A yoga-apparel brand founded by Canadian entrepreneur Chip Wilson in 1998. started making butt-flattering yoga pants in an effort to capitalize on what he saw as women鈥檚 desire to look good while working out. Lululemon鈥檚 apparel was an instant hit and soon had a fanatical following in the U.S. Women took to wearing the stuff to coffee shops, on the subway, even at work, spurring a larger athletic-wear-as-style movement.
Though Lululemon has experienced a handful of PR setbacks鈥攊ncluding ,听which Wilson initially blamed on women鈥檚 inner thighs rubbing against the material鈥攊ts growth has continued. The brand has added men鈥檚 apparel and an outdoor line, and now has a market cap of almost $10 billion. Wilson resigned from the board this past February to launch a technical cashmere brand called .
A Brief History of Dudes Doing Yoga
400 A.D.听Patanjali compiles the Yoga Sutras, a foundational text.听
1849听Henry David Thoreau becomes an intermittent practitioner.
1998听Lululemon launches; offerings include a small menswear collection.
2012听Events company pairs yoga with beer.
2014听 designs a mat bag that looks like a burrito.听