Source: NurPhoto/Getty
The founder of the sportswear giant Lululemon is facing fresh backlash after expressing distaste for the company's diversity and equality initiatives, prompting the company to distance itself.
In one interview, Lululemon founder Chip Wilson sparked more controversy when he expressed his frustration with the company's diversity and equity efforts, referring to it as “total diversity and inclusion.” The Vancouver, British Columbia native spoke up Forbes magazine for an in-depth profile interview when he made these remarks. He began by commenting on the brand's female-centric models in their ads, calling them “unhealthy”, “sick” and “uninspiring”.
Wilson would go further, stating, “They're trying to be like the Gap, everything to everybody. And I think the definition of branding is that you're not everything to everyone… You have to be clear that you don't want certain customers to come in.” The 67-year-old billionaire also slammed Lululemon's move to include plus-size people, carrying clothes that fit up to a size 20 in its six core styles, and called their expansion into menswear “disgusting.”
Wilson left the company in 2013 after noticing that the see-through effect of the athleisure brand's leggings could be blamed on “certain women's bodies”. “It's really about the rubbing on the thighs, how much pressure there is over a period of time,” he said. In a 2004 interview with Canada National Post Business Magazine, was heavily criticized after revealing his inspiration for the Lululemon name: “I recognized that the Japanese consumer liked a name with an L because the letter is not in the Japanese language. It sounded American,” he said at the time. “So I thought if I ever have another company, I'll put in three L's,” before adding “It's funny to see them try and say that.”
According to former employees interview last November, this culture of discrimination still exists. A statement released by Lululemon in response to Wilson's comments criticized the founder, saying, “Chip Wilson does not speak for Lululemon and his comments do not reflect the views or beliefs of our company. Chip has not been involved with the company since stepping down from the board in 2015 and we are a very different company today.” The spokesperson added: “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.”
