Branding Under Fire

In this eye-opening episode, we spotlight the Lululemon controversy surrounding founder Chip Wilson—and how a few taken-out-of-context remarks about “bigger women” spiraled into a full-blown media storm. Learn the true story behind Wilson’s original target audience (the “it-girl” yogis) and why Lululemon’s pivot to appease critics ended up alienating the very loyalists who built the brand. We also explore how going public shifted priorities from product quality to profit margins, leading to internal power struggles and misunderstood “offensive” soundbites.

Beyond the Lululemon saga, we compare this story to that of Mr. Saturday (Joey Gollish), a rising creative director growing his fashion line “the right way”—a pace that prioritizes authenticity over aggressive boardroom demands. From misguided marketing strategies to media-driven narratives, we reveal the pitfalls that occur when a brand loses sight of its original DNA.