Inside the murky past of lululemon: How the luxury sportswear brand moved away from controversial founder who declared some women were 'too fat to wear leggings' and 'oversaw a toxic work environment' to become an A-list favourite label Lululemon has been worn by stars such as Taylor Swift and Rita Ora READ MORE: I'm plus-size and I couldn't find clothes that fit me in Lululemon - staff told me to travel 20 miles to find the right bra By Gina Kalsi For Mailonline Published: 16:47, 26 August 2024 | Updated: 17:15, 26 August 2024 e-mail 2 View comments It's everyone's favourite activewear brand that proves you have cash to splash - but Lululemon, beloved by gym bunnies and celebrities around the world, has been beset by controversies since it was founded in 1998. The brand has enjoyed incredible promotion from celebrities including Taylor Swift , Meghan Markle and Rita Ora over the years as it becomes the most sought-after activewear label around the world. However, aside from the A-list endorsements, the fitness brand has come under fire in recent years over deeply controversial statements made by its founder, Chip Wilson, who stepped down in 2015 but still remains a shareholder of the brand.
Taylor Swift is thought to be wearing Lululemon's leggings in New York in January He has blamed women's bodies for Lululemon leggings pilling and recently criticised the company for striving for 'diversity and inclusion'. Additionally the company's working practices have been called into question after a number of employees alleged a 'toxic' environment. And, despite making promises to increase their range of sizes, the company has come under fire from several body positivity campaigners for failing to stock sizes for all body types.
Despite sustained criticism over the years, Lululemon's stock is still up nearly 60 percent over the year to January, according to figures. Here, FEMAIL dives into the dark side of Lululemon, and all the controversies it has managed to survive..
. Founder says some women are 'too fat' to wear his clothes Chip Wilson has made headlines over the past decade for his controversial views regarding women's bodies. In 2013, when the brand was criticised over the quality of its leggings, with some customers claiming the product was becoming see-through, he made a crude comment in response to the criticism, suggesting that the customers were in fact the problem and were too large to wear the items.
Speaking to Bloomberg TV he said: 'Frankly, some women's bodies just don't actually work.' Mr Wilson, along with his co-founder and wife Shannon, made the remarks as their company released its Full-On Luon pants, a style which claims to have 'major support and coverage'. The founder of Lululemon, Chip Wilson (pictured, has made headlines over the past decade for his controversial views regarding women's bodies Lululemon is widely popular and has now expanded with stores around the world When speaking about how some customers complained about the product's elasticated fabric pilling, Mr Wilson continued: 'It's really about the rubbing through the thighs, how much pressure is there over a period of time and how they much they use it.
' The founder's remarks caused host Trish Regan to ask: 'Interesting, not every woman can wear a Lululemon yoga pant?' Mr Wilson responded: 'No, I think they can. I just think it's how you use it.' At the time, the Canadian company was forced to recall 17 per cent of its yoga pants due to an unacceptable 'level of sheerness' created during the manufacturing process.
It said that it was not sure why the pants were so sheer since they hadn't changed the materials used or switched manufacturers. A spokesperson said only a very small number of customers has complained and that 'guest feedback is not indicative of a larger issue'. Less than a week after his comments were broadcast, Mr Wilson apologised for his comments.
In a video posted on the company YouTube account at the time, he said: 'I'm sad for the people at Lululemon...
that have really had to face the brunt of my actions. I take responsibility for all that has occurred and the impact it has had on you. I'm sorry to have put you all through this.
' Rita Ora is one star who has been snapped wearing Lululemon during lockdown in London Camila Cabello was also snapped sporting a Lululemon crossbody bag over her shoulder In his apology video, Mr Wilson looked into the camera and said: 'I'm sad. I'm really sad. I'm sad for the repercussions of my actions,' he says.
He then took a deep breath as he appealed to loyal customers to have faith in the company. 'For all of you that have made Lululemon what it is today, I ask you to stay in a conversation that is above the fray,' he said. 'I ask you to prove that the culture that you have built cannot be chipped away.
Thank you.' Almost a month after his apology, Mr Wilson then stepped down as chairman and now only owns an 8% in the company. Recently, a curvy influencer visited a store near her to see what sizes they carried and was told she would have to drive 20 miles out to get leggings in a US size 20 (UK 24).
The online store currently stocks from a US women's size 0 (UK 4) up to a US size 20 (UK 24), however some stores only stock ranges up to a US 14 (UK 18). Founder blasts 'diversity and inclusion thing' Chip Wilson was no stranger to controversy during his time at the helm of Lululemon - and he has continued to make headlines for the wrong reasons since stepping down too. Speaking in January of this year, he blasted the company's 'whole diversity and inclusion thing' a decade after he had stepped away from the role.
He told Forbes the firm's new focus meant it was not doing enough to differentiate itself from fashion brands such as Gap. Mr Wilson, who still holds millions of pounds in Lululemon shares, said: 'I think through this whole diversity and inclusion thing that they're trying to become like the Gap, everything to everybody. Chip Wilson (pictured in 2017) also slammed Lululemon's 'whole diversity and inclusion thing' a decade after he stepped down from his role 'And I think the definition of a brand is that you are not everything to everybody.
.. You have got to be clear that you do not want certain customers coming in.
' Speaking about his own time heading the fitness clothing giant - when sizes did not go above a US size 12 - he said he didn't want people who were 'drinking Coke and Pepsi or eating McDonald's' wearing Lululemon. The founder also claimed that executives of the company were 'fearful' of bad press coverage and lived in fear of backlash. The company quickly carried out damage control and immediately distanced themselves from Wilson's remarks, stressing he no longer had any involvement in the company and that Lululemon was proud to champion diversity.
Accusations of 'toxic' culture in stores Lululemon was also slammed for its 'toxic work culture' by former employees of the athletic clothing store. Laurent Potdevin became the CEO in 2014 and suddenly resigned at the beginning of February, with the company alleging misconduct on his part. The Vancouver-based brand said at the time it expected all employees to exemplify the 'highest level of integrity and respect for one another.
' Upon Potdevin's departure, the company revealed he would receive an upfront payment of $3.35million, plus a further $1.65million over 18 months.
Employees described to Racked how Potdevin 'basically turned Lululemon's executive team into a boy's club overnight.' Female colleagues spoke out about how women who held senior positions in the company were overlooked for promotion. 'We had so many smart, incredibly strong, and capable women at the company, and he brought in a ton of men,' a former designer of more than a decade said.
Employees described howLaurent Potdevin 'basically turned Lululemon's executive team into a boy's club overnight' Lululemon was also slammed for its 'toxic work culture' according to former employees of the athletic clothing store 'Of course every new CEO is going to come in and create his own team, but he brought in a lot of people he had personal ties to, and it just felt like total nepotism.' Another former employee, a designer, said: 'I remember thinking at one point that if you wanted to become a VP at Lululemon, you had to be a man. 'It became almost ironic that it was just a group of men running a leggings brand for women.
' Mr Potdevin was also criticised for re-employing his girlfriend after she left the company in 2014. It was claimed say she was given extended time off at will and enjoyed first-class travel. 'It felt like weird favouritism.
Why is this girl flying first class and staying in five-star hotels with Laurent on Lululemon's dime?' one worker told the outlet. Another said: 'At a certain point, there was no one who thought it was fair that she was dating the boss and was still allowed to work there. It was definitely created a weird power dynamic.
' Mr Potdevin was also criticised for re-employing his girlfriend after she left the company in 2014 One employee, who is based in London, said: 'Lululemon has a facade professing mindfulness and health, but the reality on the inside is far different. 'They need to get back to basics and instill respect, morals, and set standards.' In a statement issued by Lululemon at the time, they said: 'Laurent's resignation was not about any single action or event.
There were a range of instances where he demonstrated a lack of leadership and fell short of our standards of conduct. 'Out of respect for the privacy of the individuals involved, we are limited in the amount of detail we can provide.' The gym-wear brand said that when it is made aware of 'misconduct', it will take 'appropriate action'.
'Lululemon's culture is founded on all of us contributing to an environment rooted in our values, which includes a commitment to working with integrity and a collective dedication to creating a respectful workplace,' the statement added. Murder 'over a pair of leggings' In March 2011, Brittany Norwood, then 29, used at least half a dozen weapons from inside the store to kill her co-worker Jayna Murray, 30, in a 'prolonged and brutal attack'. Brittany Norwood (pictured) received life in prison without the chance of parole Jayna Murray was killed in 2011 after allegedly confronting her colleague about Norwood about a pair of leggings The blood-spattered evidence was shown in court during the trial of Brittany Norwood for the murder of Jayna Murray Ms Murray suffered 331 wounds inflicted with six different weapons including a hammer, wrench, knife and peg used to hold up a mannequin.
Norwood was convicted of first-degree murder in November of that year after a jury decided she was guilty. Ms Murray allegedly found a pair of leggings in Norwood's purse at the end of the work day, when they did mutual bag checks, as per store policy. Norwood initially said she'd bought them from another employee, but Ms Murray called the other employee, and they denied it, leading her to confront Norwood.
Norwood attacked Miss Murray inside the Lululemon Athletica shop in Bethesda, Maryland - a Washington, DC suburb - and then staged a robbery. She received life in prison without the chance of parole. Founder insults Japanese people Chip Wilson told Canada's National Post Business Magazine in 2009 that he thought it was 'funny' to watch Japanese people 'try and say' Lululemon.
According to The Tyee , an independent daily news website based in Vancouver, he said the struggle with pronunciation works as an extra marketing tool for his product in that country. Chip Wilson told Canada's National Post Business Magazine in 2009 that he thought it was 'funny' to watch Japanese people 'try and say' Lululemon Mr Wilson said: 'It was thought that a Japanese marketing firm would not try to create a North American sounding brand with the letter 'L' because the sound does not exist in Japanese phonetics. 'By including an 'L' in the name it was thought the Japanese consumer would find the name innately North American and authentic.
'In essence, the name 'Lululemon' has no roots and means nothing other than it has 3 'L's' in it. Nothing more and nothing less. When asked about his views on the Japanese pronunciation of the company's name, he added: 'It's funny to watch them try and say it.
' 'Child labour helps provide wages' The Tyee , also reported in 2005 that Mr Wilson's speech at the BALLE BC conference 'went over like a lead balloon'. He allegedly told delegates that children in developing countries should be allowed to work in factories because it provides them with wages. He told the outlet: 'I look at it the same way the WTO (World Trade Organisation) does it, and that is that the single easiest way to spread wealth around the world is to have poor countries pull themselves out of poverty.
' In his book, Little Black Stretchy Pants, he was quoted in Business Insider saying: 'Working young is excellent training for life. 'In North America, I noticed that there were some kids not made for school, who dropped out with nowhere to go. 'In Asia, if a kid was not 'school material,' he or she learned a trade and contributed to their family.
It was work or starve. I liked the working alternative.' Founder says birth control 'drives up divorces' Chip Wilson wrote about the company's origins on the website's blog page in 2009, a page that has now been removed.
Chip Wilson (pictured in 2022) said women's lives 'changed' after the introduction of the pill and 'thus came the era of divorces' However, it was reported by Business Insider that he said: 'Women's lives changed immediately [after the pill]. ..
. Men did not know how to relate to the new female. Thus came the era of divorces.
' He then wrote that the 'media convinced women that they could win at home and be a man's equal in the business world', which meant that they were putting in '12 hour work days' at the expense of 'social life, exercise, balance, and sleep'. Mr Wilson said in the 80s, women then 'dressed like men in boardroom attire' and smoked because that is what their ''successful' fathers did in the business world'. He said: 'Breast cancer also came into prominence in the 1990's.
I suggest this was due to the number of cigarette-smoking Power Women who were on the pill (initial concentrations of hormones in the pill were very high) and taking on the stress previously left to men in the working world. 'Ultimately, Lululemon was formed because female education levels, breast cancer, yoga/athletics and the desire to dress feminine came together all at one time.' A Lululemon spokesperson told MailOnline: 'lululemon has grown significantly under its current leadership team and is a very different company today.
The comments you have shared are tied to past leadership dating back many years. They are not consistent with the present culture and values of the business. 'Chip Wilson does not speak for lululemon, and his comments do not reflect our company views or beliefs.
He has not been involved with the company since his resignation from the board in 2015. Laurent Potdevin departed in 2018 after falling short of our standards of conduct. 'We are committed to creating and fostering an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming environment throughout our organization and across our communities.
'We have made considerable progress since launching our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action (IDEA) function, and we are proud of the goals we have achieved.' Share or comment on this article: Inside the murky past of lululemon: How the luxury sportswear brand moved away from controversial founder who declared some women were 'too fat to wear leggings' and 'oversaw a toxic work environment' to become an A-list favourite label e-mail Add comment.
