Lululemon Founder Rips Firm's Continued DEI Push

Lululemon Founder Chip Wilson Slams Company’s ‘Whole Diversity And Inclusion Thing’
Mr Wilson stepped down as Lululemon chairman in 2013.

Chip Wilson, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Canada-based apparel company Lululemon, has criticised the firm for its continued push towards diversity and inclusivity. In an interview with Forbes, Mr Wilson, who launched the activewear firm in 1998 in Vancouver, blasted his company’s recent moves to expand its product line to a wider market. He particularly criticised what he referred to as the company’s “whole diversity and inclusion thing”. He also claimed that he has a distaste for the appearance of the people in Lululemon’s ads, who he thinks look “unhealthy, sickly and not inspirational”.
“They’re trying to become like the Gap, everything to everybody,” Mr Wilson, who left the company in 2015, said. “I think the definition of a brand is that you’re not everything to everybody. … You’ve got to be clear that you don’t want certain customers coming in,” he told the outlet.

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However, in response to the article, Lululeom issued a statement distancing itself from the former CEO. “Chip Wilson does not speak for Lululemon, and his comments do not reflect our company views or beliefs,” the fitness brand said, as per NBC News. “Chip has not been involved with the company since his resignation from the board in 2015 and we are a very different company today,” the company added.

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