Lululemon Resumes Sales of Controversial Leggings with Updated Guidance
Lululemon has reinstated online sales of its Get Low leggings collection in North America, following a temporary suspension prompted by widespread customer feedback regarding the garment's transparency. The athleisure company confirmed to The Independent that it had paused digital sales to better understand initial guest concerns and to enhance product education efforts.
New Fitting Instructions Address Transparency Concerns
Upon relaunching the product, Lululemon introduced revised fitting and sizing guidelines directly on its website. The updated product description now advises customers to size up for optimal performance during workouts and encourages consultation of the brand's size guide or in-store trials for confirmation.
In a direct response to complaints about the fabric's sheerness, the company explicitly recommends pairing the leggings with skin-tone, seamless underwear to mitigate visibility issues. This guidance appears aimed at addressing the core criticism while maintaining the product's market availability.
Product Details and Pricing
The high-rise training tights, featuring a 25-inch inseam, are currently listed at $108 on Lululemon's U.S. website. The relaunch includes several new, darker colour options such as Deep Sea Blue/True Navy, Berry Rumble/Black Plum, Black/Graphite Grey, and Sequoia/Twig.
Lululemon's product description highlights the engineered knit technology, noting that "the loops in an engineered knit naturally flex apart at key tension points, unlocking an uninhibited feel" when stretched. This technical detail underscores the brand's focus on performance fabrics, even as practical wearing concerns emerged.
Customer Feedback Prompted Swift Action
The decision to temporarily withdraw the leggings followed rapid online dissemination of customer dissatisfaction. On Reddit forums, multiple shoppers reported significant transparency issues, particularly during movements like squats or bends.
- One customer stated the leggings were "absolutely see-through when you squat or bend over" regardless of colour choice.
- Another commented: "I 100 percent did not like the leggings. Completely see through, no compression, and weird colour blocking."
- A third user described them as a "total fail on the design", specifically criticising the lack of compression.
Brand Context and Ongoing Legal Matters
Lululemon, renowned for its chic athleisure wear including yoga pants, tank tops, and fitted leggings, emphasises product originality and quality. This incident occurs against the backdrop of the company's ongoing legal action against Costco, filed in July, alleging intellectual property infringement regarding knockoffs of popular items like Scuba hoodies, Define jackets, and ABC pants.
The lawsuit claims these imitations damage Lululemon's hard-earned reputation and infringe on design rights, with the authentic Scuba hoodie retailing around $118 and the Define jacket and ABC pants each costing approximately $128. This legal dispute remains unresolved, highlighting the brand's proactive stance on protecting its product integrity.
Lululemon's swift response to customer feedback on the Get Low leggings—pausing sales, investigating concerns, and implementing educational guidelines—demonstrates a reactive approach to quality control and customer service in the competitive athleisure market.
