"See-Through Leggings" Encounter Cold Reception, Lululemon Founder Publicly Criticizes Board: Too Low
"This is a new low for Lululemon!" The company's new product "Get Low" leggings were complained about for being too sheer and have suspended online sales. The founder publicly criticized the board for their "lack of creative experience" and focus on short-term interests, calling this incident a "complete operational failure."
Lululemon founder Chip Wilson fiercely criticized the board over the new product "see-through" issue, calling it a "complete operational failure."
According to Bloomberg on January 22, Wilson posted on LinkedIn, stating, "This is a new low for Lululemon." He believes that such persistent failures stem from the current board's "lack of creative business experience, indifference to product development and quality, and focus on short-term, selfish priorities."
The controversy centers around Lululemon's newly launched "Get Low" series of leggings, which faced consumer complaints due to overly transparent fabric. Just days after the product launch, Lululemon suspended online sales of the series, although it continued to sell in stores.
The company stated on Tuesday that the suspension of online sales was to "better understand initial customer feedback and support product education," and it expects to resume sales soon.
This product misstep occurs at a critical moment as the retailer attempts to revive sales momentum and win back consumers. This is not an isolated incident; about 18 months ago, Lululemon withdrew its newly launched Breezethrough series due to customer feedback about poor fit. The latest misstep also recalls the 2013 recall incident when the brand faced a crisis due to its iconic yoga pants being too sheer.
Currently, Lululemon is experiencing a period of management turmoil. The company announced last month that CEO Calvin McDonald will step down at the end of January, and the board is searching for a successor. As one of the largest shareholders, Wilson has long publicly called for a restructuring of the board.
Meanwhile, pressure from the capital markets is also increasing. Activist investment firm Elliott Management has built a stake of over $1 billion in Lululemon and is working with former Ralph Lauren executive Jane Nielsen to exert influence over the company
