Varley vs. Lululemon: Which brand should you buy? [2026]

Varley creates activewear with a minimalist, high-fashion aesthetic designed to transition from the studio to the street, emphasizing sustainable, high-quality textiles. In contrast, Lululemon focuses on purely athletic performance, leveraging industry-leading proprietary fabrics and a sporty design language for dedicated workouts.

Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right activewear brand for your needs.

Varley: The British Brand for Modern, Versatile Style

Varley is a London-born activewear brand that blends high-performance function with a sophisticated, modern aesthetic. It caters to women who want clothing that works for a pilates class and a lunch meeting afterward, without sacrificing style or comfort. The brand's identity is rooted in understated luxury, clean lines, and innovative, often sustainable, textiles.

• Product mix: A focused collection of leggings, sports bras, breathable tops, and upscale outerwear. Varley is also known for its incredibly popular and cozy knitwear, like their half-zip sweaters.
• Price point: Premium pricing reflects the high-quality materials. Expect to pay around $120–$180 for a pair of leggings, $50–$80 for sports bras, and $150–$250 for their signature knit sweaters.
• Quality: The focus is on exceptional fabric quality and craftsmanship. Their textiles offer great stretch and moisture-wicking properties, with a more refined feel suitable for both athletic and casual wear.
• Sizing/Fit: Varley generally fits true to size, offering a sleek, body-contouring silhouette. Their designs are intended to provide a second-skin feel that's both flattering and functional.
• Sustainability: The brand emphasizes environmentally conscious practices by using eco-friendly fabrics and pursuing ethical manufacturing processes, making it a strong choice for mindful shoppers.

Varley is the perfect fit for those who value minimalist design and sustainable production, providing versatile pieces that seamlessly integrate into an elevated everyday wardrobe.

Shop Varley: varleylondon.com

Lululemon: The Leader in Technical Performance & Community

As a dominant force in the activewear market, Lululemon has built its reputation on relentless innovation in fabric technology and creating a strong community around its brand. Originally inspired by yoga, the brand now offers high-performance gear for running, training, and everyday life for a broad audience that prioritizes functional design and a consistent, flattering fit.

• Product mix: An extensive range of leggings, sports bras, tanks, jackets, and accessories. Lululemon also offers a successful menswear line and has expanded into footwear.
• Price point: Lululemon leggings typically range from $98–$148, with sports bras from $48–$68 and jackets from $150–$300. Their prices are premium, justified by their proprietary fabric technology.
• Technology/Innovation: This is Lululemon's key differentiator. Their custom, trademarked fabrics like buttery-soft Nulu™, fast-drying Everlux™, and supportive Luxtreme™ are engineered for specific activities and sensations.
• Quality: Known for extreme durability, Lululemon products are made to withstand countless workouts and wash cycles. Their meticulous attention to detail in stitching and construction supports longevity.
• Sizing/Fit: Lululemon is widely praised for its inclusive sizing, typically running from 0–20. The fit is generally true to size and designed to flatter a wide variety of body shapes, though some compression styles may feel snug.

Lululemon is unmatched for shoppers who prioritize hardcore athletic performance, trusted fabric technology, and a wide array of style and color options within a sporty aesthetic.

Shop Lululemon: shop.lululemon.com

Varley vs. Lululemon Comparison

Price Comparison

Both brands operate squarely in the premium activewear segment. Lululemon’s signature leggings hover around the $98-$128 mark, while Varley's often start slightly higher at $120. However, Varley's knitwear and fashion-forward outerwear pieces can be significantly more expensive, reaching over $250.

While base prices are comparable, Lululemon’s "We Made Too Much" sale section is a permanent fixture on their website, offering consistent opportunities for discounts. Varley hosts sales less frequently, making discounted finds rarer. Ultimately, Lululemon offers more accessible entry points, especially for shoppers who are patient enough to wait for a sale.

Quality & Materials

Lululemon's reputation is built on its materials science. Fabrics like Nulu, used in their famous Align pants, offer a uniquely weightless, buttery-soft feel that fans love for yoga and lounging. Everlux is engineered to handle intense sweat during high-impact workouts. The entire lineup is a masterclass in purpose-built textiles.

Varley also uses high-performance technical fabrics but chooses blends that feel more luxurious and lean into a softer, more fashion-oriented texture. Their textiles provide excellent performance with great stretch and breathability, while their knitwear uses soft, substantial materials that feel explicitly high-end and cozy. The key difference is Lululemon’s hyper-focus on athletic function versus Varley’s balance of performance and elevated, everyday style.

Style & Aesthetic

The aesthetic is the most significant differentiator between the two. Lululemon’s style is distinctly athletic, energetic, and recognizable. It features sporty lines, functional details like pockets and drawstrings, and a palette that mixes core neutrals with vibrant, seasonal colors. It's clothing that clearly says "I'm heading to a workout."

Varley’s aesthetic is modern, minimalist, and chic. The designs feature sleek silhouettes, muted and monochromatic color palettes, subtle patterns, and refined details. Their clothes are explicitly designed to look just as good with sneakers and a blazer as they do with a sports bra in the gym. If Lululemon is sporty, Varley is sport-luxe.

Fit & Sizing

Both brands generally run true to size, offering consistent and reliable fits. Lululemon excels in size inclusivity, offering a broader range from 0 to 20 in most key styles. Their fits are celebrated for being flattering and supportive across different body types.

Varley also offers a good size range and their fit is consistently praised for being sleek and comfortable. Their leggings provide a contoured, second-skin feel. However, shoppers at the higher or lower end of the size spectrum will find more options at Lululemon.

Shopping Experience

With hundreds of physical stores globally, Lululemon offers an unmatched physical retail experience. Stores often serve as community hubs, hosting classes and events, and expert staff are trained to help you find the perfect fabric and fit for your needs. Their online experience is streamlined and user-friendly.

Varley operates primarily online and through high-end retailers like Harrods and select boutiques. Their digital presence reflects their minimalist aesthetic - clean, stylish, and easy to navigate. While it lacks the physical community aspect, it offers a more curated, boutique-like feel.

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability is a core pillar of Varley’s brand identity. They actively emphasize their use of eco-friendly materials and ethical manufacturing processes, making it a key part of their marketing and appeal to conscious consumers. Their smaller scale allows for more nimble implementation of these practices.

Lululemon, as a larger global corporation, has made public commitments to sustainability, including using recycled fabrics and increasing transparency in its supply chain. While they are taking significant steps, Varley places sustainable and ethical production more at the forefront of its brand story.

Which One Should You Choose?

The right choice really depends on what kind of shopper you are. Both brands produce excellent quality activewear, but for decidedly different customers.

Choose Varley if:

• You prefer a refined, minimalist aesthetic and muted color palettes.
• You want versatile pieces that can be dressed up for everyday wear outside the gym.
• High-quality knitwear and cozy-chic sweaters are a key part of your wardrobe.
• Shopping from a brand with a strong focus on sustainability is important to you.

Choose Lululemon if:

• Your top priority is high-performance fabric engineered for specific sweaty activities.
• You love a sporty, classic athletic look with a wide variety of colors to choose from.
• Finding a precise fit from an inclusive size range (0-20) is essential.
• You enjoy finding deals and frequently shopping the sale section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Varley or Lululemon more expensive?

Their prices are very similar for core items like leggings and sports bras. However, Lululemon's "We Made Too Much" section provides more consistent opportunities for discounts, making it a more accessible brand overall. Varley's high-end knitwear and outerwear pieces can be more expensive than Lululemon's comparable styles.

Which brand is better for running vs. yoga?

Lululemon is generally better for intense running, as their Fast and Free (Nulux fabric) and Swift Speed (Luxtreme fabric) leggings are specifically designed for high-impact activity. For yoga, Lululemon's Align leggings (Nulu fabric) are iconic for their softness and freedom of movement. Varley pieces are excellent for lower-impact activities like yoga, pilates, and weight training, but some might find them less equipped for high-intensity cardio.

How do the leggings compare?

Lululemon leggings are famous for their proprietary fabrics, from the buttery-soft feel of Align leggings to the supportive compression of their Wunder Train line. Varley’s leggings also use high-performance technical fabric but with a focus on a sleek, compressed feel and a more "fashion" aesthetic, often featuring chic, subtle textures or cutouts.

Does Varley run true to size?

Yes, both Varley and Lululemon generally run true to size. However, Lululemon offers a much broader and more inclusive size range (0 to 20+) compared to Varley, which makes it a better option for people needing sizes outside the standard small-to-large spectrum.

Which brand is more sustainable?

Varley integrates sustainability more deeply into its core branding, emphasizing its use of eco-friendly fabrics and ethical production. While Lululemon has public sustainability initiatives, Varley is the stronger choice for customers who prioritize this aspect of a brand.

Can you find Varley and Lululemon on sale?

Yes, but Lululemon makes it easier with their permanent "We Made Too Much" online section. Varley's sales are more traditional and seasonal, happening a few times a year.

Which brand is more fashionable?

This is subjective. Varley has a clear edge in minimalist, contemporary fashion, with pieces that are designed to be part of a stylish, everyday look. Lululemon defines the sporty athleisure trend, its fashion lies in its iconic athletic status.

Do both brands make clothing for men?

Yes, both Varley and Lululemon offer men's collections that align with their brand aesthetics. Lululemon has a particularly successful and expansive men’s line including the popular ABC pants.