Fellow Comm101 student Matt Anderson makes a very interesting point in his blog on an article that immediately caught my attention. In numerous instances, both in class and out, Lululemon has been depicted as a prime example of positive business practices. This article(globeandmail) and video however, reveals a surprising mentality that Lululemon Founder Chip Wilson has on the company’s products, and the customers that use them.
In the video, Wilson makes the outrageous statement that “some women’s bodies just ‘don’t work’ for their yoga pants”, implying that the fabrics and shape of their products weren’t designed for certain non-athletic physiques. This obviously sparked a huge controversy, and supporters of the brand are extremely upset, with legitimate reason to do so. If we look onto any Lululemon bag, we will see the motivational statements in the photo above. Lululemon’s core values have always been about making their customers to feel good about themselves, including happiness, positivity, and freedom. The statements that Wilson makes, however goes completely against the values and organization culture of the company. Although it is very upsetting to hear these words come out of an inspiration of mine, I do believe it was an honest mistake, and that work needs to be done in management to address the issue of lost support.
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