🌎 How Sporty & Rich is Building a Wellness World
A look at their recent talk with Max Lugavere
On a cold Friday night on Soho’s Greene Street, dozens of chic NYC twenty something women adorned with Bottega Veneta bags and collab Samba’s crowded into the semi-new Sporty & Rich flagship as the store closed to the public. There were even a few fellas, one of which being me. Our reason for being there? A talk between health and science journalist, Max Lugavere, and Sporty & Rich’s founder, Emily Oberg.
The discussion was part of a series of in-person events bolstering Sporty & Rich’s focus on building out their wellness bona fides. After the free smoothies from their in-house cafe were in hand and everyone took their seat, the insightful discussion began.
Max Lugavere is well-known for his 'Genius Trilogy’, his three best-selling books detailing the nutrition and diet strategy for living a happier, healthier life and prolonging cognitive function. In the discussion, Lugavere opened up about the beginning of his interest into health journalism, detailing the cognitive decline and tragic passing of his late mother from a rare form of dementia.
In response, he took initiative on finding the best practices for living a longer, pouring over swaths of scientific research, and uncovering a clear link between the foods we consume and activities we perform with our cognitive health. After three books, a podcast, and numerous appearances in media outlets, Lugavere has established himself as an expert on living a healthier life through actionable wellness strategies.
Lugavere discussed the importance of protein consumption, while debunking some common health misconceptions. After a well moderated discussion with Oberg, the two took questions from eager audience members. Queries ranging from the best supplements for brain health, the benefits of Pilates, and thoughts on controversial bio-hacker Bryan Johnson (who just appeared on the most recent episode of Red Scare) were answered, leaving each attendee with a plethora of insights on living a healthier life.
This discussion was a physical representation of the brand Oberg has been building since 2015. What began as a moodboard filled with blisteringly cool images of vintage Range Rovers and Ralph Lauren campaigns, blossomed into a print magazine, then a small merch line, and now an internationally distributed $30M+ business, all without any investment or outside funding.
The Sporty & Rich flagship, which opened last Summer, is outfitted to be more than just a store, featuring a wellness spa and cafe serving smoothies and coffee. In a New York Times article published to coincide with the grand opening, Oberg discussed the broad goal to be Goop for young people. The brand is successfully filling that white space, now expanding into a skincare & beauty line as well.
Through a precise approach, Oberg’s Sporty & Rich is tapping into the wellness movement being increasingly adopted by Gen Z. Surveys show more of this cohort is spending more on wellness (gym memberships, classes, health foods, athletic wear) and report significantly less alcohol consumption and smoking than older generations.
The brand is building out a wellness world, and creating products, spaces, and events that enable their customers to adopt a healthier lifestyle, one of the core tenants of the Sporty & Rich ethos. The discussion with Lugavere speaks to the intentionality of the brand’s playbook, bringing renowned experts into the wellness world to provide constructive insights. The brand has also expanded their social presence, creating an Instagram account dedicated to sharing recipes, workouts, and fit-spo.
In a sense, the ethos has always been about aspiration, and building out a brand, and a world, that speaks to this aspiration to live a sportier and richer lifestyle. In a GQ article, Oberg said, “I’m really trying to build something more than just a brand. Like, I think the product is almost secondary, and it's really about the lifestyle around it. I think if you can build that, and it feels genuine and authentic, then you have something that you can kind of build on for years.”
In a world filled with brands sprung from social media presences and personalities, Sporty & Rich has cleared the field, creating a cohesive brand built for years to come, beyond their core athleisure product. Expect more educational events and activations from the brand this year…
About the Writer
Jake Bell is a content marketing and creative strategist based in NYC. He specializes in content creation, branding, art direction, creative strategy, and making things cool.
To learn more about Jake visit www.jb.studio
Have a tip email me jake@jb.studio
Like video? Check out his TikTok
Like fit pics and pictures of chairs? Visit his Instagram.