The encyclopedia · Product & Design · Product decision · 2013
Lululemon's yoga pants were see-through — then the CEO blamed women's bodies
In 2013 Lululemon recalled its black yoga pants because they were see-through. The CEO suggested some women's bodies didn't fit — and was forced out.
Lululemon Athletica · 2013-03
What happened
In March 2013, Lululemon Athletica, the premium yoga and athletic apparel brand, was forced to recall roughly 17% of its women's black yoga pants after customers complained that the fabric was see-through when they bent over. The recall affected a significant portion of the company's core product line.
The product failure was damaging, but the response made it worse. Founder and chairman Chip Wilson appeared on Bloomberg Television and suggested that the problem was not the pants but some women's bodies, saying the pants didn't work for 'some women's bodies.' The comment was widely condemned as victim-blaming and out of touch with the brand's core customer.
The recall cost an estimated $100 million in lost sales, and Wilson's comments triggered a governance crisis. He was pressured to step down as chairman later in 2013. The episode exposed a gap between Lululemon's brand promise of empowerment and the attitudes of its founder, and it took years for the company to rebuild its reputation.
Why it happened
- A quality-control failure in the core product (see-through fabric) affected 17% of women's black yoga pants.
- Founder Chip Wilson publicly blamed customers' bodies rather than acknowledging the product defect.
- The comments contradicted the brand's positioning around empowerment and inclusivity, alienating the core customer.
- The governance structure allowed a founder's personal views to become a brand-level crisis.
The lesson
When a product fails, the response matters more than the defect. Blaming the customer turns a recall into a brand crisis. A brand that promises empowerment cannot shame its customers.
Aftermath
Chip Wilson stepped down as chairman in 2013 and later left the board entirely. Lululemon rebuilt under new leadership, refocusing on product quality and brand values, and went on to become one of the most valuable athletic apparel companies in the world. Wilson later made further controversial comments about the brand's direction.
Sources
- Lululemon Athletica — Wikipedia (2013 recall, Chip Wilson controversy)
- Lululemon recalls pants for being see-through — CBC News (2013)
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