lululemon / Robert Geller
Color, Print + Jacquard Development "A Moment to Reflect" Robert Geller Collaboration, Spring '20
Color palette and brushstroke-inspired artwork developed for lululemon's collaboration with New York menswear designer Robert Geller. Geller's signature color sensibility was translated into the context of lululemon activewear, building a palette that balanced refined utilitarian neutrals with expressive accent hues. The artwork was then interpreted across two textile constructions – a Distressed Camo jacquard and a Washed Camo print, and applied across a 26-piece collection spanning technical tees, leggings, reversible outerwear, and a 3-in-1 waterproof parka. Together, the color and graphic language helped unify a wardrobe designed to transition seamlessly between movement and city life. The collaboration marked the first Robert Geller collection to include womenswear and drew wide editorial coverage.
The goal was to create a visual language that felt understated yet distinctive, balancing Robert Geller's refined aesthetic with lululemon's technical performance DNA. The visual direction centered around the movement between city and nature, tailoring and utility. Rather than default to athletic graphic language, the direction leaned into architectural lines, gestural brushstrokes, and quiet rhythm. The collection needed to speak to a consumer moving fluidly between studio, street, and travel— and a lifestyle reflecting the collection's narrative of reflecting on the moments of transition.
The color palette was built around grounded neutrals punctuated by rich accents. Dusty olive, soft mauves, and grey neutrals created a calm foundation, while saturated pops of ochre, blue, and plum introduced energy without overwhelming the collection. The goal was to create a palette that transitioned effortlessly between performance and everyday wear.
Rather than referencing traditional camo, hand-painted brushwork was used to create a layered textural language that felt organic, elevated, and distinctly Robert Geller. Early explorations investigated variations in scale, density, placement, and color to understand how the pattern would read across different silhouettes. The final artwork was developed in two colorways across two scales while remaining subtle in execution— reading as an abstract camo from a distance, yet revealing its hand-drawn quality up close. It was then translated into both jacquard and printed constructions, adding depth while ensuring a cohesive visual language throughout the collection.
