Lululemon Founder Apologizes for Offending Statements [VIDEO]
Lululemon founder Chip Wilson issues a video apology regarding the comments he made during his recent appearance in Bloomberg TV's 'Street Smart.'
In a video posted over the company's YouTube account last Friday, Wilson says he is 'really sad' over the comments he had made during his appearance, and that he takes responsibility for them.
"I'm sad for the people at Lululemon who I care so much about, that have really had to face the brunt of my actions," Wilson says.
Various websites, however, are not convinced with the apology. Most of these sites say that the apology was intended to its staff, and that Wilson was 'not sorry for your fat butt,' as Joanna Rafael of Blisstree puts it. Blogs, on the other hand, are mostly unapologetic by saying that blaming customers for a product's shortcomings is "not only patently absurd, but foolish considering (the customers) are the ones keeping (the company) in business."
Wilson's video apology came in days after he told 'Street Smart' host Trish Regan that "some women's bodies just don't actually work" for yoga pants. That same appearance, his wife and Lululemon co-founder Shannon shot him with a 'death glare.'
The said yoga pants, priced at $100, also faced complaints despite the disclaimer that it is made of a sheer material and the reminder for its customers not to buy them in size too small for them. The complaints prompted the company to recall 17 percent of its yoga pants.
The following is the complete transcript of Wilson's apology:
"Hello, I'm Chip Wilson. I'm founder of Lululemon athletica. I'd like to talk to you today about the last few days of media that's occurred around the Bloomberg interview. I'm sad. I'm really sad. I'm sad for the repercussions of my actions. I'm sad for the people at Lululemon who I care so much about, that have really had to face the brunt of my actions. I take responsibility for all that has occurred and the impact it has had on you. I'm sorry to have put you all through this... For all of you that have made Lululemon what it is today, I ask you to stay in a conversation that is above the fray. I ask you to prove that the culture that you have built cannot be chipped away. Thank you."