on of sporty bags and sneakers across a series of pop-up stores from Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong to Seoul, Bangkok, London and more.  And, though athleisure is a major focus in the pop-ups, Dior is also launching a collaboration with Italian fitness equipment brand Technogym to produce its own branded workout equipment as part of the collection: resulting in a Christian Dior treadmill, a flexibility ball, and a workout bench housing a training mat, a series of weights and elastic bands. “It’s almost like health and fitness has become the ultimate luxury,” The General Store’s Matt Newell told Inside Retail.  “I think this [partnership] is an interesting comment about the category as a whole. It’s seen a shift from function to lifestyle, and lately, to high-end fashion. I think that’s an interesting trajectory because this collaboration really signifies how far that progression has matured.” According to Newell, high-end fashion houses like Dior are prolific collaborators with other brands, tapping into each other’s audiences, expertise and strengths. . In the past, Prada has joined forces with Adidas and Victoria Beckham has launched a collection with Reebok. In this case, Dior is working with a surprising partner  to get the attention of consumers  outside of its traditional customer base.  But the incongruous branding exercise may also end up backfiring, according to Growth Activists founder Rosanna Iacono.  “There is no doubt that the cross-over between sportswear and luxury has never been more pronounced,” Iacono told Inside Retail. “[But] this collaboration feels less credible than many of the other ones we’ve seen. Had it been with Dior Menswear, which is designed by Kim Jones – who understands the sportswear angle better than most – it would have been more credible. But Dior Womenswear has no prior credible grounding in sportswear, and this seems like an odd way to introduce a new category. “One can see why the brands’ respective leaders would have thought this a good idea – both brands are high-end and likely share a similar customer [but] ultimately, it feels like an unequal pairing.” The addition of pop-up stores to the mix could help expose the brand to new customers, who may not typically enter a Dior store or buy from the designer.  “The essence of collaboration is sharing an audience.This is how luxury fashion houses have always immersed themselves into our culture,” said Newell. “But with this partnership, Dior is pushing beyond apparel and into hardware, which is a new step.”