Who founded Lululemon?

Chip Wilson founded Lululemon.

Wilson established the company in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1998 after identifying a need for more functional women’s athletic clothing. His earlier business, Westbeach Snowboard Ltd., had given him experience designing apparel for surf, skateboarding and snowboarding. A yoga class in the late 1990s helped inspire his focus on stretchy, close-fitting yoga clothing.

Lululemon’s first retail presence opened inside a Vancouver yoga studio in 1998, followed by its first standalone store in November 2000. Wilson served as chief executive until 2005 and remained involved with the company’s board for years afterward.

A common mix-up is confusing the founder with later chief executives such as Christine Day, Laurent Potdevin or Calvin McDonald. Shannon Wilson, Chip’s then-wife, was also an important early designer, but Chip Wilson is the canonical founder credited in company records and general references.