Lululemon Pulls 'See-Through' Leggings in the US Amid Founder Criticism

Chip Wilson, who left Lululemon a decade ago, argues that the company is no longer as distinctive as it once was and is less focused on making top-of-the-range products. He has also attacked the company’s board of directors, blaming them for taking the business away from what he sees as its original formula. • Lululemon boss: We want to be the number-one choice for athletes The problem of the see-through leggings has also reopened an old wound. In 2013 the brand recalled a significant portion of another range of leggings after complaints that they were too sheer, a crisis that became emblematic of operational strain after a period of breakneck growth. This week’s pause to sales also comes less than two years after Lululemon pulled its “Breezethrough” leggings within weeks of release after customers criticised the construction and fit. This week Wilson seized on the latest setback as proof that the company had drifted from its product-obsessed roots. In a LinkedIn post he called the incident a “new low” and a “total operational failure”, arguing that persistent problems reflected a board lacking experience in “creative businesses” and insufficient attention to product development and quality. In the same post he said he had believed “Lululemon has lost its cool for some time”. However, Wilson’s intervention is complicated by his own role in the brand’s history. During the 2013 see-through scandal, he drew condemnation after suggesting that “some women’s bodies just don’t work” for the company’s tight-fitting pants, remarks widely criticised as fat-shaming. • Lululemon shares fall as consumer confidence wanes That legacy has not been forgotten by critics who view Wilson as a liability. The Substack writer behind The Dandelion Tiger, a popular blog about about fashion, lifestyle and beauty brands, recently wrote that Wilson “doesn’t exactly make people want to root for him”. “He’s left the company now but I’m not sure if the new leaders are doing a great job of turning Lulu’s anti-diversity ‘anti-fat’ reputation around,” she added. Yet Wilson’s broad thesis — that the brand’s cultural power has dulled — is increasingly echoed among commentators who believe a “loss of cool” is behind the disappointing sales. In a Medium essay published in December, one writer described Lululemon as no longer “leading the room”. “The Dandelion Tiger makes a similar argument in blunter terms: “They are just not making things women want to wear any more.” The company did not respond last night when The Times asked it to comment or explain why the problematic leggings were still on sale in the UK. But in a previous statement, the company said: “We expect to bring the collection back to our North America e–commerce channels soon and the collection continues to be available in other markets.”