.
The Align Legging Dupe Swap will take place on May 6 and 7, between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Westfield Century City Mall in Los Angeles.
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