History
Founded in 1998, Athleta was the first of its kind—a performance brand offering apparel that looked as good as it performed. Because borrowing from the boys wasn’t good enough, we set out to design differently and challenge the status quo. With the twist of a single vowel, a new category was born: an athletic brand that put women first.
Acquired by Gap, Inc. in 2008, we opened our first store in Mill Valley, California in 2011. In 2016, we launched Athleta’s iconic Power of She platform and debuted Athleta Girl. In 2018, we became a certified B Corp, reinforcing our commitment to use business as a force for good.
Allyson Felix became Athleta’s first-ever sponsored athlete in 2019, changing the conversation around athlete sponsorships. In 2020, we launched The Power of She Fund, providing grants to organizations empowering women and girls through movement and connection.
In 2021, we welcomed Simone Biles as our second holistic partner. That same year, we opened our first company-operated stores in Canada, introducing our brand to even more women and girls across North America. In 2022, we added musician and entrepreneur Alicia Keys to our roster of purpose-driven partners. In 2023, we launched The Power of She Collective, giving 11 elite athletes a unique seat at our table to influence innovative performance product, access personal and professional mentorship opportunities, and participate in the brand’s impact programs.