This month, Spotify released its annual Spotify Wrapped breakdown. And in a new feature, thousands of users were categorised as the “pink Pilates princess”, based on their penchant for pop. It’s a new term, but the pink Pilates princess is not a new concept. The trend was born on TikTok in late 2023, and denotes a consumer that enjoys Pilates and selfcare, invests in premium athleisure, wellness, accessories and beauty as part of the lifestyle, and posts about it online. It’s a growing cohort: there are 47,000 videos using the #PinkPilatesPrincess hashtag on TikTok to date.
“When I think of the pink Pilates princess, I think of a girl that wakes up early and is really into her selfcare,” says personal trainer Eva Rende, who regularly posts pink Pilates princess-focused videos on TikTok, wearing brands like Alo and Lululemon. She describes a common video trope: “Maybe she’ll do an ice roller in the morning, make a matcha latte or an iced coffee, with some eye patches on. She’ll grab her big tumbler water bottle [like a Stanley cup], put on her cute Pilates set, grab her mat and head on over to Pilates; then, she’ll make her cute little breakfast afterwards, or meet her friends at a cute café and then go for a walk.”
Despite the ubiquity of feminine wellness culture on social media today (critics may even call it “basic”), many brands are failing to reach this consumer. Sportswear incumbents Nike and Adidas have met serious headwinds in recent years, partly due to the loss of the female customer to challenger brands like Lululemon or Alo. Sportswear analyst Matt Powell, of BCE Consulting, once described women’s sport as “the sportswear industry’s biggest failure and biggest opportunity”.
In response to the shifting market, Adidas released a collection of sportswear designed for women in early 2022, including sneakers and period-proof leggings. Nike unveiled its “new era for womenswear” in summer 2023 with a high-energy dance show during Paris Couture Week. But within these high-budget plays for female customers, neither launch focused on Pilates or lifestyle. Meanwhile, specialised challenger labels like Lululemon, Alo and Vuori and burgeoning athleisure labels such as Adanola and Tala have captured market share by aligning with low-impact sports like Pilates and general ‘workout and brunch’ culture from the get-go.
The power of the pink Pilates princess
Amid a luxury slowdown, where young people and aspirational shoppers are pulling back spending on high-end fashion, the pink Pilates princess is a powerful group of creators and consumers, who influence younger consumers to elevate their everyday and invest in categories like beauty, athleisure and wellness. It’s not just pricey reformer Pilates classes (which are typically $45+ a go); products and high-end athleisure brands factor in every part of the pink Pilates princess routine, making for serious opportunities for brands that align. While major luxury labels from Gucci to Loewe have upped their sports collaborations in 2024, they’ve failed to target the affluent Pilates consumer, focusing instead on traditional sports like athletics, tennis or running.
“Currently, I’m loving Lululemon Define jackets [$140], Stanley tumblers [$45], Alo yoga mats [$160] and matcha lattes [$5-$8], which align with the [pink Pilates princess] vibe,” says creator Vanessa Faga, who has garnered 1.5 million followers and 46.5 million likes on TikTok for her selfcare videos, including morning wellness routines (with plenty of pink products from Gisou) and #GRWM for Pilates content. She’s also a fan of Victoria’s Secret pyjamas ($75), face masks ($30), Gisou hair products ($40+) and Emi Jay accessories (like claw clips, $45). Buying all these items associated with the pink Pilates lifestyle amounts in excess of $500.
“The girls in their car on the way to Pilates — they’re filming the accessories too,” says Rende. “They’re showing the drink, they’re showing the [Apple Airpod Max] headphones. They’re showing the socks, too. I wear my Alo socks on top of my Uggs.”
Alo has seen a surge in demand in response to the trend. “As Pilates continues to shape the wellness landscape, the demand for our sleek, minimalist designs, neutral palettes and seamless, versatile pieces has surged,” says Abby Gordon, Alo’s chief design and merchandising officer. Bestsellers include its Airlift leggings, Airlift intrigue bras and accessories like the Strappy Siren Grip sock. The brand continues to scale up its lifestyle and low-impact offering to meet demand.
“This consumer group is powerful because they transcend traditional market boundaries, they’re not just influencing beauty or fashion, they’re redefining lifestyle trends across wellness, fitness, home décor and even foods (think strawberry matcha/green juice),” says Brianna Nance, founder of Australian makeup bag brand Strawberry Bumble, which regularly posts pink Pilates princess-themed content, including a Pink Pilates Princess Gift Guide, shared last month and featuring their products alongside labels like Lululemon, Oura, Sol de Janeiro and Glossier. The brand has hit five million organic views on TikTok and has a growing international customer base across 30-plus countries. “The pink Pilates princess’s ability to integrate an aesthetic seamlessly across multiple facets of life, makes them cultural tastemakers with wide-reaching impact.”
Powerful creators
Influencers like Olivia Yang, one of the most prominent pink Pilates princess creators on TikTok, who has 2.5 million followers and 72.9 million likes, showcase the multifaceted appeal of the trope, crafting content that feels personal yet “universally aspirational”, says Nance. And while the trend on TikTok is dominated by women, the pink Pilates princess has universal pull. Creator Jake Shane is a case in point: his reformer Pilates posts from Alo’s LA wellness centre, often alongside celebrities like Tate McRae, Madeline Argy, Alix Earle or Glen Powell, have garnered over 55 million views on TikTok in 2024. They may not always be wearing pink, but it underlines the boom in Pilates culture more broadly.
The fitness and wellness space has evolved into a ‘dynamic lifestyle’ movement, with influence shifting towards creators who embrace approachable routines like hot girl walks, reformer Pilates and casual running, says Summer Nacewicz, executive VP of marketing and creative at Alo. “Whether it’s reformer Pilates instructors highlighting our grip socks and sculpting sets, influencers sharing everyday moments in our versatile athleisure, or world-class athletes like taekwondo champion Rayna Vallandingham demonstrating strength and discipline, we ensure our partnerships celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of modern wellness.”
TikTok Shop has also made it easier than ever to purchase directly from influencer videos, says Alexis Kwan, creative strategist at youth culture agency Archrival. Products including water bottles and bodysuits have soared on the platform over the last two years, per TikTok data.
Athleisure brands: Building collections around the pink Pilates princess
“Our core customers love wellness, movement, fashion and beauty. Would every one define themselves as a pink Pilates princess? Probably not. But do they feel connected to elements of that trend and see themselves in it,” says Morgan Fowles, CEO of UK-based activewear label Tala, an eight-figure business that secured £5 million investment this year after rapid post-pandemic growth. “Our bestselling collection, our Dayflex range, is a collection of buttery soft, feminine styles designed for low-impact workouts, which also style for coffee with girlfriends, running errands and beyond. We create products and social-driven content that reflect trends without being ‘trendy’ in the short-lived sense.”
Lululemon is called out by all the creators interviewed for this story. While the brand hit a rocky road in the first half of 2024, it posted 10 per cent sales growth for the third quarter. #PinkLululemon was one of the fastest-growing fashion hashtags in October 2024, according to the Vogue Business TikTok Trend Tracker. Several of the brand’s Strawberry Milkshake collection pieces are trending, including its pink Define jacket, which appears in scores of pink Pilates princess videos online.
“Alo and Lululemon have a focus on high-quality basics and low-intensity activewear, so I love to keep these in my wardrobe,” says Yang. “Anything pink that is associated with selfcare is a must, from Glossier products to a rose quartz gua sha, to having a pink journal. These products make me feel uplifted and elevated in my everyday life while I work on myself and improve my habits.” This chimes with Gen Z’s redefinition of luxury, where elevating the everyday and spending on small luxuries like smoothies or matcha is a priority (perhaps overbuying high-ticket luxury goods).
“The response has been incredible to us incorporating pink Pilates princess, clean girl, coastal grandma and other aesthetics into our content,” says Strawberry Bumble’s Nance. “Our audience love seeing our products styled in ways that feel both aspirational and attainable, which has allowed us to stand out as a small label in an increasingly competitive space.”
What’s particularly impactful is how the pink Pilates princess aesthetic draws inspiration from past trends like balletcore, she adds. “This alignment has also directly shaped our product and pattern designs. From delicate florals to soft pastel palettes, every piece is intentionally crafted to reflect timeless femininity. Most recently, we introduced our bows pattern, which perfectly complements the pink Pilates princess aesthetic.”
We can expect more from the trend in 2025, experts agree. Use of the term “brain rot” rose 250 per cent between 2023 and 2024, which means digital overwhelm is on the rise. Saturated with ultra-fast, easily digestible content, today’s social media landscape is fuelling concerns about the mental health impact of ‘always-on’ culture. In response, young people are increasingly seeking out slower and more mindful modes of consumption, Kwan says, referring to Archrival’s December 2024 Culture Brief report.
Meanwhile, new silhouettes and products, which brands across the fashion landscape would do well to consider for their 2025 assortments, are coming to the fore. “In fashion, I’m noticing a lot of matching workout sets, flared leggings [mostly in light grey] and ballet-inspired wrap tops,” says creator Faga. “For accessories, headbands, claw clips, oversized scrunchies for slick-back hairstyles, Stanley tumblers and large tote bags are very trendy.”
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