Pilates: Status Symbol or Workout?
The health and wellness movement has been on the rise over the past few years, but its meaning has changed with the presence of social media. The idea of wellness has become more than a way of life; it has become a postable status symbol. Those with high discretionary income have the choice and ability to indulge in luxury workout classes, gym memberships at studios like Equinox, $20 smoothies from high-price point grocery stores like Erewhon, and $100 workout sets from brands like ALO, Lululemon, Set Active, and Vuori. These luxury aspects of the health and wellness trend are mostly unattainable for the average consumer, often making health and wellness seem exclusive, and only fit for those who can afford a luxurious lifestyle.
Typical pilates, yoga, and HIIT workout classes cost around $30 per class, while monthly studio packages can range from $200 to $400 per month. Because of their high price tag, workout classes have gained a reputation for being exclusive. For most people, spending so much on staying fit and healthy would be completely out of reach, but for a percentage of individuals, it has become an important part of their daily routine. In an article for the popular fashion and lifestyle magazine Who What Wear, writer Audrey Noble wrote, “I no longer save for the Chanel bag I've lusted after for years. Instead, I save money for my barre classes and weekly therapy sessions. But it's not about pouring all my money into exercising and my mental health that makes it a status symbol—it's the bragging.” What Noble is speaking of is the act of posting on social media, flaunting new workout clothing, and purchasing expensive package deals.
A major brand that comes to mind when I think of the luxury-wellness movement and tendency of expressing wealth and exclusivity is Alo Yoga’s wellness club. The yoga brand created a number of studios containing invite-only workout classes featuring celebrity trainers. The Alo instagram frequently posts videos of workouts in their logo-covered pilates studio with influencers and celebrities alike including Kaia Gerber, Jake Shane, Bella Hadid, and Olivia Ponton. One of their LA locations contains a salad bar, smoothie bar, weight rooms, ice baths, a recording studio, and even a podcast station. Their marketing strategy is genius, but carries some flaws as it comes off as incredibly exclusive and high profile. Their emphasis on wellbeing and mindfulness is only made to be relatable to people who have the means to afford those things, when in reality, anyone is able to partake in their own wellness journey at no cost.
People don’t just love Alo for their high-quality athleisure sets, they love it for the implied lifestyle. The same goes for companies like Barry’s Bootcamp, SoulCycle, Peloton, and Equinox, as consumers wear their merchandise and post their workouts as a status symbol. At the end of the day, it's true that health is wealth, but not in the same way that we see it presented online. You truly do not need expensive equipment, workout sets, or an Erewhon grocery haul to feel confident and capable in your body. It is incredibly important to shift our mindsets and conversations around fitness to the mental and physical benefits we receive from it, rather than where we are working out or what we are wearing. This way, we can open up the fitness and wellness space for anyone who wants to better themselves. At the end of the day, taking care of your body and brain doesn't require a post or thousands of dollars, but only a positive, disciplined, and dedicated mindset.
