Lululemon Founder’s Diversity Comments Spark Backlash, Boycott Calls

Lululemon is facing boycott calls after founder Chip Wilson slammed the company’s diversity and inclusion policies.

The 68-year-old entrepreneur founded the Canadian-American sportswear brand in 1998, which has garnered a reputation for comfortable yet high-quality athletic apparel.

Wilson resigned as Lululemon’s Chairman of the Board in 2013 following comments he made criticizing women’s bodies. And although Wilson departed the retailer over a decade ago, his recent remarks on Lululemon’s efforts to be more inclusive have sparked boycott threats online.

In an interview with Forbes, the billionaire expressed disdain for the company’s “whole diversity and inclusion thing,” comparing Lululemon to the Gap.

“They’re trying to become like the Gap, everything to everybody,” he said. “And 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.”

Wilson also described models in Lululemon campaigns—who have a range of body types and skin tones—as appearing “sickly” and “unhealthy,” and dubbing them “not inspirational.”

Wilson’s remarks horrified people online, with several customers threatening to boycott Lululemon.

“Oh that’s no-” said Levnar on X, formerly Twitter.

“Wont be shopping there anymore!” agreed Mal.

“I appreciate when companies tell me that they don’t want money from my community,” said Neale.

“Y’all need to bankrupt the f*** out of Chip Wilson!” wrote @flawless_secret.

“Without inclusion watch those sales drop,” said @AngelXOXO33, while Josh commented: “We never liked them overpriced garbage clothes anyways.”

However, some people praised Wilson’s comments, with @AustisticDoctor_ writing: “Facts.”

“A lot of people are going to be mad at this but he’s right,” wrote @tasimetre.

“Not everything is or should be for everyone,” said Aphrodite. “He knows who his target is and they’ll continue shopping there. If a company doesn’t want ur business why force them to let u give it to them?”

Newsweek has reached out to Chip Wilson for comment via Instagram and Lululemon via email.

Speaking to The New York Post, a spokesperson for Lululemon said that Wilson does not represent the business or share its values.

“Chip Wilson does not speak for Lululemon, and his comments do not reflect our company views or beliefs,” the representative said. “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.”

This isn’t the first time that Wilson’s comments have sparked uproar. In 2013, he claimed a recall of faulty leggings was the result of wearers’ weight putting pressure on their material.

Lululemon’s famous black luon yoga pants were taken off shelves following reports the material was too sheer—revealing wearer’s butts—along with allegations of poor quality and piling fabric.

“Quite frankly, some women’s bodies just actually don’t work for [Lululemon pants],” Wilson told Bloomberg. “It’s really about the rubbing through the thighs, how much pressure is there.”

Lululemon was accused of attempting to defraud its shareholders by hiding defects in the material, leading to a lawsuit. Wilson stepped down later that year, removing himself from the board entirely in 2015.

In 2013, the company itself was accused of fatphobia. In an exposé published in The Huffington Post, a former Lululemon worker claimed its stores failed to restock their bigger sizes, or purposefully displayed them in an unattractive manner to discourage larger customers from buying and wearing their clothes.

“All the other merchandise in the store was kind of sacred, but these were thrown in a heap,” she told the website. “It was definitely discriminatory to those who wear larger sizes.”

Lululemon’s value has soared following Wilson’s exit. Since 2020, the brand’s stock price has increased by 130 percent, with the chain worth over $60 billion.

Despite its success, Wilson has excised himself as much as possible from the retailer. Over the years, he has sold three-quarters of his stake in Lululemon.

In 2013, Wilson owned 29 percent of the company’s shares, dropping to 13 percent in 2018 and 8 percent in 2024.

Despite its more inclusive image, Lululemon was forced to explain why it fired two staff members who confronted shoplifters in June 2023.

Jennifer Ferguson and Rachel Rogers were let go without severance pay after engaging with the alleged thieves in Lululemon’s store in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, catching the three suspects on camera.

Lululemon’s CEO, Calvin McDonald, defended the decision. He explained that the company has a “zero-tolerance policy” that forbids staff from interacting with potential shoplifters. The rules were put in place following previous incidents in other stores.

“They’re trained to step back, let the theft occur, know that there’s technology and there’s cameras and we’re working with law enforcement,” McDonald said.

“We take that policy seriously because we have had instances—and we have seen with other retailers—instances where employees step in and are hurt, or worse, killed,” he said. “And the policy is to protect them. But we have to stand behind the policy to enforce it.”