Chip Wilson, the billionaire founder of yoga and athleticwear company Lululemon, set off a wave of backlash against the brand after bashing the organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies in a recent interview. Wilson, who left the company in 2015 but remains its largest shareholder, claims “the whole diversity and inclusion thing” has led the brand away from its original purpose: attracting fit, young, wealthy customers.
“They’re trying to become like the Gap, everything to everybody. And I think the definition of a brand is that you’re not everything to everybody,” Wilson, 68, remarked during an interview with Forbes. “You’ve got to be clear that you don’t want certain customers coming in.”
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This overemphasis on inclusivity, Wilson claimed, is what has led Lululemon to choose models that he thinks are “sickly,” “unhealthy,” and “not inspirational” for advertising the brand.
The subject of “body-positive,” “size-inclusive” advertising has been a particularly contentious point for Wilson, which ultimately led to his departure from the company. In 2013, when Wilson was serving as chairman of the Lululemon board, he very bluntly stated that the company’s form-fitting yoga pants “just don’t actually work” for some women.
“Quite frankly, some women’s bodies just actually don’t work for Lululemon pants,” he said at the time. “It’s really about the rubbing through the thighs, how much pressure is there.”
Wilson also infamously stated in a 2004 interview that his choice for the company name was based entirely on the fact that “L” does not exist in Japanese phonetics and he “found it funny to watch them try to say it.”
Following the 2013 incident, the company removed him as chairman, though he remained on the board until 2015 before leaving with an 8 percent stake in the company.
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In light of Wilson’s comments, company executives quickly stated that “Chip Wilson does not speak for Lululemon, and his comments do not reflect our company views or beliefs,” according to the New York Post. “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.”
Despite Wilson’s concern over the direction of the company, Lululemon stock rose 55 percent in the last year, with individual shares trading at $498.91 apiece as of this week.
This record growth has allowed the company to invest nearly $7 million into DEI-based programs and expand its pool of diversity consultants to include five committees, multiple task forces, and more than 11 work streams.
“By standing up and funding IDEA, and creating our commitments, we are determined to be accountable, engaged and to act in allyship,” the company’s website states. “Our actions thus far include expanding the IDEA team globally, establishing employee-led resource groups (ERGs), and leveraging our brand and our voice to stand against hate and discrimination around the world.”
Connor Walcott is a staff writer covering politics, culture, and business for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X (Twitter).
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