NEW YORK — The founder of Lululemon is stepping down as chairman after raising ire with his comments about the body types of potential buyers of the retailer's yoga pants.
The company also said Tuesday that it is appointing Laurent Potdevin as its next CEO. He succeeds Christine Day, who announced in June that she planned to resign.
Chip Wilson said in a recent television interview that some women's bodies "just don't actually work" for Lululemon pants. He also said that thigh rubbing over time will cause the pilling and poor performance of the pants.
Lululemon was receiving complaints about the sheerness of some of its pants, which made them see-through at times. Customers also complained of pilling after a few months of wear — or even just a few uses — and about holes and seams coming apart.