Vuori
United States
Vuori is a Californian premium activewear brand founded in 2015 in Encinitas by Joe Kudla, who remains chief executive and majority owner. Backed by SoftBank, General Atlantic and Stripes, it was valued at about 5.5 billion dollars in 2024. It sells through its own stores, e-commerce and wholesale partners in North America, Europe and Australia.
| Founded | 2015, Encinitas |
|---|---|
| Founder and CEO | Joe Kudla |
| Headquarters | Carlsbad, California |
| Valuation | About 5.5 billion US dollars (November 2024) |
| Investors | SoftBank, General Atlantic, Stripes, Norwest |
| Website | vuoriclothing.com |
What is Vuori?
Vuori makes performance activewear and lounge clothing inspired by the active lifestyle of coastal California, mixing fitness, surfing, sport and art. It began with men's activewear and now offers women's ranges, accessories and collections such as DreamKnit, BlissBlend, Kore and Sunday.
History
The brand was founded in 2015 in Encinitas, California by Joe Kudla, who still holds majority ownership and serves as chief executive. Vuori reached profitability by 2017, according to Wikipedia. Norwest Venture Partners invested 45 million dollars in 2019; SoftBank Vision Fund 2 invested 400 million dollars in October 2021 at a valuation of about four billion dollars; and in November 2024 General Atlantic and Stripes led an 825 million dollar round at a valuation of about 5.5 billion dollars.
Products and positioning
Vuori is a premium activewear brand competing with the leading athleisure labels. Its offer includes:
- Men's shorts, joggers and performance tops
- Women's leggings and matching sets
- Lounge and lifestyle clothing
- Accessories
Its Tier 1 manufacturers must follow a vendor code of conduct covering fair labour, safe working conditions and environmental practices.
Business model and distribution
Vuori combines e-commerce, own stores and selective wholesale. It operated around 40 stores in 2023 in US cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, New York, San Francisco and Boston, with flagships in Encinitas, New York's SoHo and London's Regent Street. REI was its first wholesale partner from 2016, and it is also stocked by Nordstrom and Equinox. In 2022 it launched localised e-commerce and selective wholesale in the UK, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Australia and Canada, and opened its first international store in London's Covent Garden. The company headquarters is in Carlsbad, San Diego County.
Why it matters
Vuori is one of the most valuable privately held apparel brands to emerge from the DTC era. Its balanced channel mix and international roll out make it a closely watched challenger to established activewear players.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Vuori?
Founder and chief executive Joe Kudla holds majority ownership of Vuori. Minority investors include SoftBank Vision Fund 2, General Atlantic, Stripes and Norwest Venture Partners. The company is privately held.
Where is Vuori from?
Vuori was founded in 2015 in Encinitas, California, and is headquartered in Carlsbad in San Diego County. Its design language draws on the coastal Californian lifestyle.
