Lululemon founder and billionaire Chip Wilson criticized the yoga wear chain's “overarching philosophy on diversity and inclusion” and its use of “unhealthy” and “sick” people in its ads. The segment currently features models that he considers “uninspiring.”
Wilson served as CEO until 2007, when he stepped down as chairman of the company's board in 2013 after sparking outrage when he said the company's yoga pants “don't actually work for some women's bodies.” told Forbes this week Lululemon “has become like a gap for everyone,” he said.
By Wilson's standards, the Vancouver, Canada-based brand should be exactly the opposite. “I think the definition of a brand is that you're not everything to everyone,” Wilson told Forbes. “You have to make it clear that you don’t want certain customers coming into your store.”
The comments show that Wilson hasn't changed much since 2013, when he was fired as CEO of the popular brand with more than 650 stores around the world, another public gaffe that angered Wilson. caused.
“Frankly, some women's bodies don't really work. [Lululemon pants]'' Wilson said when asked about the tights she recalled this spring that were so sheer that they exposed women's butts.
“What matters is whether you can rub your thighs and how much pressure you put on them,” Wilson added in an explosive TV interview.
He remained on the company's board of directors until 2015, when he retired permanently.
“Chip Wilson does not speak for Lululemon and his comments do not reflect our views or beliefs,” a Lululemon spokesperson told the Post.
“We have made considerable progress since launching our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Action (IDEA) function and are proud of the goals we have achieved.”
Despite Mr. Wilson's dissatisfaction with the company's movements over the past decade, the company's stock has risen nearly 55% in the past year alone.
And as of Wednesday afternoon, Lululemon was trading at $498.91 per share, up more than 8% for the month.
Since 2020, Lululemon's profits (which made it the world's seventh-largest apparel company, according to Forbes) have reportedly increased Wilson's total net worth by almost $4 billion to $8.81 billion. .
Mr. Wilson could have raised billions more if he had kept the entire 29% stake he held in 2013 — a stake that is now worth $21 billion.
Wilson, a meditation enthusiast, founded Lululemon in 1998.
One of his most controversial opinions was how he came up with the brand name.
He said in a 2004 interview with Canada's National Post Business Magazine that he specifically came up with the brand name containing three L's because the “L” sound does not exist in Japanese phonetics.
“Why Japanese people like it” [my former skateboard brand, Homeless] This is because it has an L in it, and Japanese marketing companies cannot think of a brand name with an L in it. There is no L in their vocabulary. It's a difficult pronunciation for them. So I thought the next time I started a company, I'd see if I could be famous for the three L's and make three times as much money,'' Wilson told the magazine.
“It's kind of exotic to them. I was playing with Ls and I thought of Lululemon. It's funny to see what they're trying to say.”
