Dior x Technogym

When Dior announced their collaboration with Technogym in late 2021, it left a lot of people scratching their heads. It was a fair reaction given that, up until that point, the closest thing to activewear the ultra-luxe French fashion house offered was a $1,550 pair of track pants that was absolutely not supposed to get sweaty, ever.

That all changed with the introduction of the Dior Vibe collection at its June cruise 2022 show in Athens. Vibe “combines the world of sportswear and Dior heritage with boldness and elegance,” according to the Dior site. Whether the Vibe line is actual gym wear is debatable (we can’t square wearing a $1,100 t-shirt to spin class, but you do you), but it’s still Dior’s first true foray into the world of fitness fashion.

So why the collab with Technogym? Most collabs grow brand recognition by engaging a shared audience, but Dior rarely needs help getting attention. As it happens, the collaboration strategy for Dior x Technogym centers around increasing Dior’s legitimacy as a player in the world of fitness and activewear in support of its Vibe collection.

Technogym is the perfect partner to make that happen. Their reputation as the go-to fitness equipment supplier for five-star hotels, as well as their emphasis on style and maximizing space in all their designs, makes them a natural choice for those with a discerning eye for their home gym equipment.

There’s also substance to Technogym’s offerings: the company was named Official Supplier for the Olympics a remarkable eight times over the past two decades. A partner with that pedigree gives Dior exactly the legitimacy it needs to further its case as a serious player in the activewear world.

Still, most customers perceive workout equipment as being made of steel and rubber – two things not very well suited to the super high-end design Dior’s target audience seeks. That’s where Dior makes its key contribution to this partnership: by highlighting “the beauty of sport,” as their website put it. For this collab, Dior redesigned three iconic Technogym pieces: the Technogym My Run smart treadmill, the multifunctional Technogym workout bench, and the Technogym exercise ball.

The equipment boasts a clean, modular, and refined appearance that’s a step above even Technogym’s already sophisticated offerings, with the striking white-and-blue palette featured alongside the Dior star and signature ribboning. Deft touches like a QR code on top of the fitness ball allow users to instantly connect to workout videos. Meanwhile, the bench is a compact wonder, including a training mat, dumbbells, elastic bands, and knuckle weights, all of which can be put to use to complete nearly 200 exercises. Altogether, it’s an offering that helps make Technogym's equipment appear more accessible, especially to female users who might not normally consider their brand.

This collaboration proves Dior is a serious player in the activewear world – and that couture can be a flex in the gym and on the ‘gram.