2012 versus 2015: nada jacket / fast and free crops / if you’re lucky tank / swiftly long sleeve
Although quality and design of products generally form the bedrock of most people’s purchasing decisions, the experience we have as customers and how the brand makes us feel is crucial in determining our loyalty to a brand (and how many “sins” we will forgive them for). I first started shopping at lululemon in 2012, but since then, how the brand makes me feel has changed a lot. I was curious to pinpoint exactly what underlies that change, so I dug through archives of lulu’s imagery over the years and found some really interesting answers.
Besides the impact on me as a customer, how lululemon presents their products and how that changes over time offers a lot of insight into how they see themselves as a brand. This branding indicates who they’re marketing toward, how they see themselves fitting into the competitive landscape, and their overall brand direction. In this post, I’ll survey how lululemon’s images have evolved from 2012 through the current spring 2015 season.
(Side note: I know I’m skipping over the earlier history of the brand before 2012, but in order to keep this post from turning into a dissertation, I’m sticking to this shorter, more recent time frame.)
Winter 2012: apres run anorak / yin me pullover, endless circle scarf, and wunder under pants / tea lounge pullover
Spring 2012: pack and go pullover / define jacket and bliss bag / cool racerback
Summer 2012: optimal tank / swiftly v-neck and sun sprinter shorts / hot but not tank
Looking at these photos, they seem happy to me: the clothes and the scenery are full of vibrant colors, and the designs are fun, feminine, and stylish. The models often are smiling and laughing. As humans, we are influenced quite strongly by facial expressions, so this is a particularly important point.
Taken as a whole, this kind of imagery tells me that the women in the photos live active, healthy lives that are full of fun and beauty. The mood is carefree, buoyant, and youthful. Instead of just showing a woman doing something active, lululemon does an excellent job of contextualizing fitness into a lifestyle that goes beyond their clothes. At the time, this strategy was pretty unique, and lululemon certainly led the pack in terms of execution.
Fall 2012: team spirit long sleeve / serenity sweater and hot spell tank / 105F bra
Winter 2013: don’t hurry be happy pullover / what the fluff vest / bold in the cold pants
Spring 2013: in the flow shorts / layer me long sleeve / swiftly long sleeve and pace crops
Summer 2013: scoop me up tank / stuff your bra / track attack skirt
Although there’s variation for the seasons, this look stays pretty consistent through fall/winter 2012 as well as spring/summer 2013. At the time, this was very aspirational to me: I wanted my life to feel more like what it looked like in those pictures. It had a visceral pull for me, the same kind of feeling you might get when you look through the Instagram of someone you really admire, for example. I got that feeling when I shopped in stores or online, and hints of it would come back when I wore my lulu out. Basically, my encounters with the brand both pre- and post-purchase made me feel not only more stylish and more legitimized as an aspiring fit person, but also more inspired to live a healthy, active life.
Fall 2013: ebb to street bra and wunder under pants / scuba hoodie / bend and flow tank
Winter 2014: fluff off jacket / track tee / 105F singlet and wunder under pants
Toward the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014, the photos started to appear darker and more stark. Since this was winter, it makes some sense that the mood would lean toward something a little more subdued for the colder, darker months.
Spring 2014: flow and go tank / flow y bra and rolldown wunder under crops / swiftly racerback
Summer 2014: cool racerback / 50 rep bra / ta ta topper and hotty hot skirt
But then when we moved into the spring and summer 2014 seasons, things didn’t brighten back up again like you might expect. Despite it being a happier season with happier colors, the photos are still somewhat dark and/or muted. Put another way, the saturation and highlights are very much toned down, the brightness is lower, and the shadows are darker. Models’ expressions appear more serious, and smiles and laughter are somewhere between rare and non-existent. Most of the outdoor photos were taken in beachy areas filled with rocks, sand, and less-than-vibrant brush.
Fall 2014: stash it tank / pleat to street skirt / seek the heat bra
Winter 2015: fluffed up jacket / speed tights / exquisite onesie
This trend continued into the fall and winter of 2014-2015. If I had to choose just one word to describe the vibe in these photos, it would be “moody”. The backdrops in the photos emphasize more concrete and industrial scenes or dark woods instead of brightly lit parks and trails. While the photos from earlier eras look warm and friendly, you could go so far as to say the mood in these is nearing something aloof and unapproachable.
Fall 2014: here to there tank / meesh tee / front racer tank
Even these photos, which appear to be taken in the sunshine, don’t have a particularly sunny look about them.
Spring 2015: ebb to street tank and in the flow crops / seva sweater / trail bound long sleeve and tracker shorts
As we now move into the warmer months, spring 2015 is staying true to the shadowy, sober ambience that now seems to mark the lululemon brand. Much like last spring, there’s little saturation and spring vibrance to be seen.
2013 versus 2014: flow and go tank / speed shorts / elevate tank / water bound shorts
Overall, the way these photos have evolved is representative of the other trends we’ve been seeing in the lululemon brand lately. A lot of the thoughtful, feminine details like ruching and ruffles have been phased out in favor of more streamlined designs. We’ve also seen a huge emphasis placed on transitional pieces and technical streetwear such as the infamous &go collections.
To me, all of this highlights lululemon’s desire to be taken a bit more seriously. The athleisure and fitness wear markets have blown up in the last couple of years, and lululemon has been scrambling to hang onto their market share as competition becomes increasingly fierce. But instead of updating their original aesthetic to be progressively more modern, they’ve pivoted to something quite different. Perhaps they feel a lighthearted and vibrant aesthetic cheapens their brand, and that this more moody look is more reflective of the luxury aspect they wish to cultivate. Their new focus seems to underline the brand’s desire to be seen more as a fashion brand that makes both activewear and streetwear rather than a cheerful fitness brand emphasizing health and happiness.
In my opinion, this strategy actually sacrifices some of their differentiating factors; it makes lululemon blend in more with competing brands instead of help set them apart. I imagine I’m not the only one for whom a vivid, upbeat mood ties in well with fitness, so I look back on years past fondly. Sadly, this new aesthetic does not resonate with me in the same way that their branding used to, but it appears this new look is here to stay.
I love this. Well written, thought provoking, and great insight. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, I’m glad you liked! :)
Fabulous post, and def thought provoking. The good old days of lulu…the happier, smiling, brighter images definitely made me feel more positive about my lulu purchases and even my working out than the stark, “moody” images they have been using in the last year. And now that I’ve seen them all nicely laid out, I find myself wondering if that is one of the reasons I was originally drawn to the brand, stuck with it, and now often feel ehn about quite a lot of the offerings.
Yes, I think that last sentence is my same progression: the early pics are what drew me in, then I stayed and got sucked into the world of other hardcore fans, and now I’m still here (obviously!), but somehow not as inspired as I used to be.
Well said. I feel the same! Btw, the older pics reminded me of some gems I own but haven’t worn in a while! Ink blot!
Great post. This does explain why I’ve been so “meh” about Lulu lately. The “fun factor” of the brand along with the small details that set their clothes apart from what we can buy at Target, Sports Authority, TJMaxx/Marshalls etc that drew us in are all but extinct now. It’s kind of sad. I also don’t like how stiff and mannequin-like the models on the website are now either. They always seem to look either pissed off or indifferent (course some of the designs lately would piss me off if I had to be photographed in them too – like the Forward Fold pants). Usually as companies age they get better. Smarter. This doesn’t seem to be the case with Lulu.
It’s been interesting to see that the vast majority of lulu’s more loyal/hardcore fans aren’t really buying into their new schtick. It’s funny, it almost seems like they are trying to start from scratch with an entirely new customer base, which is pretty ballsy considering how much they’d have to attract in sales to replace their original/older customers. Also, lol at the forward fold pants comment, so true. :)
This post is eye-opening! You’ve pinpointed what some of us have been feeling, but couldn’t quite verbalize why. I’ll be interested to see if we see a shift back to bright, mood-lifting images during the coming spring and summer months. Let’s hope so! Thanks for sharing. If this had been a dissertation I’d give it an A ;)
Thanks! I had a suspicion I wasn’t the only one who was searching for a concrete explanation. If last season is any indication, things probably won’t brighten up all that much in the summer, but I will definitely be watching closely to see how it differs (or not) from last summer.
Excellent write-up and i totally agree.
Thanks Eve! :)
Besides being “moody” and “serious”, I think what Lululemon has been trying to promote themselves as more of a technical brand. They want to be more cutting-edge with fabrics and designs that are meant for real athletes, people who are wearing the clothes to work out in and not just to look “pretty and feminine”. They want athletes that train hard to gravitate towards that brand instead of Nike. I rather there be purpose to that mesh detailing in my tank when I go for a run, than a band of ruffles simply for decoration like in the past. But, that’s just my thoughts.
Interesting point! It’s true that a lot of brands that have sprung up recently can sometimes neglect the technical aspects, so they want to distance themselves from that, and of course Nike, UA, etc have all been trying to step up their game. Some evidence in favor of your theory would be their expanding repertoire of fabrics (e.g., warpstreme, swim), their recruitment of Maya Gabeira for the swim line, and the pictures I’ve seen where the models look very sweaty or tired (which I didn’t really include here, but they exist). On the other hand, the big problem is that they have continued to fail to address their core product quality issues ever since their big fall from grace a couple years ago. Sheerness is still totally hit or miss, sizing is inconsistent (I’m lookin’ at you, speed shorts), plus common complaints of thin fabric, premature pilling, etc. Not to mention, feminine/cute and functional don’t have to be mutually exclusive–their gear from years past performed really well, ruffles and all. The fact that they had both functionality AND style was what got them such a foothold, after all, and I’m inclined to think that strategy was working for serious athletes as well as casual gym bunnies and SAHMs. If they ARE trying to attract more serious fitness enthusiasts, I would say they’re not doing it as well as they should be. They should really be honing in on their technical product quality instead of playing around with the whole athleisure wear thing, but I suppose quality has been sacrificed on the altar of growth. In sum: I suppose I could argue it either way. :)
Sorry that was so long. :P
That’s the overall feel that I’ve had too; that they’re really trying hard to compete with Nike, which honestly, I feel is a game they’re going to lose. I’ve been a life long Nike and Adidas customer but I was also a collegiate athlete and have played sports since I was a little girl. I’ve only recently come to be a Lulu customer but I’m now a stay at home mom who is considering becoming a yoga instructor. It makes me wonder if Lulu really knows what they’re customer base is and what portion of their loyal fan base they’re going to lose in their efforts to compete with companies like Nike. I have some Lulu pieces (nothing compared to my Nike & Adidas pieces, and I love my Stella McCartney yoga clothes) but what I really like the best about Lulu is their femininity and styling rather than technical performance aspects. I hope they don’t forget who they are and why people love them in the first place.
Good note, but I do want to say that I believe the older designs- ruffles and all- performed better than the newer gear. I’ve been wearing LLL since 2007, and my oldest stuff was my favorite. It is what made me passionate- and frankly evangelical- about the brand. Before LLL even came to the U.S. in my market, I had my family and friends wearing it. The Luxtreme run crops didn’t sag at the crotch or bag at the knees, the seams on everything were perfect, the designs so thoughtful- pockets where they should be, mesh was body mapped, etc.
LLL still does a lot of things well, but the quality of the fabric and the construction is no where near what it used to be. Case in point- last year I ran a half marathon in Moab, UT in Inspires from probably 2009. At one point we had to wade through waist-high water on the route, and my pants did not move. Not even a centimeter, and I was completely and totally dry in just minutes. My friend was wearing Inspire crops from that year, 2014, and she was a soggy, droopy mess for the last 4 miles of the race. It wasn’t even a contest.
The Luxtreme on mine was far superior, the fit was better, etc. The quality of the past 2 years doesn’t even hold a candle to what the brand was.
Also, I agree with the poster who noted that if LLL was going to take on Nike they were going to lose. LLL’s point of differentiation was the girly, pretty design. At this point Nike’s quality is no worse than LLL, and now that LLL designs pretty generic looking gear, there’s really not a lot of difference.
So, not to totally hate on LLL, but it’s so frustrating when a brand does something brilliantly, has explosive growth and a cult-like following, and then totally changes it. Uh, what? Some times when you have a good thing going, just keep going!
I used to buy between 5-8 pieces every month for years, and now I can’t even recall the last thing I bought something from LLL and didn’t return it. I’m on to new brands on Carbon 38, a lot of Athleta, some Sweaty Betty, Splits 59….
Thanks for the insightful post and your blog overall- it’s my new favorite read for LLL, and I love that you cover other athletic brands too!
Thanks Allie. :) I agree, it seems pretty ballsy that they would change course like this after building their success on something else. Time will tell whether it’s a good strategy for them. Also, that’s a really interesting story about the inspires. Most of my stuff is more recent, makes me wish I had jumped on the bandwagon earlier…
Well said. I miss the old lulu. Each upload continues to disappoint now.
I’m often underwhelmed as well. I tend to stick with new colors of old favorites and rarely feel much of a need to try their new designs.
I started with Lulu also around 2012. I am still an enthusiast but feel that something has been missing. Your post is perceptive, analytical and spot on. I am still hopeful at each upload looking for the occasional pieces that reflect the happy, bright, and feminine Lulu whom I felt in love with.
Yes, I have that “something missing” feeling as well. While, I’m certainly a fan of other brands that aren’t necessarily “happy” (so I could still be enthusiastic about the brand even if they moved past that), I’m not sure what it is about their current look that leaves something to be desired for me.
Thank you for this post – it’s spot on and an excellent overview of what many of us have been unable to fully articulate. I had been admiring LLL on my Pilates instructor for a year or so before I finally purchased my first piece around 2012, which still looks and feels brand new today! What turned me into a loyal customer was the quality, durable fabrics in functional yet feminine silhouettes with the added bonus of beautiful bright colors, ruffles and other girly details. These were items you truly couldn’t find anywhere else, which incidentally is also how I justified the price ;). The continued quality issues, blah colors for months on end, lack of feminine details, etc have been troubling. The recent phasing out of the scalloped edges on the 105F singlet is one of many examples of this trend toward becoming so…generic. Why spend $$ on stuff you can get anywhere, and for a lot cheaper? I do still check out the weekly uploads and head to my local store to try and score the random fun, unique piece, which turn up every so often. Here’s hoping they get back on track and return to the LLL we know and love(d).
That’s a great way to put it: generic! Without the scalloped edges on the 105, it really just looks Walmart. I found a lot of the winter tops released this year were lacking in functionality, like pockets. I still check the weekly uploads too, but at 40% of my former enthusiasm.
Yes, I agree that they are losing some of what makes them unique. Especially considering how many brands are trying to emulate lulu’s success, similar styles are available even at discount stores. It’s much harder to justify their premium price tag if the styling AND the quality isn’t there. :
great blog post! you always do a good job at explaining what you think and it’s very pleasant to read. you make valid points IMO.
also i just want to let you know that you wrote “Fall 2013” twice. it got me all confused. i was like, do i not have the same idea of chronological order than her!??? :P
Fixed, thanks! I had to go over it like 4 times before I saw the error…just proves I had been looking at this post for waaaay too long. :)
hahaha i guess i could have been more specific!
This makes me sad… Ugh how you’ve changed, lulu! :(
Yeah, both nostalgic and a little sad indeed. :
You are an excellent writer and very perceptive. May I add a couple of thoughts, in addition to your thesis of a mood change and “ruining” the little details that made LLL different from most sportswear on the market.
But in a different vein: perhaps the more serious mood is a response to the (eventually) embarrassing behavior to the sheer pant issue (in particular by the founder of the brand). Ie: they sobered up after a major faux paux reflected by their stock plummeting and successive bad quarter calls.
In regard to targeting a different audience: look at American Apparel, a company who made it big selling simple basic 100% cotton t-shirts, made in the USA. They too have had scandals and the need to remove their CEO. They’ve also completely changed their style and price point. (As many of us have complained about rising costs of WU, etc w/ LLL)
Companies get greedy or maybe bored or feel that they have to change with the times. I’m a cynic tho. Most companies are out to make money (as they have the right to do). But then look at company like Patagonia: they’ve been making excellent quality clothing for 30+? years; stand by their product and have a sense of ethics and a commitment to leaving a small “footprint”. For all LLL touts on those bags I think they carry a load of crap. Pun intended. And yet, I still look! But with a weary eye. ;)
Thanks Sara. :) You make a good point about their misc recent missteps and how that might tie in. Perhaps they felt their old image might’ve been interpreted as immature and foolish, especially in the context of their string of actual foolishness. I don’t think it’s cynical to suggest that companies often behave greedily (or maybe that just makes me a cynic too, hah). I’ve always felt like lulu doesn’t really practice all that they preach, and that most of their message is designed to create a certain ambiance rather than make a statement about how they conduct themselves from a business standpoint. That said, it’s probably worth noting that lulu IS a publicly traded company. They do have to please shareholders in a way that privately traded companies (like Patagonia) do not, and I often wonder how much that has influenced their decisions. For example, if they *really* wanted to bring back quality, they would have to *massively* scale back their production levels. Their rapid growth and increased demand meant that the quality simply could not scale up with their needs. And do you think shareholders would be down with them eschewing growth to cling to old-school quality? Uh-uh, no way. Shareholders don’t care about how sheer the pants are or how fast they pill as long as we keep buying, which apparently we do!
Great post! I’m new to Lulu- since August. I’ve amassed a large collection since then, but I look back at the 2012 pictures you posted and my first thought was “where can I buy that stuff?!” I love the more cheery look (not to mention the clothes are better!) and I’m bummed I missed it. I do barre classes and weights, but I like to have fun while I’m doing it- and I want my clothes to reflect that. I managed to snag a paradise grid CRB (which I had to order several times before the order actually went through) and that is the most color that I have. I’m hoping that since this is my first Spring/Summer with Lulu, I’ll start to see some brighter and more “fun” colors.
I kind of wondered how a more recent fan would feel about this, so it’s interesting to hear you chime in. :) With this post in mind, I’ll be really interested to see how lulu starts off their summer collection in May. I’m curious both for the color palette as well as how they “frame” things and whether it continues to be on the darker side of things, or if it cheers up a bit.
excellent post!! as usual, completely on point and so beautifully articulated! i am a lulu OG, lol, i’ve been an addict since near the beginning and thankfully have an awesome collection, i no longer even check the new uploads and this year i haven’t bought 1 thing, not 1 – my monthly amex statement use to be good for at least 8-12 lulu transactions, gone are those days – it’s a little sad. love your blog though and am so here for the sunday funnies –
Thanks Michelle! No lulu for you all year says a lot to me about how lulu’s new strategies just aren’t doing it for “older” lulu superfans (which you’d think would be the most important customer). My wishlist isn’t nearly as long as it used to be (for newer items, that is), but I’ve still bought a handful of items this year so far. Mostly, that’s just been staple pieces in nice new colors, basically zero seasonal items. I’m glad you can at least get something out of this site, though, even if it isn’t so much the lulu these days. :)
The seasonal items make me laugh, particularly the swimsuit lines that pretty much always end up in markdown…I mean if you are larger than a size 2 or have more than an A cup you are SOL with their bikinis. No offence to A-cups, I so wish I was not so amply endowed, but it still blows my mind that Lulu lemon can’t make a great sports bra for all body types…the TaTa Tamer is pretty good, but you can rarely find a 38DD, and nothing larger…
They definitely bias their bra styles toward lower support/coverage. Continuous thorn in my side and I’m not even *that* busty.
I’m a size 0 in clothing and a barely B cup and I can’t even wear their suits. It’s obscene. It’s horrible. They need to stop!
I agree with you, AA (And I love reading these types of posts, with more analysis – so many blogs these days no longer really comment much, but just post pictures!) but I’d add that lululemon has always tried to follow fashion and runway trends with their clothing, too. The stark/geometric/androgynous trend is pulled straight from runways and lulu tries to reflect this in its designs.
Yeah, they’ve definitely always been pretty fashion-focused, though it does seem like they may be taking that inclination a bit further now than they used to. I feel like usually brands try to marry runway trends with their unique brand image (which in this case, you could argue is lulu’s upbeat energy), but they don’t seem to be doing that nowadays for whatever reason.
You’re absolutely spot on! Lululemon has become so empty to me. I’ve been irrationally loyal to lulu since mid 2008. Each item purchased in that first three years remains in superior condition to anything purchased recently, especially the 2013 to present product. I have found that the technical quality of lululemon garments has greatly diminished. Back in 2008 I’d spent the 5 years prior buying Patagonia for my activewear (running, yoga, hiking) and all outerwear and found lululemon to be superior in femininity, fit, and performance (minus the outerwear). So I “switched” despite the bizarre customer service (return policy, limited stock, few markdowns, no online store (at the time), etc.). I couldn’t find any apparel as technical, high quality, or as pretty as lululemon gear. Now in 2015 lululemon not only produces mostly ugly things that don’t perform, but also sells them for MORE than Patagonia sells their high quality, technically sound, durable, and progressively more feminine garments. I’ve bought a few things this year from lululemon and will probably continue to buy things here and there, but my lulu detox has been going very smoothly – all thanks to the recently terrible products and dissipation of the sunny, lively, fun-loving image. Lululemon is not something I want to be a part of anymore. Well, that’s my novel, thanks again for your insight and honesty!!!
Glad this post struck a chord with you. :) Your Patagonia vs. lulu thoughts kind of illustrates what I meant toward the end of the post: lulu has progressively been eschewing much of what used to be their “unique value proposition”. Even if they want to evolve as a brand, it’s important that they still offer something beyond brand recognition to continue to thrive as a company. They still have some of that left, but it’s harder to see and to justify, especially as more and more options are becoming available at many price points. Also, you are the second person to point out Patagonia in the comments. Since I live in such an outdoorsy place, I really ought to try out some of their stuff…
sign up for their mailing list. sometimes they have 50% off sales. their stuff is bomber. definitely lasts. and their down products use traceable down, no live-plucking or force feeding. I usually snag a down puffer or vest when they do markdowns even if it won’t be used until the next season.
they do make some athletic gear (running, gym, yoga, etc) but I mainly get stuff geared more towards outdoor stuff like hiking and backpacking.
Thanks for the tip!! Mostly I’m interested in their jackets, since I could definitely use another one of those.
Wow – nicely stated. Good to hear from a long time athlete with a lot of perspective.
Oh you are bang-on with your observations in this post. I have noticed the website pictures getting worse and thought maybe they were needing some new models, and definitely a new photographer! It never occurred to me that they were striving for this branding, and intentionally making beautiful girls look moody and bored.
I bought my first Lulu piece in 2009, and definitely miss the beauty and special detailing in their garments that seemed to fall by the wayside a couple of years ago. Prices are sky-rocketing, and the designs have become desperate and ridiculous overall. When there is a rare piece that seems to be really popular (stress less pullover?) it seems to be only available in black, white, navy/inkwell and one other random (neon) color. I haven’t been tempted to but a CRB in ages because the colors/prints/scratchy fabrics have been awful (c’mon…brown?!). I keep hoping Lululemon won’t interpret this to mean the CRB should be discontinued…
I am grateful the older pieces I have are holding up to wash after wash, even though my thighs do rub together (lol, Chip Wilson and his jacka** comments)…because I sure haven’t been spending much on new products in the last year.
Thanks for this post and your insightful comments, hopefully the CEO is listening!
Thanks Natalie. It would be awesome if HQ was listening in to all this. ;) I do agree that “desperate” does describe quite a few of the designs lately. “Uhhhh mesh is trendy right now, let’s just put some everywhere and that’ll be popular, right?” Perhaps not…
I agree, your use of the word “desperate” really strikes me as being spot-on and perceptive.
I have completely fallen out of my “Lulu” spell over the last couple months. I just find their designs dull and boring. I was going through my dresser looking for items to resell, and I noticed most of my pants/crops I have kept are not Lululemon. I think there are a lot of other brands (e.g., Beyond Yoga, Lorna Jane, Victoria Secret, Athleta, Yogasmoga) that do just as good in regards to simple yoga crops. I do like Lulu’s pique or herringbone and still adore their Inspire Crops…but that’s it. I did keep a lot of my tops. I love the CRBs, but lately no great solids. I love their Formes, but did the Forme die with the reincarnation of the Define?
A girl only needs so many yoga pants….and I have too many to count so they will have to significantly up their game for me to nibble. I’m glad to finally move on from my unnecessary obsession….it would take me probably 2 months of daily wear to run through all of my bottoms and tops. If they are trying to “blend” in with their competition, they are doing a pretty good job.
I recently invested my money in a Chloe bag….while there is a bigger sticker shock with a handbag, I would rather spend it towards something I use almost daily than a few pairs of leggings that I will wear a handful of times.
I am missing your blog, “Insightful Athlete”…I always enjoyed your Lulu reviews, but more than that I loved your fitness posts and found them inspiring, made me wish there was a trapeze class offered in my city! I hope your break from blogging is only temporary!
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed my blog! Unfortunately, I don’t know when I would start my blog back up again. A lot of things have happened over the last 2 years…..I’m getting married this summer.
I have thought maybe I would start it back up again….especially since we are wanting a family. Would nice to scope out all of the maternity fitness apparel. Waiting for things to be a little less hetic since I’m moving and starting a new chapter in my life.
Interesting to hear your input re: selling off a lot of your lulu while keeping a lot of your competing brands’ stuff. I’ve noticed that basically all I buy (from lulu) lately is core items in new colors I like (energy bras, speeds, CRBs), and zero seasonal items. (Btw, yeah, I do believe the forme died when the define came back, which is kind of sad for me since I don’t love the gigantic logo on the define.) Their seasonal, non-basic designs really don’t have a lot going for them compared to a lot of their competitors.
I really like Lorna Jane’s bras….to me, there are so many fun colors and variety. I’ll go to LLL for my tank tops, anything french terry, and pretty jackets…that seems to be it lately. While I’ve found other brands for pants and bras, I don’t think I’ve found a store that I love the tops just as much (except maybe my Hard Tail slouch back pullover).
I can’t even buy a Forme because it seems like they disappeared again….I liked the longer length on the Forme compared to the Define. I was going to sell two of my Formes, but I think I’m going to keep them now that they don’t seem to make them anymore.
I really like LJ’s bras in theory, they have such cute and fun designs and colors. I recently went to LJ and tried on bra after bra to no avail. Sadly, I desperately need their XXS for my child-sized rib cage, and they only sell that size in Aus. :( #fwp Also, I’m in the same boat that I have a hard time finding tops to replace lulu. That’s partially due to fit (see above re: really needing XXS for tops, which virtually no one makes), but also because I haven’t found the fabrics/technical aspects to be as good.
Great post and discussion. Like one of the other commenters, I do wonder whether the serious image is because they want to be taken more seriously. One of my local Lulu stores is in a high-end mall surrounded by Coach & Juicy Couture boutiques. I have heard people say they thought Lulu was simply lounge wear for rich people. So it’s interesting to read the comment about how Lulu WAS known for its technical quality & how that’s fallen off in recent years. My Lulu obsession & my starting to run happened at about the same time, so I never really tried the athletic brands like Nike, UA, etc. But I have never had a problem with Lulu’s quality & durability, so why wouldn’t I buy something that’s cute in addition to functional? I do like some Athleta things for running, but I still think Lulu is the best for run gear. I agree with whoever said that anyone can make good basic yoga tights though. My $30 Fabletics tights are just as good as Lulu or YS. One other note is the discrepancy between the photography & some other aspects of their brand. If you watch the video for their Sea Wheeze half marathon, it’s filled with bright colors, lots of smiles & laughter, and fun music. Their jokey product names & email headings are laid back & try to be fun. And the vibe in the stores is always fun music & lots of smiles.
I agree with both of your comments about SW and their silly emails/headings. I also agree that the stores are still pretty fun, although I imagine that transforming their stores would be a HUGE undertaking, comparatively speaking. I have also noticed that the SW stuff has continued to be very bright. On the flipside, the SW14 campaign might’ve been put together and shot before some of these changes had really taken hold, so it will be very interesting to see if SW15 stays closer to the brighter, happier vibe or adopts the same seriousness that’s elsewhere. To your other point, if they want to be taken seriously, it’s a bit odd that they would continue to make 15-year-old boy sexual innuendoes all the time. Bit of a disconnect there…
I’m still kicking myself that I didn’t buy a dbhb, I even put it in the cart, but then told myself that I couldn’t afford both it and the off the mat jacket (which is my beloved). Now I look at the eBay auctions and shudder.
Oh yeah, I can imagine! At least the other item in question ended up being a good one too. :)
Maybe they needed to reach out to new audiences since they’ve expanded so much, and that’s what they thought they were doing? (They probably didn’t think they were leaving their previous fans behind, though.) I feel like the moody imagery is more influenced by the rapid rise of CrossFit though rather than high fashion or something else.
Looking at the contrast you showed us between a look of practical, cheery gear for your activities and the new “aloof and unapproachable” imagery, I feel like the latter indirectly conveys a materialism that the former didn’t, and I wonder if that has something to do with my own “cooling off.” Either way I am definitely a fan of the “happy, healthy, active life” approach. Not enough of that in the world IMO. My first reaction when I read this was “sad” (like a couple other commenters) and I think, for me, that’s why.
It’s interesting how many theories people have floated out there on this topic! I suppose we might never know. I can definitely see why you say the current look is more materialistic. Perhaps it’s snootier, which you could then associate with pretentious people who care more about their stuff than the quality of their life or the people they’re around. I’m curious to see whether they “correct” at all and brighten up a little bit after swinging too far this way, or if they’ll just continue like this indefinitely. I think the summer campaigns will be very indicative of that.
Agreed! Very interesting discussion, I’ve enjoyed reading everyone’s ideas and reactions to your article :)
I really like this article. I would love to see you do more like this in the future about Lulu and other brands.
Thanks! :) I’ve been thinking about writing more like this, so it’s nice to know that someone would enjoy them! :)
It is so good to know that I am not the only one missing the old-school Lululemon… I actually rarely buy anything anymore :( I do miss the old LuLu; the items, the photography and models to sell, etc… such is life, I guess!! Wish you all well; thank you, Agentathletica, for your writing.
Yup, and of course brands don’t way to stay too stagnant and want to change. But I miss many of the old styles too! :\
Here we are in 2021 and I feel the brand got worse! Muted colors, shrinking tops and hem lines pilling on the align pants and models that the majority of the time don’t look athletic at all!