lululemon athletica DELETE ME (I'm a head office)

After 20 years in the surf, skate and snowboard business, founder Chip Wilson took the first commercial yoga class offered in Vancouver and found the result exhilarating. The post yoga feeling was so close to surfing and snowboarding that it seemed obvious that yoga was an ideology whose time had come (again).

Cotton clothing was being used for sweaty, stretchy power yoga and seemed completely inappropriate to Chip, whose passion lay in technical athletic fabrics. From this, a design studio was born that became a yoga studio at night to pay the rent. Clothing was offered for sale and an underground yoga clothing movement was born. The success of the clothing was dependant on the feedback from yoga instructors who were asked to wear the products and provide their insights.

The lululemon name was chosen in a survey of 100 people from a list of 20 brand names and 20 logos. The logo is actually a stylized “A” that was made for the first letter in the name “athletically hip”, a name which failed to make the grade.

lululemon’s first real store opened in the beach area of Vancouver called Kitsilano in November of 2000. The idea was to have the store be a community hub where people could learn and discuss the physical aspects of healthy living from yoga and diet to running and cycling as well as the mental aspects of living a powerful life of possibilities. Unfortunately for this concept, the store became so busy that it was impossible to help the customer in this way in addition to selling the product.

creating components for people to live longer, healthier, more fun lives

lululemon athletica is a yoga inspired athletic apparel company. We aim to create components for people to live longer, healthier, more fun lives. Founded in Kitsilano, Vancouver - one of the healthiest places in the world - the first lululemon store not only featured a design studio / retail store but also shared space with a then fledgling yoga studio.

Authentic to its West Coast roots, lululemon continues to focus on a healthy, balanced fun-filled way of life.

life is filled with runs at the beach, hiking, biking and a walk to work, a yoga class or a 15 - 30 minute coffee with your best mate.

At lululemon, we believe that it is vital to walk the walk and talk the talk or we will never be able to maintain a culture of integrity and inspire people to live longer, healthier and more fun lives.