Lululemon: The Retail Industry: Chip Wilson

703 Words2 Pages

Introduction
The retail industry is continuously growing. There are many successful companies and entrepreneurs in this industry. One successful entrepreneur is Dennis Wilson, also known as Chip Wilson.
Personal Life
Dennis J. Wilson is a Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was born on March 3rd, 1956, in Vancouver British Columbia. Currently he resides in Vancouver, British Columbia. He lives with his wife, Shannon Wilson, and 5 children. As a child he was always interested in sports and sewing. His mother had taught him the basics of sewing. His mom and dad were both athletes and they inspired him with the competitive spirit. Wilson did a lot of swimming as a child and spent most of his time at the pool. Wilson earned his bachelors in economics in 1980 from University of Calgary.
Lululemon and Other Retail Companies
Wilson has started many retail companies, foundations and programs. His most known company is Lululemon Athletica, often referred to as Lululemon. Started in 1998, in 16 years the company has become the leading brand in yoga apparel. The business started because female participation in sports increased in those years. The first store was in Kitsilano. It is a small town in Vancouver where Wilson was born and brought up. Originally, Lululemon sold all women sports wear. After the some success, the company launched a subsidiary in 2001 called Fashion Active Lab. This company specialized in yoga clothing. The success of yoga clothing, created a new opportunity for Lululemon. In 2009, they started a new subsidiary called Ivivva Athletica. This company’s target market was girls ages 6 to 12. On July 27, 2007, Lululemon hit the NASDAQ market for public trading under the symbol LULU. On December 10, 2013 Wilson sa...

... middle of paper ...

...ies”. In other words he meant, some women are too fat and that is why the clothing is very transparent and has chain problems. (Strauss, 2013). Although, to a degree it may be true, it has aggravated many women, rights activists and other organizations. Some of his views have also landed him in controversy. Wilson says he named his company Lululemon because he found it funny the way Japanese people say the letter “L”. Wilson also said that he supports child labor in third world countries because it costs him less. These views and quotes have created many controversies for Wilson.
Conclusion
Canadian entrepreneur Dennis Wilson has started a leading brand in the retail industry. He has come across bumps along the way but his skills have helped him overcome the obstacles and become the 11th richest man in Canada and make his company the largest yoga clothing company.

More about Lululemon: The Retail Industry: Chip Wilson

Open Document