In this post I will be adding to the conversation my classmate, Ashley Anderson started with her “Lululemon Losing Balance” blog post.
Ashley’s blog post questions the core values of Lululemon as the founder, Chip Wilson explains in an interview that some women’s bodies are just not suited to fit into yoga pants. The pants that Chip is referring to are the classic black yoga pants that Lululemon has built a company from. In March this year, 17% of them were recalled due to the fact that they were too see through when women tried to workout in them.
I agree with Ashley, in that instead of confronting the manufacturing issues associated with the see through yoga pants, the CEO insulted many of his loyal customers by blaming their bodies as the issue. This made me question the brand that I had always been an advocate for.
Chip Wilson later apologized for the hurt he caused customers and employees.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeFMeBtNRp8
This interview seems sincere, but the damage has already been done and many customers are still upset. I don’t think Chip meant to make people feel bad about themselves or question his brand, I believe he worded it the wrong way. For example, when the clothing rubs on bags/ backpacks or against the the body it causes thinning of the fabric, especially with leggings; I’ve seen it happen on mine from my backpack. Chip should not have mentioned that some women’s bodies just don’t work with the pants.
Lululemon will have to show their support for their customers, as one of their core marketing strategies is empowerment and positive thinking, and Chip’s comment does not support his idea.