Lululemon has wrapped up a landmark debut on tennis’s biggest stage. From March 1 to March 15, 2026, the Vancouver based activewear brand served as the Official Outfitter of the BNP Paribas Open for the first time, marking the first year of a multi year partnership announced last November.
Outfitting the World’s Biggest Combined Tennis Event
The BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is the largest combined ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tennis event in the world, welcoming more than half a million fans through the gates this year alone, with millions more watching from home. As Official Outfitter, Lululemon dressed the tournament’s staff, volunteers, officials, and ball crew throughout the event. Lululemon Ambassadors Leylah Fernandez, Frances Tiafoe, and Ethan Quinn also competed at the tournament wearing Lululemon Athlete kits, with Tiafoe debuting the brand’s new ShowZero technology, its first ever sweat concealing advancement designed for high sweat activities.
The Marketing Strategy Behind the Moment
Lululemonâ€s activation at Indian Wells was built around three distinct layers: product visibility, community engagement, and exclusivity. On product, the brand used the tournament stage to debut ShowZero, its first sweat concealing technology, placing it on one of tennis’s most watched courts through Ambassador Frances Tiafoe, ensuring maximum earned media exposure. On community, Lululemon ran the Tennis Triple Threat fan challenge over the weekend of March 7 and 8, drawing over 900 fans to a practice court, while Ambassador Ayan Broomfield hosted Ayan’s Aces, a community initiative centered on diversity and inclusion in tennis. On exclusivity, 200 Lululemon Pinnacle Members were given access to a private suite in Stadium 1, reinforcing the brand’s loyalty ecosystem at a premium sports event.
A Retail Pop Up Unlike Any Other
On site at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Lululemon operated two retail locations for fans to shop tournament exclusive products. The centerpiece was an 8,000 square foot retail pop up, the largest physical expression of the brand’s tennis collection anywhere in the world, featuring product customization, a La La Land Café, and an interactive photobooth. A co branded product assortment was also available at Tennis Paradise Shop, the tournament’s official retail destination.
Lululemon Day and International Women’s Day
March 8 was designated “lululemon Day,” with 5,000 tote bags gifted to the first fans through the gates and 3,500 hats handed out to fans at the day session in Stadium 1. The date also coincided with International Women’s Day, during which Lululemon Senior Vice President of Global Sports Marketing Michelle Davies joined a panel on the importance of women in sport and female leadership.Â
Michelle Davies said: “The BNP Paribas Open was a powerful example of why tennis is a core activity for lululemon. Watching our Ambassadors compete on one of the sport’s most iconic stages showcased what we design for every day: performance under pressure, confidence in motion, and the ability to stay grounded through intensity.”
Vice President of Strategic Partnerships Frank Ha said: “The BNP Paribas Open offers an incredible opportunity for our team at lululemon to bring the passion we feel for our guests and brand, and the love we have for tennis to one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world. We look forward to building on this exciting momentum together in the coming years.”
