Apparel brand Vuori opens first Conn. store
WESTPORT — Southern California-style athletic clothing has made its way to Southern Connecticut with the debut of Vuori, a new store at 166 Main Street that opened on Sept. 2.
Vuori calls itself “a new perspective on performance apparel,” inspired by coastal California active lifestyles.
The company got its start in 2015 in Encinitas, Calif., with CEO Joe Kudla, who played sports and got injured, eventually turning to yoga.
River Stevens, general manager of Vuori, said Kudla couldn’t find clothes that worked for him, so he decided to take matters into his own hands and get into the clothing industry.
Products range from shorts to pants, tank tops, T-shirts, hats, bags and other accessories and beyond.
Stevens said that the Westport store is its 22nd location and the first in the state. There are other locations in California, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Massachusetts and Washington, among others.
“It’s very close and it’s very family-oriented,” Stevens said about Westport.
He compared it to their home base in Encinitas, citing similarities between the communities.
“Everyone’s family — it feels like the community’s close here,” he said.
There was also an influx of online orders from the area, Stevens said.
Zak Allegri, community and training manager for the eastern part of the country, said, “Our biggest clients are coming from Westport.”
Allegri also noted that Westport is an active community, which fits well with Vuori’s brand.
Stevens said there is versatility within Vuori’s clothing, where items can be worn for multiple occasions. He compared Vuori’s style to Lululemon and Athleta, with Southern California elements.
“The colors are a little bit more muted,” he said. “We use a lot of recycled polyester, organic cotton.”
He added that Kudla “really cares about the product and the technical features and its functionality,” Allegri said. “It’s built to move in, built to sweat in, styled for life.”
Vuori hosted an exclusive pre-opening event on Sept.
1. The event was attended by a large and enthusiastic crowd, he said.
“I think everyone is really hyped to be here,” Stevens said. “Just the couple days that I’ve been here, too, everyone walking by has been really excited to have this store open.”
“To see that they’re excited that we’re here and to see people wearing it when they’re coming in is just so cool,” Allegri said.
Allegri said that Vuori will host community events, such as yoga inside the store and other classes.
“We are very connected to our community,” Allegri said.
Inside the store, the company typically shows off its newest products. Stevens said new items are brought in every four to six weeks.
Allegri said the most popular items include the Kore Short for men and women’s performance jogger.
“I think they’re working in a couple years ahead of us right now,” Stevens said about Vuori’s designers.
Currently, the brand is sold in other stores, too, such as Nordstrom and REI.
“We have an investment in happiness,” Allegri said. “You can test your product out. If you don’t like it, you can return or exchange.”
Stevens said he hopes Vuori expands into Connecticut and that they can build a deep connection with the Westport community.
“Take a little bit of the West Coast and bring it over to the East Coast,” Stevens said about Vuori.