The Lululemon Manifesto: The Controversies(!) and also my favorite Manifesto-printed items

Hello friends!

I was fondly recalling my favorites out of all my Lululemon clothes and much of the Manifesto print came to mind. That’s when I thought it would be fun to talk about my favorite pieces and also discuss the controversial and evolving document that is: The Lululemon Manifesto.

The manifesto is not just a document, it’s a living embodiment of values that Lululemon is expressing as a part of their brand. I think they’ve become more mainstream recently, and while Lululemon used to espouse “irreverence,” they now are more conformist to please the average consumer and their stockholders. We can see the evolution from irreverence to increased conformity by looking at the advice on the documents over time. Lululemon’s core audience “got” the inside jokes, while the general public & mainstream media has ridiculed or berated their choice of words. Even when the phrases on the manifesto seemed odd, most Lululemon fans quickly forgave the slip-ups. A good example of how fans got the inside jokes was when Lululemon was hiring a new CEO after Christine Day stepped down. They put up a cheeky ad on their site, and the media criticized whether they should be doing that when the company was having difficulties at the time. Most people I spoke to at the time thought it was funny and we laughed about it, but we can hold two thoughts in our minds at the same time and also were complaining about the ongoing issues that Lululemon was having.

That’s not the only time something Lululemon wrote caused controversy! In 2008, after learning that some phrases printed on their bags were disturbing to some guests, rather than destroying the bags, they chose to cover the phrases. Unfortunately, some people were still able to view the phrases, and Lululemon eventually decided to destroy the bags. Phrases such as “Some brief or quick-fix incidences when our minds are clear to be creative are….when drunk or stoned…just after an orgasm,” “The athlete’s high is the most long-lasting as it can last up to six hours,” “There is little difference between addicts and fanatic athletes. Both are continually searching for a way to remain in a creative state,” and “You only have 30,000 days to live and then you are dead,” were present on the bags.

Back in 2008, Lululemon also removed the phrase “Coke, Pepsi and all other pops will be known as the cigarettes of the future. Colas are not a substitute for water. They are just another cheap drug made to look great by advertising.” It was explained, at the time, by Chief Executive Bob Meers as simply a regular update to the manifesto “in order to stay fresh in message,” and was not a response to any cola company.

Yet another controversial phrase that once graced the bags was “Sunscreen absorbed into the skin might be worse for you than sunshine. Get the right amount of sunshine.” Some people thought that the messaging could be dangerous as it encouraged people to go without sunscreen. This, at a time when skin cancer rates were on the rise, according to a CTV news article on the subject. Lululemon issued a response saying that the advice was “not research-based,” and, I love this, that the Manifesto is a “collection of statements that are ever-evolving and intended to spark conversation.” Well, they’ve definitely sparked conversation over the years! That’s for sure!!!

Without further adieu, here is a short discussion on two versions of the manifesto.

As it stands, the newest version, updated in celebration of their 20th Anniversary can be found, for download on either mobile or desktop, here. So, if you need a new background for either your phone or computer, here’s something for you! However, there is a history of this document that I’m also interested in exploring.

Let’s take a look at the new Anniversary Edition Manifesto first. I was able to find all of the following advice and sayings on the newest iteration:

• Breathe deeply
• Namaste
• Ignore the haters, including yourself
• Creativity is maximized when you are living in the moment
• Your biggest opportunity for growth is when it all hits the fan
• Reconnect with nature. The better you know it the less you take it for granted. (Love you, Vancouver.)
• Gratitude is contagious
• That which matters most should never give way to that which matters least
• Posi+ive +hough+s, words, and actions create posi+ive +hough+s, words, and ac+ions
• Open your ears, eyes and heart & Open your mind
• Jealousy works the opposite way you want it to
• Replace the word try with will and watch the magic happen
• The most important answers will never be found in a search bar
• The pursuit of happiness is the source of unhappiness
• Before speaking, ask yourself: Is it kind? Is it necessary? Is it true?
• You attract love when you love yourself
• Treat goals like coconuts. Hit them hard, crack them open, celebrate
• Do one thing a day that scares you
• Put away your phone. The real world is not on hold.
• Life is full of setbacks; success is determined by how you handle setbacks
• This is not your practice life. This is all there is
• Stress is related to 99% of all illness
• Friends are more important than money
• Listen, listen, listen and then as intentional questions
• Vulnerability makes a good leader great
• Hope is not a strategy
• Do Yoga Be Yoga

Those are the ones I could read from the downloads, I think there are a couple of other ones I couldn’t quite make out.

Here is what is found on the 2012 version of the Lululemon Manifesto:

• Drink FRESH water and as much water as you can. Water flushes unwanted toxins from your body and keeps your brain sharp.
• A daily hit of athletic-induced endorphins gives you the power to make better decisions, helps you be at peace with yourself, and offsets stress.
• Do one thing a day that scares you.
• Listen, listen, listen, and then ask strategic questions.
• Write down your short and long-term GOALS four times a year. Two personal, two business and two health goals for the next 1, 5 and 10 years. Goal setting triggers your subconscious computer.
• Life is full of setbacks. Success is determined by how you handle setbacks.
• Your outlook on life is a direct reflection of how much you like yourself.
• That which matters the most should never give way to that which matters the least.
• Stress is related to 99% of all illness.
• Jealousy works the opposite way you want it to.
• The world is changing at such a rapid rate that waiting to implement changes will leave you 2 steps behind. DO IT NOW, DO IT NOW, DO IT NOW!
• Friends are more important than money.
• Breathe deeply and appreciate the moment. Living in the moment could be the meaning of life.
• Take various vitamins. You never know what small mineral can eliminate the bottleneck to everlasting health.
• Don’t trust that an old age pension will be sufficient.
• Visualize your eventual demise. It can have an amazing effect on how you live for the moment.
• The conscious brain can only hold one thought at a time. Choose a positive thought.
• Live near the ocean and inhale the pure salt air that flows over the water, Vancouver will do nicely.
• Observe a plant before and after watering and relate these benefits to your body and brain.
• Practice yoga so you can remain active in physical sports as you age.
• Dance, sing, floss and travel.
• Children are the orgasm of life. Just like you did not know what an orgasm was before you had one, nature does not let you know how great children are until you have them.
• Successful people replace the words ‘wish’, ‘should’ and ‘try’, with ‘I will’.
• Creativity is maximized when you’re living in the moment.
• Nature wants us to be mediocre because we have a greater chance to survive and reproduce. Mediocre is as close to the bottom as it is to the top, and will give you a lousy life.
• lululemon athletica creates components for people to live longer, healthier and more fun lives. If we can produce products to keep people active and stress-free, we believe the world will become a much better place.
• Do not use cleaning chemicals on your kitchen counters. Someone will inevitably make a sandwich on your counter.
• SWEAT once a day to regenerate your skin.
• Communication is COMPLICATED. We are all raised in a different family with slightly different definitions of every word. An agreement is an agreement only if each party knows the conditions for satisfaction and a time is set for satisfaction to occur.
• What we do to the earth we do to ourselves.
• The pursuit of happiness is the source of all unhappiness.

There are a few in there, that I personally miss as an old school Lululemon client. I love “Dance, Sing, Floss and Travel.” That one is not controversial, and I really wish it would have stayed.

I’m glad they kept “Do one thing a day that scares you.” I think it’s important to encourage people to step out of their comfort zones.

They changed “Listen, listen, listen, then ask strategic questions” to “Listen, listen, listen, then ask intentional questions.” I don’t even have an opinion on this, I just kind of wonder why, since it’s so similar, except “intentional” is more of a mot-du-jour than “strategic.”

The old manifesto reflected Lululemon’s values, according to the brand’s founder, Chip Wilson. As confirmed by Bob Meers in 2008 as a response to the removal of the quote about cola, Bob stated simply that the manifesto “is company founder and chairman Chip Wilson’s vision and point of view.” Back then, Chip mostly emphasized elevating one’s self from mediocrity to greatness. “Our bags are visual reminders for ourselves to live a life we love and conquer the epidemic of mediocrity. We all have a John Galt inside of us, cheering us on. How are we going to live lives we love?” Chip Wilson via HuffPo

The new manifesto reflects values, post Wilson: “The newly designed manifesto showcases Lululemon’s long-standing brand values across nine themes, including: integrity, personal responsibility, social impact, honesty/authenticity, overcoming fear, greatness, purpose, elevating the world (even on hard days), fun + laughter, sweat + the practice of yoga.” -Lululemon via PhillyVoice

I like both versions, but some of the things in the old one strike me as odd, or tone-deaf. Like “Take various vitamins. You never know what small mineral can eliminate the bottleneck to everlasting health.” Yes, I suppose this might be true, there are also studies that show that vitamins result in little more than expensive urine, but we can let the experts duke it out on that one, and, for the record: I do take vitamins. I just think the elimination of the “bottleneck to everlasting health” is not found in a pill.

Another one that strikes me as a little odd is “Do not use cleaning chemicals on your kitchen counters. Someone will inevitably make a sandwich on your counter.” Okay… Full disclosure: I only use Method cleaners on my counters, but I’m not over here, judging someone who uses “chemical” (in quotes because everything, even water, is technically a chemical) cleaners on their counters. … … Slightly judging people who don’t put down a cutting board or plate before making a sandwich though 😉

“Communication is COMPLICATED. We are all raised in a different family with slightly different definitions of every word. An agreement is an agreement only if each party knows the conditions for satisfaction and a time is set for satisfaction to occur.” – I love this one. The first part that emphasizes that we all have different definitions of every word is more important in everyday life than we realize. Sometimes, when you’re having a conversation with someone, you don’t realize that you’re actually either in agreement or in disagreement with them based on their definitions of the words that are being used. I have a degree in Political Science, and I could summarize a good deal of my experience with a chart and this piece of advice: As people (or academics), we are entitled to have our own interpretations of the meaning of words that we use in our arguments and if we can establish the definitions of the words being used in an argument, often, we can win that argument. Just something (one of the only useful things) I learned in my grad-level classes.

There is so much more to this document that I could discuss, and I may return to it in the future either by updating this post or making a new one, but I do actually want to get to my favorite Manifesto printed garments!

This Pace Setter and these Speed Shorts

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Speed shorts and Pace Setters are classic Lululemon staple items. ’nuff said, these are fantabulous.

The 20th Anniversary Manifesto Printed Wunder Unders and Energy Bras

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I absolutely LOVE the recent (ish) 20th anniversary Manifesto-embossed Wunder Unders and Energy Bras. I bought them all when they came out- I could not resist!

This Long Sleeve Top:

Okay, so the Burnout fabric is a little tooooooo delicate, but I freakin love Paris Pink. Truth be told: This is actually on my wish list, not in my closet where it belongs lol

Let me know in the comments what you think about the Manifesto, as it exists now, or in the past and what you think about the controversies. Or, just let me know: Do you like the Manifesto-printed items?

Thanks for reading! See you in the next one!