Staff Reports
The founder of the trendy clothing brand Lululemon, Chip Wilson, is not a fan of the company’s recent advertisements. In an interview with Forbes, Wilson expressed his disapproval of Lululemon’s “whole diversity and inclusion thing” and criticized the models featured in the ads. According to him, some of the models look “unhealthy” and “sickly” and are not inspiring enough.
Wilson went on to say that Lululemon is trying to be like the Gap, catering to everyone instead of maintaining a clear brand identity. In his opinion, a brand should not aim to be everything to everybody and should be selective about its target customers.
10 trailblazing women. 6 days of running. World records on the line. Announcing FURTHER: a first-of-its-kind ultramarathon that celebrates human possibility—and champions the potential of female athletes. https://t.co/wstNc3oTot #lululemonFURTHER pic.twitter.com/9k5vKDmwrM
— lululemon (@lululemon) May 23, 2023
However, it seems that Wilson’s words will not have much impact on Lululemon. David Swartz, an analyst at Morningstar, pointed out that the company has been performing well without him. A company representative also made it clear that Wilson’s comments are not representative of Lululemon’s views and that he has not been involved with the company since his resignation from the board in 2015.
Joanna Schwartz, a marketing professor, explained that Lululemon’s success is partly due to its focus on a specific niche market of young, affluent, and female consumers. The brand is aspirational, offering high-quality, expensive goods that are rarely discounted. Schwartz also noted that Lululemon has created a lifestyle brand around the idea of intentionality, oneness, and yoga.
While some may agree with Wilson’s point about the brand’s exclusive image, Schwartz believes that he sees Lululemon as a brand where a large portion of the population is not welcome. She commended Lululemon for pushing against this opposition by embracing greater racial and ethnic diversity and addressing sizeism.
This is not the first time Wilson has caused controversy. In 2013, he made headlines for suggesting that Lululemon’s pants were not suitable for all women’s bodies. Despite the criticism and differing opinions, Lululemon has managed to thrive and maintain its position as a leading athletic apparel brand.
