Fabletics, a digitally native activewear brand founded in the USA, has entered the Middle East with a creator-led launch event in the UAE. The activation, delivered by creative agency IMA, is the first in a series of four experiential moments designed to introduce the brand to the region ahead of its store opening later this year.
Held at Matcha Club, in Dubai, the event brought together a curated guest list of creators, tastemakers, and community voices to position Fabletics as a leading brand in offering fashionable, high-performance active lifewear at accessible prices.
Fabletics set the brief for a launch event that allowed people the feel the brand before they ever walked into a store. The event was crafted to respond to how Middle East audiences’ (particularly Gen Z and younger millennials) prefer social, experience-driven brand validation over transactional brand discovery.
“People don’t build relationships with brands through ads anymore – they build them through experiences,” said Ross Adam, Managing Director of IMA MENA.
This is especially true for activewear has consumer trends show that instead of pure performance, purchases are made when brands fit into individual identities.
“People want brands that fit into their lifestyle, not just their workout,” said Adam. “So instead of asking, ‘How do we announce Fabletics?’ we asked, ‘How do we make people feel part of it from day one?'”
“That insight shaped a strategy rooted in community, creators, and lived experiences rather than traditional launch mechanics,” he explained.
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With a core focus on Gen Z while remaining inclusive across age groups and lifestyles, Fabletics’ UAE launch strategy reflected evolving consumer expectations around experience and brand purpose within the retail and activewear sectors.
The reason for this is because “experience is the new awareness currency,” said Adam. To him, traditional ads fall short of creating emotional connections the way that shared experiences do. “By leading with real-world moments, we’re collapsing the distance between brand and consumer,” he said.
The Matcha Club event introduced Fabletics through real-life moments and authentic social storytelling. The event tapped creators who already embodied the brand’s values without needing to be briefed into them.
“As a digitally native brand built in close collaboration with content creators, we were excited to invite them to be part of a moment that introduces Fabletics to a new audience while staying true to our brand purpose,” said Michael Roth, SVP Global Development, Fabletics.
“These weren’t “fitness-only” creators, but individuals who represent how activewear shows up in real life,” added Adam.
The creators also personified Fabletics’ brand purpose of inclusivity and confidence. “That means inclusivity isn’t a message, it’s a design principle,” said Adam. “And self-expression isn’t a campaign line, it’s something you build into how the brand shows up.”
The launch aimed to uphold that purpose by removing intimidation from activewear and replacing it with accessibility, social connection, and everyday relevance. Therefore, Fabletics positioned itself as a performance brand that people can belong to.
“The launch of Fabletics in the Middle East reflects GMG’s commitment to bringing innovative, globally relevant activewear brands to the region,” said Mo Bodiat, SR VP of Brands, GMG. “Fabletics meets the growing demand for performance-led, stylish apparel that supports an active lifestyle.”
IMA’s Adam said that the launch event proved successful in terms of both hard and soft metrics. From a soft-metric perspective, the strongest signal was cultural resonance. On the hard-metric side, the launch generated strong early awareness, high-quality creator content, and meaningful engagement ahead of retail.
“The content felt organic, the sentiment was positive, and the brand was introduced without friction or scepticism,” said Adam. “Importantly, it created momentum – not a spike.”
This first chapter of Fabletic’s entry into the Middle East is part of a broader retail and brand-building strategy by GMG. Consumers can get a first look at products online through Sun & Sand Sports, ahead of the store opening.
