USF-branded Lululemon clothing is available in the USF Bookstore, a partnership that has drawn mixed reactions from students due to its price point. ORACLE PHOTO/VIOLET VASQUEZ PIMENTEL
Showing school spirit shouldn’t feel like buying a luxury item, but the release of the Lululemon USF merchandise on Thursday suggests otherwise.
The collaboration pairs one of the most popular athletic brands with Bulls branding, offering over a dozen items priced from $40 to more than $100.
Lululemon is widely known for durable materials and athletic wear designed to last, according to the company’s quality promise.
Even if the quality justifies the cost, Bulls merchandise is still marketed toward a student population with limited budgets.
When university-branded apparel becomes financially inaccessible, it shifts from representing campus pride to representing campus exclusivity.
A Lululemon women’s crewneck sweatshirt sells for $140 despite only having the words “South Florida” stitched across the chest.
The “Everywhere Belt Bag,” big enough to hold a phone and a wallet, costs $55.
If you’re willing to spend $150, a pair of black sweatpants featuring a Bulls logo is also available.
For many students, these high prices would be justifiable if the designs felt special — but that isn’t the case.
The university name and the Bulls logo are already part of the USF Bookstore’s standard merchandise. The new collection feels as though Lululemon took its existing clothing and simply ironed on our logo.
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Since becoming a USF student in fall 2024, I’ve consistently heard complaints about the Bookstore from roommates, friends and classmates.
The complaints range from overly simple sweatshirt designs to limited variety and prices that feel too expensive for university apparel.
Some students have long wanted better-designed and more appealing merchandise, making the Lululemon partnership feel like a long-awaited opportunity.
Instead, it highlights a growing disconnect between student budgets and university-branded apparel.
For example, Lululemon’s lined shorts typically sell for around $68. The same shorts with a Bulls logo cost $90.
The logo itself felt thin and cheap compared to the rest of the material, which made me doubt whether the price increase is justified.
Many college students experience financial insecurity and need to work just to afford gas, groceries and rent.
Although about 71% of students in the U.S. receive financial aid, it is often insufficient to meet their total expenses, according to a 2024 study by Trellis Strategies.
It is unrealistic to expect students to spend that much on merchandise.
Related: USF partners with Lululemon, merchandise to launch in late fall
During a 30-minute visit to the Bookstore on Friday, I observed students browsing the Lululemon section and reacting to the prices — but only saw one student make a purchase.
Most looked at the items, checked the price tag and walked away.
Ellery Pierce, a sophomore biomedical sciences major, said she was browsing the section out of curiosity.
“I only came here to see the Lululemon section, but I’m just looking because it’s too expensive,” said Pierce.
I also overheard a nearby student tell a friend they wanted a “cool polo” from Lululemon, but gave up on it because it was “way too expensive.”
Other USF students visiting the Bookstore said they did not bother checking the prices because they were already turned off by one of the color choices.
A bright green shade, listed by Lululemon as “Gully Green,” appears on multiple items in the collection.
Maria Mejia, a sophomore finance major, said she disliked the colors used in the collection.
“The green they chose is horrible,” Mejia said. “Darker green is so much better. I was expecting so much more, but they overhyped it.”
USF primarily uses a darker shade of green, known as USF Green, along with alternate shades such as Evergreen, according to USF’s official color palette.
Compared to USF colors, the Gully Green used in the Lululemon collection appears noticeably brighter and less aligned with traditional Bulls’ branding.
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Still, some students said the prices were expected, given the brand behind the collaboration.
Giulia Giglioblanco, a freshman supply chain management major, said Lululemon’s reputation for high-quality, long-lasting clothes makes higher prices unsurprising.
“I would probably get something just because it’s Lululemon and it’s super cute, but only one thing because of the price,” said Giglioblanco.
Lululemon’s popularity has made it a hot commodity on campus — one that many students cannot afford.
Combining the already high prices of Lululemon with the historically expensive merchandise at the Bookstore feels presumptuous in a college environment.