After pulling its Get Low collection from its website in North America when shoppers complained the leggings were “totally see through,” Lululemon is offering the line for sale again, along with new product guidance.
“We take our guests’ feedback seriously and value their input in shaping the products and experiences we create,” a Lululemon spokesperson said in a statement. “Last week, we temporarily paused online sales of our Get Low collection in North America to review early guest feedback and insights. Based on the learnings, we have updated our product education information to incorporate new guidance on fit, sizing, and features to better support guest purchase decisions.”
As of Friday, the fit and sizing guidance for the Get Low leggings includes a recommendation to size up and to pair it with skin-tone, seamless underwear. The product features section of the page highlights no front seam and a “unique back gusset.”
The product misstep, which comes about a year and a half after Lululemon had to roll back its Breezethrough leggings line, has also become the latest argument in founder Chip Wilson’s battle with the brand.
In a LinkedIn post Thursday, he called the situation “a new low” for Lululemon and blamed the board for its lack of experience in creative businesses and uninvolvement in product development. Wilson earlier this month nominated three directors to Lululemon’s board and has been vocal in recent weeks about what he sees as brand “erosion.”
“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,” Wilson wrote this week. “For years, lululemon’s results (particularly in North America) have shown how the Company has struggled to deliver products that are compelling and beloved; now it is unable to simply deliver products that work.”
Lululemon did not respond to a request for comment on Wilson’s remarks, though a spokesperson touted the brand’s commitment to “delivering high-quality products and a great guest experience.”
Liza Amlani, principal and founder of Retail Strategy Group, said via email that the Get Low challenges are more likely “a production or vendor issue.”
“The product creation process requires rigorous testing, fittings, and prototype approvals," Amlani said. "I am surprised to see this ‘see-through’ collection pass standard testing where Lululemon aligns with industry best practices.”
Analysts at Jefferies also weighed in on the product challenges Tuesday, saying the withdrawal of the legging line “underscores ongoing execution issues in its core and raises further concerns about the durability of its innovation engine and premium positioning.”
Though the Get Low collection was not fully withdrawn — it remained available in stores and other markets, and is now back online in North America — the Jefferies analysts warned that if issues persist, Lululemon’s “premium narrative becomes harder to defend, and the margin structure more exposed.”
“For a brand that has historically leaned on technical superiority to justify premium pricing, repeated missteps in the core category raise questions around consistency and the strength of LULU’s innovation engine,” the analysts, led by Randal Konik, wrote. “Each quality lapse weakens the perception of technical leadership that warrants a higher valuation and increases the risk that consumers continue to allocate more spend to competitors.”
In 2024, CEO Calvin McDonald said the Breezethrough leggings setback had a “negligible” impact on the brand’s results, but Lululemon has been plagued by product quality and design challenges since then. A slew of newer brands have upped competition in the space and made Lululemon have to work harder for shoppers’ dollars.
Meanwhile, Lululemon is losing many of the leaders that brought it to prominence. McDonald will exit at the end of January, Americas lead Celeste Burgoyne departed at the end of last year and former Chief Product Officer Sun Choe left to join Vans in 2024.
In addition to Wilson’s thoughts on what Lululemon’s leadership team needs to succeed, the brand is also facing pressure from Elliott Investment Management to name former Ralph Lauren executive Jane Nielsen as McDonald’s successor.
