Ivivva is a secret find for little Lululemon lovers. The shop, which has limited hours, carries workout clothes for kids wearing size six to fourteen. The name of the company is a made-up word meant to represent the “strength and beautiful individuality in all girls.” Although meant for children, those of us who need petite sizes can certainly fit into some of their clothing. Needless to say, this was a wonderful find for me as well as many of the neighborhood women, who frequently take advantage of the sizes, the largest of which correspond to 2 and 4 at Lululemon.
The 83rd Street store, which opened in 2012, is a treasure trove of pastel colors and stretchy materials. Bright teal and pink curtains form changing rooms and each piece of clothing is labeled with fun, active names like “Tumblin’ Tank” and “Live to Move Crop.” The clothes are primarily made using “Luon,” a lycra-nylon blend that has become a Lululemon trademark.
I found it very clever that Ivivva offers Yoga birthday parties to its young customers. Caroline, one of Ivivva’s employees, also said that like the Lululemon locations throughout the city, Ivivva offers free yoga to the community every Sunday morning. She also mentioned that her shop hosts events in the area – in fact, she was in the middle of planning the Spring Break calendar for 2016 when I walked in.
Some of the more regular events that Caroline is most proud are the “Fit Sessions,” which allow Ivivva to collect feedback from its customers. Girls spend thirty to forty minutes trying on outfits and evaluating them using the 5 “F”s – Fit, Feel, Function, Fabric, and Fun. Each girl evaluates whether or not she would wear an outfit and if it is appropriate for her sport of choice. She then participates in a photo shoot that is shared on social media. These Fit Sessions can really brighten a girl’s day: for example, one little girl came into the store shortly after being rejected for a part in a school performance. She appeared devastated, Caroline told me, so she set up an impromptu Fit Session to put a smile on the child's face and boost her confidence.
Working in the Ivivva showroom allows Caroline and her co-workers to be involved in the community. She often goes to sports games and performances in order to cheer on young customers. “Girls are so malleable at this age,” she said, adding that it is an honor to be there for them as they are growing up. Aaron, another employee, nodded, confirming that it is the “community aspect” that really makes Ivivva stand out in the neighborhood.
Aaron, who usually works at the Union Square location - the only other one in the city as of 2016 - showed me a large vision board in the corner, where girls write their goals and dreams for the next year. The board is based on the ones that each Lululemon employee is asked to make when they picture their lives ten years after being hired by the company. They create “By When” deadlines for when they want to accomplish their goals. When translating the idea to their clientele, Ivivva adapted the vision board to focus on months rather than years. Aaron and Caroline shared that the board sees a variety of goals and dreams, since the little girls are interested in so many different sports and hobbies. Though many of them are dancers and gymnasts, girls have come in for clothing to wear for everything from skiing to jiu-jitsu. As Caroline pointed out, Ivivva is considered an “All Sport Company.”