At just 28, Ben Francis became Britain’s youngest self-made billionaire when his gymwear brand, Gymshark, skyrocketed to a $1.3 billion valuation. Now, at 32, he’s setting his sights on an even bigger conquest—New York City.
Later this year, Francis will open a sprawling 13,000-square-foot Gymshark store on Bond Street, a move he sees as crucial to the brand’s global success, reported the New York Post.
“I love New York … It’s the perfect place for Gymshark, and I’m honored to call it our North American home,” he told me. “We have to be successful in the US in order for us to be successful around the world.”
Building a brand, one store at a time
Francis built Gymshark online in 2012, capitalizing on the rise of fitness influencers and the e-commerce boom. But now, he believes physical stores are just as important as a brand’s digital presence.
His first retail venture came in 2022 with a flagship store on London’s Regent Street. Dubai followed, and in late 2024, a Gymshark pop-up landed on Wooster Street in SoHo. That temporary store’s success gave Francis the confidence to commit to a permanent NYC presence.
“The city has been so supportive of our brand vision,” he said. “People can finally see and feel the product we’re so proud of … I think physical brick-and-mortar stores are actually sort of a new and different way for us to reach people.”
Unlike traditional athletic apparel stores, Gymshark’s locations are designed as community hubs, featuring workout spaces, personal training sessions, and room for fitness events.
Surviving the gymwear wars
The $25 billion gymwear market is fiercely competitive. While brands like Outdoor Voices and Olympia Sports have folded, giants like Nike and Lululemon battle newer players like Alo Yoga and Vuori for dominance. Gymshark, however, has carved out a loyal following with its sleek, performance-driven designs and strong influencer network.
Francis credits Gymshark’s staying power to its community—one he built from scratch by sending free products to fitness YouTubers long before influencer marketing was mainstream.
“When I was getting into the gym, all the people I learned the most from were online on YouTube,” he said. “When Gymshark started, we ended up sending product to a few of my heroes at the time.”
Some of those influencers even received equity in the company, aligning their success with Gymshark’s meteoric rise.
From a grandmother’s sewing machine to a billion-dollar empire
Francis, who grew up in England’s West Midlands, wasn’t an overnight success. He dabbled in multiple business ventures as a teen, many of which flopped. But when he started Gymshark, he had a clear vision: create gym clothes that were breathable, sweat-wicking, and odor-resistant.
He learned to sew from his grandmother and stitched early orders himself. The brand’s rapid success was fueled by both its quality and Francis’ transparency—he let customers see behind the scenes of the business, building trust and loyalty.
“People nowadays are interested in the story behind a brand,” he said. “They want to know who’s behind the scenes, who’s running it, and what the story is.”
Now, as he brings Gymshark to the heart of New York, Francis is betting big on a future where fitness isn’t just about working out—it’s about belonging.
