Founder positions “Get Low” debacle as proof board lacks product expertise, turning operational mishap into governance ammunition.
Chip Wilson has found the evidence he needs. Within hours of Lululemon pulling its “Get Low” leggings from online sales on 20 January, the founder posted to LinkedIn, calling the incident a “total operational failure” and explicit proof that the board lacks interest in product quality. The timing, message and platform choice signal that the proxy fight has entered its most aggressive phase.
Chip Wilson’s January 21 LinkedIn broadside successfully transformed the “Get Low” product debacle into a case for direct causation: he argues that board-level “creative inexperience” is the root cause of Lululemon’s operational breakdown. According to Wilson, the company’s governance structure now directly dictates whether it can deliver functional technical products. Within 48 hours of his public critique, Wilson formalised the attack by filing Definitive Additional Proxy Materials, officially launching his challenge with a “GOLD” universal proxy card.
His hand-picked roster targets the board’s perceived “creative vacuum.” Industry heavyweights Marc Maurer (former co-CEO of On Holding), Laura Gentile (former Executive Vice President of Marketing at ESPN), and Eric Hirshberg (former CEO of Activision) would bring technical apparel and brand-building expertise to a boardroom Wilson claims has lost its way.
The universal proxy format allows shareholders to mix and match candidates from Wilson’s slate with the company’s nominees on a single ballot, significantly lowering the barrier for him to secure a minority foothold on the board.
This escalation hits Lululemon at its moment of maximum vulnerability. CEO Calvin McDonald is set to depart on January 31, leaving the company in the hands of interim co-CEOs Meghan Frank and André Maestrini, while Executive Chair Marti Morfitt manages the search for a permanent successor. Compounding the pressure, activist titan Elliott Investment Management now looms large with a $1 billion+ stake, reportedly vetting its own rival leadership candidates.
While the “Get Low” crisis triggered an immediate 6.5 per cent stock slide, the long-term cost will likely be measured in governance. By connecting see-through trousers directly to board composition, Wilson has successfully shifted a quality-control error into a referendum on who is fit to lead the future of global athleisure.
