From a garage sewing machine to a billion-pound global fitness apparel empire
In short: Founded in 2012 by two university students, Gymshark transformed from a small drop-shipping operation into a multinational retail powerhouse. By leveraging viral social media strategies and influencer partnerships, the brand achieved a billion-pound valuation in under a decade, fundamentally reshaping how fitness apparel is marketed to a global community.
Gymshark began in June 2012 when school friends Ben Francis and Lewis Morgan, both aged 20, started the company from a garage in Solihull, England. Initially focused on drop-shipping bodybuilding supplements, the founders pivoted to designing their own fitness apparel in 2013. Francis used £1,000 of savings to purchase a sewing machine and a screen printer, manufacturing garments on a made-to-sell basis. The brand gained early momentum at the 2013 BodyPower trade show in Birmingham, where they sold out of stock on the first day. A subsequent viral moment on Facebook, where their Luxe tracksuit generated £30,000 in sales within 30 minutes, helped propel the company toward rapid expansion.
The company’s growth strategy relied heavily on influencer marketing. By 2020, Gymshark was paying 125 influencers to promote its products, including figures like Francis Ngannou and Leana Deeb. This digital-first approach allowed the brand to reach customers in over 230 countries. In August 2020, the US private equity firm General Atlantic acquired a 21% stake in the business for £275 million, valuing the company at £1.25 billion. While the brand was originally targeted at men, by 2020, approximately two-thirds of its sales were to women, reflecting a significant shift in its customer base.
Despite its success, Gymshark has faced recent challenges. In 2025, the company proposed a business restructure that put nearly a third of its workforce at risk of redundancy. It has also navigated legal disputes, including a 2025 claim by influencer Alix Earle for £775,500 in losses following the termination of a sponsorship agreement, and earlier conflicts with former brand ambassadors like Nathaniel Massiah over non-compete clauses. As of July 2026, reports indicated that founder Ben Francis was in talks with General Atlantic to potentially buy back some of the shares the firm purchased in 2020, marking a potential new chapter for the company's ownership structure.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Gymshark
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