Athleisure’s once-dominant power couple has been thrust back into the public eye after Lululemon founder Chip Wilson abruptly filed for divorce from his wife, Shannon “Summer” Wilson, following 20 years of marriage.
Chip Wilson, whose fortune is estimated at $6.1 billion, and Summer Wilson were key figures behind Lululemon, the often controversial activewear giant that entered the fashion scene in 1998 and helped redefine modern athletic clothing.
But Lululemon was not the only business venture tied to the Wilson family name.
While Chip served as Lululemon’s CEO, Summer was among the company’s earliest hires, taking on the role of founding lead designer and contributing to the brand identity that would become instantly recognizable around the world.
Her focus was technical apparel, a category she later revisited and reimagined through a competing clothing label launched with her stepson in the 2010s.
After moving away from Lululemon, Summer teamed up with JJ Wilson to create Kit and Ace, a Canada-based luxury apparel brand built around “timeless, technical” clothing and accessories.
The brand’s concept centered on Qemir, a machine-washable cashmere blend that Summer and JJ reportedly brought to Lululemon first, only for the company to decline the idea.
Kit and Ace opened its debut store in Vancouver’s Gastown neighborhood in July 2014. Within a year, the company expanded into the United States and international markets, eventually growing to more than 700 employees at its peak.
American-born entrepreneur Chip Wilson who was raised and lives in Canada filed a family legal proceeding in the Supreme Court of British Columbia
Now, Kit and Ace mostly sells products online and throughout Canada
But the relationship between the Wilson family and Lululemon became more complicated after Kit and Ace launched.
In February 2015, Summer’s husband, Chip Wilson, resigned from Lululemon’s board after the company determined that Kit and Ace was actively competing with the brand.
Chip Wilson said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that stepping down would give him ‘more opportunity to work with my wife and son’ as they grew Kit and Ace.
That same year, Kit and Ace started incorporating cafes into its stores, pushing a similar retail-and-design model that helped make Lululemon successful – at least temporarily.
The company found itself at the center of controversy in November 2015 for using animal fur from an Asiatic raccoon on one of its products, the Berkeley toque. The company said it is built on ‘integrity – in people and in product’ at the time, according to CBC.
Additionally, because Kit and Ace positioned itself between luxury and performance wear, it was actively competing in a growing market of similar clothing.
Kit and Ace responded by narrowing its focus, closing stores in the US, UK and Australia and concentrating on Canada and its online business.
In 2018, the company was officially acquired from the Wilson family – but it continues to sell ‘polished’ machine-washable cashmere today.
Chip Wilson stepped away from the ‘athleisure’- wear company over a decade ago along with his wife, who worked as Lululemon’s founding lead designer and one of the first employees
The once-dominant athleisure brand Lululemon is facing growing competition from rivals including Vuori and Alo Yoga
Now, Summer Wilson’s business is once again in the spotlight after her billionaire husband, Lululemon founder Chip Wilson, filed for divorce after more than two decades together.
Because a judge sealed the court file from the public and the media, almost nothing is known about how they plan to divide their property or if they have reached a settlement. Neither Chip nor Summer Wilson has spoken publicly about the proceedings.
However, Bloomberg reports that the couple did not sign a prenuptial agreement, potentially adding another layer to how the couple’s assets are divided.
Chip Wilson still owns roughly 8.6 percent of Lululemon, a stake valued at around $1 billion, while Summer is reported to hold about 1 percent of the company.
Both Wilsons have since stepped away from the business, but their fortunes remain closely tied to the company – making their divorce particularly notable as the retailer struggles to regain its footing.
Sales fell four percent to $2.4 billion in the second quarter, while sales at stores open for at least a year fell nine percent. The drop was even bigger in the United States, where sales fell eight percent and sales at established stores were down 12 percent.
Lululemon now expects to make between $10.35 billion and $10.5 billion in sales in 2026, which would be five to seven percent lower than previously expected. Despite the slowdown, the company is still growing its store count, opening nine new locations during the quarter and bringing its total number worldwide to 825.
The results also arrive on the heels of a leadership change, with incoming CEO Heidi O’Neill expected to take over soon as the company attempts to reignite growth.
