Lululemon founder Chip Wilson blames board for 'Get Low' leggings recall

Businessinsider: Lululemon founder Chip Wilson criticized the company's recall of the sheer "Get Low" leggings, calling it a "new low" and saying the pullback was a result of the board's failures. Wilson wrote in a Wednesday LinkedIn post that the incident was a "total operational failure" and blamed the company's board, saying "I've believed that Lululemon has lost its cool for some time, but it is now evident to me that the Company has completely lost its way as a leader in technical apparel." He added that failures like this stem from the board's "lack of experience in creative businesses, disinterest in product development and quality, and focus on short-term, self-interested priorities." Lululemon told Bloomberg on Wednesday that the collection remained available in stores while online sales were temporarily paused because of guest feedback.

The recall came less than two years after the "Breezethrough" product line was pulled from the market in July 2024. Analysts at Jefferies said in a Tuesday note that the withdrawal "underscores ongoing execution issues in its core and raises further concerns about the durability of its innovation engine and premium positioning." Lululemon's stock was down about 10% over the past five days and has dropped more than 50% over the past year.

The company previously recalled 17% of its pants in 2013 for being too sheer, which it blamed on an incomplete testing protocol.

Key Topics

Business, Chip Wilson, Lululemon, Get Low Leggings, Breezethrough, Calvin Mcdonald