Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
Organization: Lululemon Athletica Inc.
Project type: Fashion design / launch
Project name: Get low collection
Date: Jan 2026
Cost: Not disclosed
Synopsis:
Successful product launches require alignment between innovation, quality control, brand expectations, and governance. Lululemon’s Get Low collection demonstrates how even well-resourced organizations can misjudge readiness when strategic, operational, and leadership pressures collide.
In early 2026, Lululemon released the Get Low line of seamless, lightweight training apparel. Customers quickly reported poor fit and excessive sheerness. Within days, the company paused online sales in North America to review feedback and update product guidance. When the collection returned, it included instructions to size up and wear skin-tone underwear, raising questions about whether the underlying design issues were resolved.
The rollout occurred amid broader leadership instability. Chip Wilson (Lululemon’s now departed founder) publicly criticized the board for weak product oversight, insufficient focus on quality, and short-term cost priorities. Comparisons to prior setbacks, including the 2013 Luon pants recall and 2024 Breezethrough line withdrawal, reinforced perceptions of repeated mismanagement.
Rather than functioning as a properly validated launch, the release highlighted a key disconnect: decision-makers drove the product strategy, while customers ultimately judged its value. Governance gaps, insufficient testing, and rapid reintroduction amplified reputational risk and turned a product launch into a visible failure.
Contributing factors as reported in the press:
Press reporting suggests the failure stemmed from weaknesses in product governance, quality control, and decision-making oversight. The launch exposed gaps between brand promises and execution, while leadership instability and shareholder pressure appear to have narrowed focus toward speed and cost rather than product readiness. The episode also illustrates how reputational risk is amplified when past failures are repeated and when real-world customers effectively become the final stage of testing..
Reference links:
Lululemon pulls Get Low line from website after customer feedback
Lululemon resumes selling ‘see through’ leggings — with special advice on how to wear them
Margot Jantz