Outrage and anger is splashed across the news as Lululemon faces heat for discriminatory comments they have made regarding what they consider to be their ideal-looking customer. In response to remarks about the lack of quality of the clothing such as that the pants were “too sheer and easily pilled”, chairman and co-founder of Lululemon, Chip Wilson replied that “some women’s bodies just don’t actually work for [the pants]”. He described the problem as “really about the rubbing through the thighs”. Many customers were offended by these comments and felt alienated and hurt.
In the fashion industry, this was undoubtedly not the first time a company had prioritized customers who fit a certain mold or deliberately attempted to rid themselves of consumers who had a different “look” than the brand felt to be representative of them. Another past example is the remarks made by the CEO of Abercrombie and Fitch, Mike Jeffries, who openly stated he only wanted to sell to “attractive, cool people” and that some people “just don’t belong in [their] clothes”.
It is predicted that many consumers will begin to switch to other athletic brands such as Nike or Under Armour. Could these comments truly have such a negative impact upon Lululemon sales, or are they simply too solid in their brand position for an event like this to knock them down? I believe that, despite the current anger Lululemon is facing, their clothing and value proposition is too strong to be greatly damaged by this situation, and that with the correct strategy they will easily rebound.