Can leggings from Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s fitness brand make me as snatched as her?

Everyone knows Lululemon is the undisputed GOAT when it comes to workout leggings. Its Align tights have been often imitated, never duplicated. I bought my first (and only pair) years ago and haven’t had to replace it since. The only thing that’s kept me from buying it in multiple colours is its price point (currently $108 a pop).

So, I was pleasantly surprised when I tried Mile Collective’s OnTheGo leggings. Originally founded in 2023 as Mile Active by lawyer turned entrepreneur Harshita Motaparthi, the activewear label has relaunched as Mile Collective, with Pravishta Nadella and actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu as co-founders. If you follow Prabhu on Instagram, you know she’s getting shredded for her upcoming film Maa Inti Bangaram and wearing nothing but Mile Collective to the gym.

I got the OnTheGo leggings in a small in the colour Ash—a grey that looks the tiniest bit like lavender under some lights. First impressions: the fabric feels super soft to touch. I wore them all Sunday lounging around at home, then to walk my dogs in the evening. The waistband offers just enough compression to allow you to indulge in a big lunch and expands with you while staying snug.

So far, I’ve worn the leggings twice to Pilates and one physiotherapy session and have zero complaints. The fabric is quite light and flexible rather than thick and compressive, so if you’re looking for a super-tight fit for intense workouts, this may not be the best pick. However, the waistband doesn’t roll down during squats or downward dogs, so that’s a win. The grey colour is also opaque, so you won’t be flashing your bright-coloured underwear while working out, though I’m not sure about the lighter colours. They are a bit thin, though, so I would recommend wearing seamless undies if you don’t want a VPL. Fabric update four washes in: the minimal logo hasn’t come off yet, the colour hasn’t faded, nor has the level of snugness changed.

Along with the leggings, the brand also sent me a matching OnTheGo cropped tank in Classic Gray to review. It’s a racerback silhouette with removable pads. I can’t comment on how supportive it’ll be for one’s boobies (A: I don’t have much to begin with, and B: I don’t run or do high-impact workouts), but the website rates it three-ish out of five on the compression scale, so I’d wager it’s better suited for yoga and Pilates, like the leggings. I usually size up when buying sports bras and tanks as they tend to dig in, but this one fits true to size, so check the sizing chart.

Now, the main topic: how do the Mile Collective leggings compare to Lululemon’s Align tights? *Drumroll please*

I am happy to report that this is the first pair of leggings I’ve tried from a homegrown brand that actually comes close. The OnTheGo leggings are 80 per cent nylon and 20 per cent elastane, which is very, very close to the composition of Lululemon’s Nulu fabric—81 per cent nylon, 19 per cent Lycra elastane. So, if you’re looking for that buttery soft, second-skin feel, you’ve got it here.

The main difference is that Mile’s leggings don’t have a front-rise seam, so it’s smoother in appearance. (Lululemon finally released a No Line version last year—only 10 years after the original launched.) They both have flatlock seams on the inner leg, though the OnTheGos have one seam and a crotch gusset to prevent camel toe, while the Align leggings have two seams. And the Align has a hidden pocket—which, to be honest, I’ve never used in my life.

What’s insane is that these leggings go for ₹2,499 compared to Align, which are almost ₹10k after conversion—customs not included. My verdict? You can get four of these (there’s a bunch of very pretty colours) for the price of one pair of Align tights.

Available on milecollective.in