Gap Adds Athleta To Online Store, Universality

Women's sports and active apparel company, Athleta was recently acquired by Gap for approximately $150 million.

Athleta will be featured on Gap's Universality online platform with other brands, such as Banana Republic, Old Navy and Piperlime. The Web site allows consumers to shop for all five brands in one area, where they can make purchases with one shopping cart for a single shipping fee.

The 10-year-old California-based Althleta carries a variety of lifestyle apparel for yoga, running, skiing, snowboarding and surfing. Customers may also make purchases from the company's catalog.

In other Gap news, the company looks to expand internationally as it recently gave rights to Mexico's leading department store chain to exclusively sell Gap brand merchandise in a franchise store-within-a-store concept. The deal was made with Distribuidora Liverpool with plans to begin selling in spring 2009. Through another franchise agreement with the Fawaz Alhokair Group, Gap products will also be available in Egypt and Jordan within the next five years.