#Forme Life, a new smart exercise mirror, launches US stores

Ready to reflect on all your hard work this year? Forme Life, the new home exercise smart mirror, is rolling out in 11 retail locations around the country this winter, after pre-orders launched online last May. A New York flagship in Westfield World Trade Center mall will open Dec. 11, while a store in the Paramus, N.J., Westfield Garden State Plaza will follow in January.

The streaming fitness and wellness system was developed by renowned Swiss industrial designer Yves Béhar, who co-founded the Los Angeles-based brand with CEO Trent Ward. Their device hits the market at a time of unprecedented demand for home fitness equipment, due to COVID-19-related closures and restrictions.

When turned off, the fixture serves as a chic, 6-foot-tall, wall-mounted or standing mirror. When turned on, it transforms into a voice-controlled virtual training studio, with what Forme Life claims to be the largest and highest resolution digital display and touchscreen in the fitness category.

Expert instructors appear in the mirror, leading live or on-demand interactive workouts — including interval training, kickboxing, barre sessions, yoga and guided meditation. Celebrity personal trainer Harley Pasternak is curating the original programming.

Shoppers can select between two models of the mirror: the screen-only “Studio” or the tricked-out “Studio Lift,” which comes with strength-training arms (offering variable resistance up to 150 lbs) that tuck behind the unit when not in use, along with accessories like handles and ankle straps.

The device tracks user progress both in-app and across its social community — using machine learning and artificial intelligence, paired with stereoscopic cameras, to recommend appropriate class levels and provide guidance on form and technique. Two-way live interaction with a trainer can also be enabled.

Forme Life joins connected fitness competitors such as The Mirror, a mirrored workout product launched in 2018 and acquired by Lululemon in June; Tonal, a wall-mounted touchscreen with foldable arms and digital weights introduced in 2018; and Tempo Studio, an easel-like touchscreen with weights that debuted this year.

Like the others, Forme Life requires an initial investment. The “Studio Lift” costs $4,495, including delivery and installation (or as little as $125/month payments for 36 months), plus $39 per month for a multi-user membership. New orders will be delivered in the spring. The screen-only “Studio,” meanwhile, goes for $2,495, plus the monthly membership fee, and is scheduled to ship in 12 to 14 weeks.

If you prefer the convenience and safety of home workouts, a futuristic mirror may just help you become the image of strength.