With new fitness fashion brands popping up virtually every single day, everyone wants to know: who’s going to be the next lululemon? Lululemon has enjoyed a meteoric path to multi-billion-dollar success since their inception in the 90s. They’re pretty much THE brand that created the fashionable, functional activewear niche.
Photo: shot by Julia Romano Photography, original post here
But lululemon isn’t what it used to be. Their quality has suffered, their corporate leadership has experienced considerable turmoil and turnover, their stock prices have faltered several times over the past couple of years, and they’ve been plagued by one PR debacle after another.
The combination of a rough couple of years for lulu plus a rapidly growing activewear market has opened the door for other brands to swoop in and chip away at lulu’s previously uncontested share of the market. Although lulu has been synonymous with high-end, stylish activewear for years, the game is changing fast, and the future of the fitness fashion space is anything but certain.
All that said, lululemon’s success is not nearly as simple as just making cute workout clothes. There’s a whole slew of things that made them an innovative, powerful force in the marketplace. Although lululemon is far from a perfect company, there’s a lot to learn from what they’ve created. Personally, I’ve been a fan of lululemon for a long time, but my love is waning and my gaze is wandering. Lately, I’ve been trying dozens of luxury activewear brands in search of a brand I love just as much, if not more, than lulu. Through that process, I’ve come up with a few things that I believe are the most important aspects to creating an unstoppable fitness fashion empire.
So: who’s going to be the next lululemon? Whoever can do all of this.
1 | Don’t sell us sheer pants
Seriously, just don’t do it. Despite lululemon’s sheer pants scandal 3 years ago, less-than-perfect coverage is still a recurring problem not just at lululemon, but with countless other activewear labels, too.
It’s incredibly embarrassing to discover your pants are see-through when you’ve been wearing them for a while, and that kind of embarrassment is not something you want associated with your brand. Yes, it’s possible to make a high-stretch, high-performance fabric that doesn’t turn sheer when we bend over. Yes, it’s even possible to make light-colored fabric–including white!–that isn’t see-through. I don’t want to worry about the color of my underwear, and I don’t want to worry about rushing to claim the squat rack in a secluded corner simply because of the pants I’m wearing.
Build a brand that we can trust to literally cover our butts, no questions asked.
2 | Fit matters
Proper fit is the bedrock of fashion in general, but it’s especially crucial when it comes to what you wear when working out. The perfect fit not only looks better, it feels and performs better, too. Lululemon offers most styles in 6 sizes, and the subtle differences between sizes mean women have more choice and therefore more odds of getting the perfect fit. While it may seem small, a half inch here or a quarter inch there can make a huge difference. Think of it like jeans: if my only choice of jeans sizes were XS, S, M, or L, the chances of me getting that perfect pair is a whole lot smaller than being able to choose anything from size 24 to 32.
Another important aspect of fit that lululemon really nails: designing for athletic bodies. It might not work to take traditional fashion patterns and expect them to work for athletic clothing. Lululemon has endeared themselves to female CrossFitters, bodybuilders, and weightlifters, for example, because they flatter an athletic frame and stretch to comfortably accommodate more developed muscles. Yes, athletic bodies come in all manner of shapes and sizes, but you should strive to use fabrics and patterns that don’t exclude the athletic set. If your tights feel like a straitjacket on someone with even medium-sized calves, you’re limiting you reach in a really important way.
3 | Be good to your community of fans
From my perspective, lululemon’s fan base is a huge part of how they became what they are today. From getting excited over the latest product drops, to helping each other out with try-on reviews, to buying and selling from each other, the lululemon community is extremely vibrant. For me personally, the online community of lululemon fans is a huge reason why I got so deep into the world of lululemon. It took me from simply being interested in lululemon to being a voracious consumer. I’m sure I’m not the only one for whom that’s true.
Be supportive of a community where people talk about your brand and share their love of what you create. Even if it’s not all roses and rainbows talking about how great your brand is all the time, the presence of a community in the first place is invaluable (not to mention, it can be a source of incredible customer insight). Sharing those experiences and opinions with others has a way of drawing us in and deepening our love for a brand.
4 | Make clothes for working out
No, really for working out. Gear should be able to perform well for more than just running errands and going to brunch.
I’m always surprised at the number of styles I try that omit an important technical detail (or several). Yes, style is important to us, and I love being able to wear my workout clothes casually, but style shouldn’t come at the expense of function. Although we might make an exception for a style or color we really love, a brand isn’t going to occupy an elite position in our closets if it doesn’t absolutely nail the technical side.
Here are a few things this might mean. First off, use fabrics that can withstand the activity they’re intended for. I expect my clothes to be able to withstand serious fitness (which isn’t always delicate!), not just sitting around at home on the couch. Use flat seams. Sew in a gusset. Make a bra that supports more than just smaller busts through a long run. Cleverly place pockets on styles that might need them. Add zippers or reflectivity where it makes sense. Better yet, come up with something completely and totally new that we’ve never seen before. If there’s one thing lululemon has taught us, it’s that clever function and style are not mutually exclusive.
5 | Product flaws are not our fault
Here’s another one that should be obvious, but sadly, apparently is not. Lulu has struggled with this plenty of times themselves, and it has a big impact.
It’s a terrible tactic to imply that we did something wrong and that’s why your product didn’t work out. Don’t tell us the sheerness is because we’re in the wrong size. Or worse, that your pants are sheer because we’re not supposed to bend over in them (what?!). Don’t tell us your pants fell apart because we must not know how to treat them and how to wash them. Even if you’re right, there are better ways to help the customer have a good experience and love your brand that don’t involve condescension or blame-shifting. Take note of the service recovery paradox.
6 | Create a brand that makes us feel things
When I first started shopping for lululemon years ago, it had a strong effect on me. Their imagery drew me in–in fact, I wrote a whole post on lululemon’s use of imagery and branding. The subtle message I heard was “girls who wear our clothes are healthy, stylish, balanced, and glowing”. Those were all things I wanted to be, so I pined after lulu because not only were the clothes cute and good quality, it was symbolic of the kind of life that I wanted to build for myself. And indeed, when I bought my first few pieces, they gave me an undeniable spring in my step.
It might sound incredibly lame, but branding works. Don’t just sell products. Create an experience that makes us crave what you’re offering. The identity behind lulu is so powerful and meaningful that I’ve literally seen people with tattoos of lulu’s logo. Lululemon’s leadership harps on “brand experience” all the time, and while sometimes it’s couched in incredibly cheesy terms, the underlying concept is vital.
7 | Chase innovation
Since their inception, lululemon has been ruthlessly devoted to innovation. Yes, sometimes this results in some really, really weird stuff and some total flops, but it’s also led to huge wins and really clever stuff. Think of how your fans are using your products and strive to come up with creative ways to facilitate that. If there’s something about your gear that makes our workouts more convenient (like large pockets for runners), you better believe we’re going to reach for your styles first.
Innovation is especially important with fabrics. Always be pushing the envelope and looking for the latest and greatest technology, instead of simply snagging a random stretch fabric and sewing it into a cute style. Women love lululemon because the fabrics they use have a way of hugging our curves and making us feel like a million bucks in a way that other active fabrics may not.
Sensing the recurring theme? Making a cute design is one thing. Creating a reputation for blowing us away with function is harder, but so, so important.
8 | Don’t compete on price
This one might be a little contentious, but in my opinion, simply making a cheaper alternative of lululemon isn’t going to make you anywhere near as successful as lululemon. Yes, there’s a need for options that suit a range of budgets, and businesses can definitely be successful by targeting a specific price range. But if you want to become a brand as iconic as lulu has become, you don’t build that brand simply by making something inexpensive (unless you’re Walmart).
The thing is, when lulu started off, it was pretty much unheard of for women to spend as much on activewear as lulu was asking. And now, thanks to lulu, paying $100 for yoga pants is a pretty normal thing. Ultimately, the quality and brand reputation were so much more important to customers, and now lulu has countless shoppers who hardly bat an eye at the price tag–and plenty more who hem and haw but buy anyway.
Case in point: despite lulu’s controversial price increases last fall, their revenue in the quarter immediately after grew by a whopping 17%. Clearly, customers are willing to pay. If you create a brand with an amazing reputation and an undeniably fantastic product, you earn enormous pricing power.
9 | Learn from us
Lululemon gathers customer feedback in stores, through reviews on their website, and through their online feedback forum. They also make a point to gather detailed feedback from official brand ambassadors and product testers. Granted, lululemon isn’t a perfect example and sometimes we customers still feel like lulu doesn’t listen to us. But looking at the bigger picture, they’ve made a clear effort to talk to people who are really using their clothes and find out what’s working and what’s not, even if they do sometimes ignore big pieces of that feedback. From my perspective, their dedication to systematically gathering real world input on fit and function has greatly informed their brand strategy and product design.
P.S. That community from #3? Here’s where it might come in handy.
10 | Don’t try to be lululemon
Strictly speaking, no one is going to be “the next lululemon”, because no one can be better at being lulu than lulu themselves. You’re never going to reach the top by imitating. Don’t always just talk about your brand in terms of how it compares to lulu. Yes, of course it’s nice for your brand to compare favorably to your competitors, but a brand should stand alone as awesome, without the need for comparison. Build a brand that’s innovative and irresistible in its own way. Yes, learn from other’s mistakes and take note of what made them successful. But at the end of the day, aspiring brands shouldn’t try to replicate another brand’s journey, but must instead come up with their own way to offer something uniquely fantastic.
What do you think?
What are the most important aspects of your love for lululemon? What it would it take for you to fall just as hard for another brand?
Totally love this article and the community part makes so much sense. I think it is the functionality, I can go from church to barre and tea in just 1 outfit.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! :)
This post is killer. I think I might be obsessed with your blog. AND, like others have said before me, you are an excellent writer. I’m an ex-scientist turned professional writer SO I KNOW. lol.
For me it’s function and fit. Almost every time I try on lulu, I think “holy sh** these look awesome… dang my butt looks amazing… wow there are 7 pockets… CUFFINS… etc.” I often don’t buy things cause I don’t like the color, print, price, etc., but very rarely is it because of fit/function. With other brands, I very often return for fit/function reasons.
P.S. For so many up and coming brands, I actually think your blog is the closest thing to a community they have. Your blog is the community for non-lulu, high-end athletic/athleisure wear!
totally second this. a lot of times if I am looking to try a new brand, I search your blog to see if you’ve reviewed it! :)
Thanks Carrie, always appreciate your support. :) I agree with you on fit/function not being the problem with lulu, but a common reason for returns with other brands.
This is on point. Nice job. I am one of the early LLL adopters (maybe around 2006), and I used to be completely die hard Lulu– but the quality and design warranted it back then. In the past 2-3 years have branched out more and more. I try lots of new brands based on your reviews, and I also check sites like Carbon38 and Bandier with great regularity to see what’s new.
I will agree with you that function is ABSOLUTELY key.
I am loving the Carbon38 house brand (their sprinter capris are my wash and repeat in cooler weather), Michi bottoms for running (who knew!? Their fabric is light as a feather, wicks, and NO crotch droop!), and Athleta Chi tanks for crossfit, running, everything. I size up in the Chi for a loose fit, which means no ride up, plus they’re easy to tie in a knot or tuck in when I’m doing something crazy at crossfit.
Thanks for all your work on this blog. I check it every day!
Thanks Allie! :) I wish Michi offered a size that fit me a bit better, since I really do love everything about the crops besides the too-big fit. And I’m obsessing over their new snake print. I haven’t checked out Athleta’s chi tank, but sounds like I should. :)
I agree wholeheartedly with this post! I also was an early LLL adopter, but have not purchased a single LLL item for over a year!! I have drifted towards brands that aren’t fragile, are functional, and perform for me! For me, that is ALALA for bras and crops, TEEKI leggings for pilates/going around town/lounging, aloyoga tops for cute style and function.
Now I’m pregnant and definitely have my eye open to other brands that cater to maternity/nursing activewear since I require high coverage bras. THANK GOODNESS for my ALALA bras and teeki leggings as they do not have elastic in their waistband!:)
Thanks for your input, and I’m so glad you liked the post. :) Btw, for maternity things, someone I follow on Insta has been talking a lot about Caden Shae. They’re based in NZ, but depending on how hard that kind of thing is to find, it could be worth a shot.
lululemon is trying to sell this holistic vision of a beautiful healthy life but their corporate nature is very apparent, in my opinion. you get smaller brands like alala or k-deer, many of which make their stuff in the usa and use environmentally friendly dyes and techniques (teeki uses recycled PET bottles!). there is potential there for something else. i don’t know. i never jumped on the lululemon bandwagon. i do have some stuff from them because it’s functional/flattering, but i still tend to feel like i’m being duped whenever i buy from them.
I agree, a lot of lulu’s corporate practices are very off-putting to me too. Even if I pay a higher price, I often feel better about buying from smaller brands too.
Totally agree with all you said. Been a fan since the early days at least 10 years ago and still wear things that are that old. Wish I could say the same for something I just purchased from them last year.
I too need it to perform not just look cute or have an amazing colour.
Wish they would use the feedback they get day after day about staying true to how they used to be.
Sure I get the need to keep up with everyone else but they are not everyone else, soon they will not be special in my eyes as they once were, sad….
I also have checked out other brands and a couple years ago wouldn’t have even have thought of it.
Great blog by the way I check in with you daily..
Thanks!
If this company existed I’d be broke!
I do wish more brands would expand on sports bras for ladies over a DD cup – busty women workout, too, and it really is possible to make a sports bra that supports larger cup sizes. There are a few brands that make DD+ sports bras, but frankly a lot of them come in bland/unattractive colors or prints, OR they just come in black/nude/white. I would seriously throw away so much money if I had the same kind of choices in sports bras that smaller chested ladies do.
Agreed! Try panache sport btw. Great shape for busty ladies.
Panache is great! I also really love Shock Absorber, which offers a wireless option (I’m pretty well studied on sports bras out of necessity).
Hahaha, so true about being broke. Also very true that I would spend a lot of money on cuter options for more robust support. I agree that a lot of high support options are pretty boring, at best.
I’ve been buying Lulu for over 5 years, and despite looking (a LOT!) at other brands, I always seem to gravitate back to lulu for the reasons you mentioned in your post. I seem to have been lucky and avoided the quality issues people talk about – in 5 years I’ve had 1 snag in 1 swiftly – and I have 10 that I wear regularly. Other brands don’t seem to get it ALL right, for example Lorna Jane have nice designs but their fabric and colours fall short. For me, lulu is reliable in
making me look as good as I’m ever going to.
Yeah, I’ve found that other brands can get some things right, but usually not everything. And so I keep coming back to lulu…just not as often as I used to. Thanks for chiming in, Rae! :)
i have to 2nd Rae’s comment…i live in new zealand and was admiring lulu for a while when it hit nz shores (about 4 years ago). i do come back to lulu but it’s due to nz being like mars (seriously!) and i DO agree with the post re how lulu’s quality goes down and down and down and doesn’t seem to freaking pick up. there’s lululemon Lab now which sells lulu things at premium prices. and i still have some lulu stuff i bought 4-5 years ago and they’re pretty good quality wise…still (given they’re through so many washing cycles) and whatever lulu is producing now is…meh. and i agree about the pricing – you do NOT want to make good quality apparel at cheaper prices (i mean you just cannot). but the Americas have so much choice i literally drool every time i hit carbon38, bandier, or styleRunner or other activewear apparel sites. again, i don’t mind the prices but if i buy leggings at $150USD i kind of expect something…so far no one -2xu, skins, lucasHugh, athleta etc – has delivered hence my endless come backs to lulu (at least they have shops here). btw SRP – hahahh never heard of and yeah…you learn something new every day. thank you Agent Athletica! also point #9 – i always always go and check reviews on the us and canada lulu sites as everything – almost everything – has got reviews there. yes it was a rant on my side. thanks for the post AA. :-)
Yeah, I definitely feel for you being outside of the US–I can imagine how frustrating that would be. Australia has a fair few of their own brands and retailers, but of course that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re readily available in NZ, too. Thanks for chiming in, and hopefully you’ll find some good options for your part of the world soon. :)
Great post! Your writing is fantastic!
I’m a relative newcomer to Lululemon (2013) and found items way more functional then than they are now. The Vitasea and Rulu were thicker, the winter run tops were more functional with more than one pocket (seriously, one pocket??) and there were tons of cute little ruffles and scalloped edges that were so feminine and whimsical. I’m not seeing these things in new releases and my purchases have subsequently slowed significantly.
Yeah, I’ve only been around lulu since about 2012-2013, but I’ve noticed a lot of the same differences that you pointed out. A lot of the specialness factor has faded.
I think you hit almost all of the major points, but one thing you neglected that lulu does better than any other brand- make yourselves a little bit elite/unattainable to the masses. and by “masses” I mean the 50% of the population that is overweight/obese. Don’t get me wrong, I used to be obese, and as someone who was really obese one of my “big goals” was to own an outfit from lululemon. Knowing that they only went to a size 12 was something that kept most people I knew from darkening their door. We were relegated to Old Navy, Under Armor and other online stores. And believe me- once I owned an outfit (not even a year ago!) I was HOOKED. It was everything you mentioned! You go in and EVERYONE is fit, healthy, attractive. It’s not that way at other atheletic stores. In my experience, even at Atheleta you’re more likely to see an “average” size or overweight person than someone who looks sporty.
On top of that- those lulu girls remembered EVERYTHING about me, they still do. Just yesterday (with this post in mind) I went into my store (which I visit about twice a month) and one of the ED’s introduced me to a new girl, she told her I run in the summer and practice yoga- she even told her which studio I practice at, which pants and tops I usually like and remembered I’m training for a half marathon. This hasn’t just happened to me at my local store- I also frequent a store in Kansas City about once every couple months when I visit my brother, before my 10k last fall I spent a few hours in there (my first BIG lulu trip) and when I walk in the girls still welcome me BY NAME and ask how my running is going and if I’m going to do the race this fall too. They also gave me a free pair of socks before that 10K! I’ve also had 2 items I’ve sent to lulu that they’ve replaced without question- one was just a broken little zipper pull (they gave me a new scuba) and the other was a mat that had discolored following their care instructions (they upgraded me to the BIG mat).
That kind of customer experience no longer exists outside of the walls of high end department stores, in my experience. It’s basically turned me from someone who had never shopped there as of August 2015 to someone who is dropping $300 a week at their store. My brother works for a marketing agency and is GENUINELY fascinated by their branding strategy- quick turnover of new merchandise, the fangirls, the high pricepoints..but I told him that what it boils down to is this- it’s an elite club, and once you’re in the door it’s like you’re VIP.
Interesting points! That kind of store experience seems to be hit or miss, in my experience. When I lived in NC, most of the eds knew me by name. But now, living in the southwest, I’m pretty much invisible when I go to a store (though granted, I’m usually there during the weekend when it’s quite busy.) As to your other point, I think that little bit of elitism both helps and hurts them. Like you explained, it definitely helps people feel special, but on the other hand, sometimes they take it too far. So to me, it seems like a mixed bag. Thanks for your thoughtful comment! :)
I’ve only gotten into Lulu this past year, so I have no idea how it used to be. I still consider it to be so much better than what I’m used to so I can’t imagine how great it used to be!
Haha, seriously. Even though I’ve been buying for a couple years, I still missed what was considered THE height of lulu quality, so I feel much the same way!
If I purchased a pair of lulu pants today for the first time, I’d return them immediately and they would never see me again. There are so many better quality options out there for much less.
I have been buying lululemon since I first saw it worn on Oxygen Magazine back in 2002. Back then it wasn’t even sold in the US and I had to have it imported from Canada which took forever. If you can believe I still have some of those pieces in my collection. I remember getting my first pair of capri’s and tank and thinking “whoa these are constructed beautifully.” I also have a degree in clothing design and have been sewing since I was 11. I’m 40 now and its been helpful considering the fact that I’m 5′ tall and have to alter 90% of my things. I love this post because it says everything I’ve always thought. Why is it so unreasonable to want my workout wear to look good and work as hard as I do? I own a poop ton of active wear because I’m fortunate enough to work from home so I get to wear it all the time. I also workout 6 days a week and it helps to always be dressed for a workout. No excuses. One thing I wish athletic wear companies would sort out is to figure out a way to make fabric that can be washed and withstand constant use. I get it. Wash with like fabrics in cold water I can deal with that but hang dry and pilling with repetitive use. I can’t deal with. I hate that I have to go to extreme measures for my active wear to be washed. My kids think I’m a nut that it takes me so long to turn all my leggings inside out and that I wash them with special soap and that I will go ape crap if a face towel or a pair of jeans goes in the wash with them. Why is it unreasonable to expect active wear to be able to survive a normal wash? Especially when I expect it to withstand my workout. I don’t want to have to wait till its a full moon and do the hokey pokey, make the sign of the cross, say a prayer and use bottled water for my stuff to survive a washing. My active wear consists of brands all across the gambit. From high end to low end and nothing pisses me off more when my low end stuff washes and lasts longer than the high end stuff. I can’t deal with “sheergate” in my bum area either. Alo yoga I’m talking about you. Beautifully designed pieces but with repeated washes “sheergate” butt crack alert. Form follows function. The architects from the 1900’s figured it out. Heck even the ancient Egyptians. Oh and someone please design a pair of white leggings that isn’t sheer.
Ya know, one of the conundrums I’ve always had with luxury workout gear is the whole “designed to withstand your toughest workout” mindset, but oh, dear gawd don’t just throw it in the washer like a normal piece of clothing! If a brand took that attitude with, say, a pair of jeans, which is also meant to hold up to a lot of wear, we’d all think that was just ridiculous. I know there’s a big difference between jeans and workout tights, but man, wouldn’t it be great if I could just wash my tights without it being a grand event?
I don’t separate my workout gear and haven’t had a problem. I might throw a swiftly into a lingerie bag if I think about it, but otherwise I just throw everything in (close zippers on jeans,etc), and wash on cold. I hang dry sports bras and luxtreme tights. Tanks and shorts are normally hung dry but occasionally washed with vinegar and then tumble dried to get rid of stink.
If it can survive my workouts and casual wear, it can handle the washer.
“I don’t want to have to wait till its a full moon and do the hokey pokey, make the sign of the cross, say a prayer and use bottled water for my stuff to survive a washing.” <- this made me literally lol. You make a good point though! Like you, I do my best to baby my activewear as much as is reasonable, but I definitely wouldn't complain about more durability with many washings, too. Thanks for the thoughtful and amusing comment. :)
this post is AWESOME!! so on point! thank you for taking the time to write it – as others have said you are an excellent writer – love you blog! i’m also a LLL lover from way way back, i use to literally buy stuff every week – while i’ve sold tons (and i mean tons of my collection) i still have soooo much and love it! i haven’t bought anything in about a year – (except the 1st run align pants) – when i see the new stuff and just compare to what i already have, there is just no incentive to buy.
Thank you, Michelle! I’m glad I got some old pieces from the glory days. I love them so much! If I do buy lulu these days, most of the time I just shop eBay, Posh, or Facebook for older styles. Like you said, I just don’t feel that much incentive to buy the new stuff (with a few exceptions of course).
Thank you for this post. I would love for a company to beat Lulu! Their recent releases have been very uninspiring. I went from 3-4 packages a month to one or two in the last 6 months. The reviews are not good and yet prices keep going up. I want my clothes to look good and perform well. What bothers me most is their slow product release. Most companies will release a spring line and you could buy matching gear. For Lulu, they may release one or two items in a certain color and then you won’t see anything again that matches it in the US. Canada or another region may receive the color you need but not the US. It makes no sense. Release the entire Spring or Fall line all at once. It is maddening how they run this company. I will no longer sit and wait for their Tuesday releases because I know it will be entirely hit or miss. I am also over the many Lulu bloggers who feed the obsession. These blogs are redundant, posting many of the same pics and feeding the fan girls. I can’t even fathom how much product some of these bloggers buy just to have Lululemon in their closet. That is why I appreciate that you have branched out in this blog. It is opening my eyes to other brands. Maybe I am bitter since the Lulu Educator scoffed at me while returning my crumbling Wunder Unders and telling me they aren’t made for heavy workouts. Walk really gently and they should hold up just fine. : (
Ugh, that’s really obnoxious that they told you that. Wunder unders are supposed to be able to withstand a lot–or at least they used to. In addition to the hit-or-miss release timeline, it’s also extremely frustrating that certain items never get added to certain countries, like this pair of speed shorts that were in Canada but not US that I’m still pretty bitter about. That sort of thing really does take a lot of the fun out, as you mentioned. :
I really enjoy your blog and especially what you have to say about Lululemon because I respect your opinion and point of view because I know it is genuine and real. I love my Lululemon and wear it everyday but I definitely do not drink the kool-aid. Like for so many, the lulu glow has definitely dimmed in the last couple of years under new management.
Most important to me as a customer of any business is feeling appreciated and respected. With certain decisions made under this new management my love for the company is not what it once was. Some reasons being, loss of core product; thinner and cheaper fabric, design changes that do not make sense and no loyalty program, although there never has been under any management. I felt under this new management that they came in wearing blinders and forged ahead with trying to put their own design stamp on the company without any concern or consideration for how those changes would affect their loyal customers.
Function in athletic wear is absolutely first and foremost but where Lululemon surpasses all others is their designs. I used to wear Addias running shorts until I came across Lulu’s Groovy Run Shorts (sadly discontinued) and now Run Times. Yes Addias fabric was fine and I liked that they had a liner but they didn’t make me look good and I was resigned to the fact that athletic wear was not meant to look good, only function, until Lululemon.
Design for me is very important and that is where Lululemon hands down is by far superior to all others. Even though I am being designed out of their tanks (not enough coverage) I still wear their shorts, swiftlies, crops, pants and yes jackets, oh how I love my lulu jackets. Why other brands haven’t been able to come up with designs as good as Lululemon, I don’t know. I buy Lululemon for both function and design.
All that being said, I now pause and really think about each purchase I make. Just because I don’t like what has been happening under new management doesn’t mean I am going to stop buying, it means I am not going to part with my money so freely as before.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment, Cin! :) I think you are spot on. I think the new team has corrected course a little bit after a rough year or so, but still hasn’t managed to return to their former glory, and it doesn’t look like they will. :
One thing lulu — and others — could do to win me over would be to offer more petite options. Yes, lulu does offer free alterations and I have taken advantage of them but I feel like I end up with a lesser product than I would if it was made for a petite person to begin with. Often, the ankles on hemmed tights are too loose after alterations and hemming pants doesn’t really fix the rest of the garment’s proportions. And then there are lulu styles I’d love to try but I know hemming would ruin the look of the product (I’m thinking specifically about the Studio Pant, and tights that have cute detailing or mesh panels at the bottom). Athleta isn’t a perfect company either, but I do appreciate that many of their pants and tights come in petite proportions.
Good point! I would really appreciate that too, and I totally agree that very often, hemming just doesn’t work out!
Oh P.S. I spy Tunnel View in your thumbnail. :) <3
Yup! We must have been there within a few weeks of each other because the name changes had not yet gone into effect on our trip. I live in Central California so it’s just a short drive or bus ride away. We’re planning a longer trip this summer. I have a 4th grader so we are trying to take advantage of our free admission to as many National Parks as possible. I’d love to hit Joshua Tree but it’s a much longer drive for us.
Good plan–lucky you! :) I have an annual pass since I live near so many parks, monuments, recreation areas–it always pays for itself within a couple of months. Even better if it’s free though! :) I hope you have a great trip this summer. I’m planning to go back, too, but October for me.
I agree with Katertot. I wish they would come out with petite sizing. So often I run into the problem where everything is too long on me. I know they do hemming but you can’t hem everything. Often you lose the little details that make the item coveted in the first place. Sucks to be super short!
Yeah, sleeve length is a big issue, too. It would take a heck of an alteration to take up the sleeves on most lulu styles.
Hey, I’ve just been reading through this blog, and am a fan (@AgentAthletica:disqus )! Saw this, and have a suggestion for you, @disqus_OI9tyIzLiu:disqus – have you tried looking at ivivva, lululemon’s kids line? I’m waaay out of the age range, but own crops and shorts from them, as well as tanks (because I find the Power Ys too long and low-cut).
Really great, carefully considered post! I agree with all your points and would enhance one: *continuous* innovation. I buy so much Lulu because there are always new styles to try or old things released in new colors. Most other brands release new products only ever season. Lorna Jane may be the closest with monthly releases. I can see different brands doing different parts of these well. Oiselle has built a huge community and brand, for example. Like most of us, I have tried many other brands, but for me it’s not because I feel quality has deteriorated. I’ve never had any problem with quality on new pieces. Some of my older pieces have had seam issues, but I just take them back to Lulu to be fixed for free (which is awesome and another main point I think other brands should strive toward). The reason I’ve branched out from Lulu is that I’m not stuck on any one brand. I would rather everything I buy not have a logo! I’m not looking for another Lulu but I am looking for more options that I love, which I think we are all.
Yup to all of this! I think you are spot on with your additional points, too. I agree I’d rather not wear the same brand all the time, and it’s definitely a big reason (among plenty others) why I’m always hunting for something different.
For me, it’s fabrics. Lululemon has yummy fabrics that feel really good on my skin and generally hold up well in the wash. After being initially enthusiastic about Athleta I dropped them — the fabrics don’t speak to me and often looked like crap after a few washes. A company that would beat Lulu for me would have great fabrics and better prints — I’m often not a fan of a lot of Lulu prints– as well as better customer service. Being told their “in the flows” were not meant for something as “rigorous” as Zumba class because of the delicate fabric — when actually the holes in the crotch were a construction issue for lots of people, is just another case of blaming the customer.
Yes, I agree that lulu’s prints are their weakest portion of their fabrics line up. The only prints I buy are speed shorts, bras, or textured rulu in the winter. Also, I’d say Zumba is no more stressful on a pair of crops than yoga (just stretching/moving around, albeit faster), so I definitely agree with your blaming the customer assessment there. Ugh.