Sunday, March 17, 2024

Seawheeze 2019 Runners Showcase Store

by Cristina

My Seawheeze 2019 Runners Showcase Store Experience

The Seawheeze 2019 Runners Showcase Store can be such an overwhelming and exhausting shopping experience. It’s such a fun, high energy event though. I’m always excited to participate no matter what I end up bringing home from the store. I love soaking it all up!

The New And Improved System

This year the Seawheeze 2019 Runners Show Case store was such an improvement over the previous few years. Thanks to a new more democratic system, all shoppers mattered. This is the second year they’ve had scheduled entry times for the pre-shop. As much as I love visiting with friends during Seawheeze, I have never been sentimental about camping out on concrete overnight. The overnight lineups is something we’ve begrudgingly endured. We’ve made the best of it in order to get to the showcase store within the first few waves.

The Reflective Capsule


This year they had a new card system for the reflective capsule. Each person in line got one of 4 cards with a different name on it. Cherryblossom, Arbutus, Blackcomb etc. This system allowed us to shop the rest of the store while we waited for our turn at the reflective shop. When our card name was called we could then line up for up to five reflective items.

The reflective store inside the showcase store

Inventory Management

There was plenty of reflective items to last several hours this year. I believe they had enough reflective shop cards for all the reserved runners. Overall, they had a lot more inventory in everything. Possibly fewer designs. Definitely fewer prints and patterns in the women’s items. Of the none reflective pieces, I was only super interested in one Seawheeze item which I did not purchase. There were a few others items I liked but not enough that I wanted to purchase. There was less design effort this year, and no real cohesive unifying theme to give context to any of the colors.

Pricing

Lastly, a change I was really happy about is that they had reflective tight options in a more moderate price point. This is my first year getting my hands on reflective pieces. I can’t solely blame that on the hyping/hoarding issues that have been going on in past years, because it has also been an objection to the pricing. I purchased two reflective tights this year at $148 each. I just CANNOT spend $298 on one pair of leggings even if they are really pretty. They just aren’t 100% more pretty than the $148 pair. I really liked The Rain Is Calling Jacket in dark blue (not reflective). I hesitated because of the $228 price tag on such a simple design in a color we see pretty often.

What Sold Out, What Was Left

The only sell-out pieces in the reflective line by about 1 pm when I left where the sub $150 items. When I left for the day there where still tons of reflective Mist Over Windbreakers and Post Wheeze Cape jackets left ($398/$498), Speed Tight V’s ($298) in smaller sizes, and Energy Bras ($128).

The photos I have below show the amount that was available at 1pm. We didn’t realize it at the time but there were a few reflective items outside of the reflective store.

The Brunswick Muscle Tank in black was a really simple tank with block lettering on the front, and it ended up being reflective. I don’t believe the green version of that tank was reflective. That Brunswick Tank sold out right away and it seems to have been the sleeper hot seller. There where also many Scuba Hoodie colors with Seawheeze written on the arms. (and they where super soft!). We didn’t realize until later that the lettering on those where reflective too.

My Seawheeze 2019 Haul

This was my smallest Seawheeze Haul ever. I purchased the reflective Speed Wunder Tight in Black with reflective lettering, and Speed Wunder Tight in Summer Mirage Multi with reflective lettering. I was hanging on to the Rain Is Calling Jacket in blue. I didn’t like the steep price the jacket so once I got both reflective items I wanted I put that one back. My group was the third wave of cards that got to shop the reflective shop and I half expected it would be sold out. I just couldn’t believe that I actually got to get reflective items finally, and they were priced really well.

Speed Wunder Tight | Seawheeze Summer Mirage Multi with Reflective Lettering

I really love both reflective tights a lot. The original ‘rainbow reflective’ is very pretty but it is also very statement and attention-grabbing with all over, denser reflectivity. As much as I like them, I wouldn’t wear them very often because of the statement print. The black Speed Wunder Tights have the subtlety of a black tight with a nice pop of rainbow reflective on the sides. You don’t really see the lettering unless they get illuminated. This style is still pretty extroverted for me but I like that it’s more wearable reflectivity. The Summer Mirage Muti is really fun and flattering mini dot print with greens, pinks and blues. The reflective lettering is well hidden in the print until it gets illuminated. The Summer Mirage Multi-Speed V’s with all-over reflective were $298, but the print was less vibrant than the pair I got.

Seawheeze 2019 Rainbow Reflective
Seawheeze 2019 Rainbow Reflective
Summer Mirage Multi

Speed Wunder Tight | Black with Reflective lettering

Seawheeze 2019 Rainbow Reflective
Seawheeze 2019 Rainbow Reflective

Love Tee Crewneck *Vancouver

Later we wandered over to the flagship Robson store where I found these two Vancouver graphic print Love Crew Tees. I love them! The graphic is so retro Vancouver. It’s 1980’s tourism Vancouver graphic style circa Expo ’86. The men’s line had this same print, but they where vitasea and $20 more expensive.

Seawheeze 2019 Rainbow Reflective

Did you come to Seawheeze this year?? I really want to know your thoughts about the showcase store and your overall experience.

The Seawheeze 2019 Showcase Store Merch

The Rain Is Calling Jacket
The Rain Is Calling Jacket
Fast and Free Crops
Post Wheeze Cape
Fast and Free Crops
Runners Bag

Congratulations Seawheeze Runners!

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20 comments

Jenny August 17, 2019 - 12:21 am

Christina, at the Robson store or at the Seawheeze showcase, did they have limited edition seawheeze shoppers like they did in previous years? At my local store, the shoppers are still the same design as they were months ago.

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Cristina August 17, 2019 - 8:00 am

Yes, they did have the seawheeze showcase shoppers there.

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Jenny August 17, 2019 - 8:04 am

Do you have a picture of what they look like? Was it just at the Showcase store or was it at Robson too?

Thank you!

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Cristina August 17, 2019 - 9:04 am

Just added the picture in the post. Same bag at showcase and Robson.

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Jenny August 17, 2019 - 9:14 am

Thank you for the picture! I wonder why not all the stores have the Seawheeze shopper this year.

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Sarah August 17, 2019 - 9:31 am

Oh my goodness I love that Vancouver T Shirt!! I would love to get my hands on one of those. ?

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Julie August 17, 2019 - 9:41 am

Did they Not end up selling long sleeve swiftly tie dye shirts? I’ve seen nobody post about them, I was so excited to try to get one Angeled ?

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Cristina August 17, 2019 - 9:55 am

Yes they did. I didn’t find any size 10’s but I did see them in size 12. Lots of short sleeves but the long sleeves where more limited.

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Cristina August 17, 2019 - 9:55 am

I think the angels where pretty well thwarted this year on a lot of hot selling items.

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Andie August 17, 2019 - 10:12 am

Love the post and photos. I’m glad they figured out way to make it more equitable for those who are on site. I agree that the blue jacket is so pretty… but that price for a basic item. ? I’m glad you got some items that you love.

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Staci Sabel August 17, 2019 - 1:45 pm

I am in Vancouver today on vacation…is the showcase store only on Friday?

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Cristina August 17, 2019 - 4:03 pm

I believe it’s only open on Friday.

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Andie August 17, 2019 - 7:32 pm

For entertainment purposes I looked up Seawheeze items on EBay. Among other items, there are a couple pairs of the black Speed Wunder Tights with the reflective letters (which retailed at $148). One is listed for $499 and one for $599/best offer. ? I wonder if people will really pay those crazy prices.

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Anonymous August 17, 2019 - 8:21 pm

Good luck on your race!

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Katharina August 18, 2019 - 5:36 am

Was there a skirt on display? Thanks

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Cristina August 18, 2019 - 9:33 am

No that you mention it, I didn’t see any skirts at all.

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Mrs. P. August 18, 2019 - 9:59 pm

I like the design this year, as well as the system to ensure that the product isn’t gone so quickly, but doesn’t Lululemon realize that the graphics on the pants is upside down as soon as the wearer sits down? They did this with the Soul Cycle collab and it prevented me from ordering a pair of pants.
I’d probably still get a pair of these if I was there, but I would ONLY wear them for running out of fear of the upside down letters when I sit down in yoga/barre class. It would make me mental.

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Jennifer Kennedy August 20, 2019 - 12:30 pm

this was my 3rd showcase shop and the best experience hands down. no panic, no frenzy, no hoarders with piles and piles of clothing on the floor (in 2015 my hubs saw a lady with 10 or so of an item I was hoping for. he asked her if she was planning to buy all of them and she said “you can have one for $20…UNREAL), no split second decision and finally NO REGRET. I’ve sat on SW purchases for months before detagging, unsure I will actually get any use out of that style or pattern and maybe I should just sell it….but not this year! This year I pulled 4 tags off within 6 hrs of purchasing lol…and then wore them for dayyyysss straight lol. The Speed Wunders with the reflective wording are literally TO DIE DURING A HALF MARATHON FOR. Handing out the reflective line up cards was pure genius and meant sooo many more got to get some really fun stuff. The line up times was also such a great addition. I really don’t enjoy biting the faces off people who line jump (but I do it well so it was always my job) so not having to line up overnight to ensure you could by what you want and not having to discipline those jumpers was a real treat for me….i slept in an actual bed that night until 4am!!! 4 AM!! IN A BED!!! not on the sidewalk in an inflatable vagina (if you walked up the line to have “the vagina whisperer” inflate yours for you in 2016, you know who I am). I hope these changes stick around for 2020!

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Cristina August 20, 2019 - 1:09 pm

I actually just heard that the usual hoarders had lined up overnight. I am so happy that despite the fact that I showed up 30 minutes before my time (6am slot) I got in at the same time the small overnight group got in at and didn’t miss out on any product this year. Really happy you got what you wanted this year and that you love it enough to detag. I feel the exact same way.

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AJ September 2, 2019 - 9:42 am

thank you so much for posting this! Years ago when I was young and single I thought about trekking to Vancouver for this race (before it was even a lottery) and now there is no way I can make it and I’m always so jealous of everyone who goes and especially enjoyed living vicariously through all your photos of the shop. I wish Lululemon would realize some of us have to run at 5 am in the dark and would LOVE the chance to be able to own some of these reflective items without shelling out an arm and a leg on eBay to do so or paying thousands to travel to Vancouver. Enjoyed your post and photos, thanks! 🙂

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