Chip Wilson left the company in 2015 after blaming overweight customers for turning his black leggings see-through. Photo: JIM BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA
Lululemon's founder condemned the company's commitment to diversity, saying some women are too fat to wear yoga pants.
Chip Wilson claimed that executives lived in fear of bad press coverage and tried to be “all things to all people” rather than keep “certain customers” away from the fitness brand.
He founded Lululemon in 1998. but resigned from its board of directors in 2015 after blaming overweight customers for poor quality that caused black leggings to become see-through.
Lululemon immediately distanced itself from Mr. Wilson's latest remarks, saying he had not been associated with the brand since his departure and highlighting his own record on diversity.
Mr. Wilson addressed his former company in Forbes article, stating: “I think with all this diversity and inclusivity, they're trying to become like Gap, everything for everyone.
“And I think the definition of a brand is that you're not “You are everything to everyone… You have to be clear that you don’t want certain clients coming to you,” he said.
“Right. now I think they are scared. Instead of living out of opportunity, they live out of fear of media backlash for not being inclusive – and that's something I just don't agree with.”
He further stated that the brand's advertising used female models who were not “inspiring” and sickly-looking men.
“I don't want people wearing Lululemon clothes drinking Coca-Cola.”
Mr. Wilson also criticized the board, saying they didn't understand the company and that its former chairman, former Gap boss Glenn Murphy, “had all the bad stuff about how Gap was getting to Lululemon.”
Reflecting on his time running the brand, when women's sizes were $12 or less, Mr. Wilson said he didn't want people who ate McDonald's or drank Coca-Cola in workout clothes.
“I could see the obesity epidemic in the US even in 1995,” he said.
“I didn't want people wearing Lululemon to drink Coke and Pepsi or eat McDonald's because the fast food industry was part of it at the time.”
In a statement, published by CNN, Lululemon said it was a “completely different company” after Mr. Wilson's resignation and clarified that he was not involved. with the firm since leaving nine years ago.
“Lululemon is committed to creating and fostering an inclusive, diverse and welcoming environment within our organization and throughout our communities,” the company said.“We have made significant progress since the launch of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity program. and Action (IDEA), and we are proud of the goals we have achieved.
“We also recognize that becoming a more diverse and inclusive organization takes time and is only possible through the continued efforts of our leaders. and our people.”
“Some women's bodies are not fit for pants.”
In 2005, Mr. Wilson said he chose the name “Lululemon” because the letter “l” does not exist in Japanese phonetics.< /p>
“It's funny to watch them try to pronounce it,” he reportedly said.< /p>
The 68-year-old and his staff once dressed up as babies and sewing machines in an attempt to dispel criticism that the yoga brand relied on on child labor.
Calling this move a “marketing insurance policy,” he said, “No one could accuse us of child labor because we agreed to it.”
Meanwhile However, Mr. Wilson proved sensitive to accusations that his workout gear was of poor quality when it recalled 17 percent of its black yoga pants in 2013.
“Some women's bodies don't fit for pants. It's really about the rubbing of the thighs, how much pressure is applied over a period of time,” he said.
After issuing an apology that was widely criticized for speaking to employees Lululemon and not with customers, Mr. Wilson stepped down as chairman and left the board two years later.
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