shopping bag

questions? 1.877.263.9300


making my “stop-doing” list
This blog post was written by Elissa, posted on November 6, 2009 at 8:04 am, and filed under stories from our stores, what we do for fun. Comments (5)

"stop-doing" list

Sleep. Read. Sweat. Shower. Work. Meet. Write. Shop. Clean. Fix. Organize. Here. There. Everywhere.

I am a recovering list-a-holic. Seriously, if I could itemize the minute details of my life purely for the satisfaction of crossing tasks off my list, I would. I do.

The to-do list is hardly fresh. Children return to school and receive agendas on their first day at class. As for me, I have been sharpening my planning skills as if training for the Organizational Olympics since the ripe age of seven, and I am as detail-oriented as they come. Come to my apartment, and witness the to-do list that is permanently fixed to my front door. (Neurotic? Guilty.) Recently my paradigms of list-making were shaken up a bit – enter the “stop doing” list.

I just finished working my way through Jim Collin’s book Good to Great, a must-read in my opinion. His research resonated with me - my eager eyes feasted on all the pretty little lists, brimming with empirical data, waiting neatly for me to absorb, page after page. I learned that “good-to-great leaders distinguish themselves by their unyielding discipline to stop doing anything and everything that doesn’t fit tightly within their Hedgehog Concept. “ (Hedgehog concept? It has nothing to do with chocolates. You need to read this book and learn more.) The more I chew on this idea, the more I like it – and guess what? Out comes my red journal and POP! a new list descends the page.

1. I stop chatting online; instead I welcome friends into my home for real quality time.
2. I stop doing busy things that thwart my creativity.
3. I stop wasting time lamenting the things I do not have and think I need. I am grateful. Period.
4. I stop making the computer screen the first and last thing I see in a day.
5. I stop criticizing myself & the people in my world. I replace criticism with encouragement and praise or nothing at all.
6. I stop spending time worrying about the future. Every day has enough troubles of its own.

Streamline your life. Take inventory of all the “DO’s” in your life and see if they align with who you are and where you want to go. Make a list of “DON’Ts” and bathe in the clarity that follows. Repeat as necessary.

What’s on your list today?

Posted in stories from our stores, what we do for fun

love this post? share it! |
lululemon loves sweet treats
This blog post was written by Carolyn, posted on November 4, 2009 at 12:42 pm, and filed under community, monthly challenge, stories from our stores, what we do for fun. Comments (3)

Walnut Creek Cupcakes

Last Sunday I was poking around our stores’ Facebook pages (my usual Sunday morning routine) and I stumbled upon an album that our Kingston, Ontario store created. It was a collection of pictures of cakes, cookies, and other lululemon themed confectionery delights!

The baker, the crafter, and the cupcake eater in me thought that this would make a perfect monthly challenge for November. And so, I asked the troops on Facebook what they thought about a baking themed challenge. Within minutes our fans were begging to be judges, volunteering up recipes, and practically pre-heating the oven! And so, our November monthly challenge was born.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it:

1. Create a lululemon themed sweet treat (I’m baking a cake shaped like Groove Pants - with the Winter quilting themed groove band. I’ve already heard rumblings of a Ta Ta Tamer cake / cupcake combo).
2. Take some pictures of your culinary creations and share it with us on our Facebook Wall, in our Flickr Group, or email them to onlinecommunity@lululemon.com. You never know what we have up our sleeves.
3. Eat said confectionery delights or share with someone in need of a little sweet treat! Everything in moderation right? I like to bake with the music cranked - that way I get a little cardio with my cooking.

There are no rules, and no limits! Want some inspiration? Check out the creations our stores have come up with over the years below:

ecommerce cupcakes

Above: This April, to celebrate the launch of our new online store, our QA Manager whipped up a batch of cupcakes to keep our energy high as we tested through the night!

cupcake power

Above: A tower of cupcakes at our Palo Alto store. That icing looks good!

manhasset cake

Above: lululemon Manhassat cake, from Manhassat, New York. Love the writing: Live long, live healthy, live fun!

6th & lamar

Above: 6th & Lamar ambassador cupcakes from Austin, Texas. They asked their newest ambassador to join the team via a cupcake message. I wonder when the first lululemon cupcake proposal will be?

GEC cookie

Above: A giant workday cookie at our Guest Education Center.

Chinook cookies

Above: Calgary Chinook warehouse sale cookies, from Calgary, Alberta.

Columbus cookies

Above: Columbus Ohio cookies. The icing looks thicker than the cookie!

Galleria Cake

Above: A lululemon Dallas Galleria cake, in Dallas Texas.

Halifax cupcakes

Above: Cupcakes from our Halifax store! My stomach is growling!

oakbrook cookies

Above: Oak Brook appies … and yogo shaped cookies of course.

whyte avenue cake

Above: Two lululemon Whyte Avenue cakes, from Edmonton, Alberta!

garden state plaza cookies

Above: Garden State Plaza lululemon cookies! From Paramus, New Jersey!

Paramus Bagels

Above: Bagels, yes, bagels! From our Garden State Store. Props for creativity!

Lecagy Place Treats

Above: Sugary delights from our Legacy Place store in Dedham, Massachusetts!

Managers munching

Above: At our recent manager’s conference we kept our energy high with yogo topped cupcakes, c/o Chix (see below).

Chix

Above: Chix, our QA Manager, has a sweet tooth too. Her BHAG is to be the top cake designer in the world. She can test her skills on all of us this month for sure!

Want to learn more about our monthly challenge? Visit our website here: http://www.lululemon.com/community/challenge

Posted in community, monthly challenge, stories from our stores, what we do for fun

love this post? share it! |
guide to lululemon product lingo
This blog post was written by Liz, posted on November 3, 2009 at 5:58 pm, and filed under education & care, fit & function, products. Comments (3)

lingo

Let’s set the scene. Cozying up in your Gratitude Wrap, you settle in front of your computer screen. Checking your email, you are excited to see a new product notification from lululemon.com! Your pulse quickens as you find the items that catch your eye and click away. As the screen loads, you notice the item you’ve selected lists *R and *Org. Which means…?

Don’t panic! We’re about to get you on the inside track when it comes to lululemon lingo. Consider this your go-to-guide to ensuring you always have the perfect item arriving at your door! Click on the terms below for the full definition.

quick-jump guide

(scroll down to read the full definitions)

an in-depth guide

Take a read below:


I, II, III, IV: (Generation of garment)
Uno, Dos, Tres, Cuatro. No matter how you say it, these little roman numerals are how we indicate a new version of a much loved item. Every season, we count on your feedback to figure out exactly what they love and what can be improved. Our quest never ends when it comes to fit and function and I, II, & III mark the way.


Brushed (*Br)
Brushed promises a warm, soft layer against your skin. Specifically, the fabric’s bottom layer has been agitated and brushed to create a cozy, super-soft feel.


Durable Water Repellent (*DWR)
Fabric has been treated with a finish that causes water to bead off of the surface to keep you dry!

Water repellant vs waterproof: Our Waterproof products have an outer shell capable of repelling water AND taped seams to keep ALL water from penetrating. Water repellant garments do not have taped seams.


*[Fabric name]
Whenever you see the (*) followed by a fabric, it indicates that this fabric has been used to create the product. It can represent the main fabric used, or a secondary fabric used only in sections. *Tweed, *Mesh, *Rib and *Org are all examples.


Organic (*Org)
Certified Organic Cotton is an exciting addition to our amazing fabric line. Read all about this breathable natural option in Elissa’s “(fall)ing into organic cotton” blog.


Regular (*R)
This indicates our standard inseam. For ladies, the inseam is 31″ (size 2/4 = 30.5″). Men can expect 33″ (small = 31″). Take a look at our size chart for more info.


Reversible (*RVRS)
Your outfit possibilities double thanks to our reversible options in both pants and jackets. Our flat-seam technology enables us to offer two unique looks in one.


SL, SS, LS
We love to provide our guests with all the options. You can choose between sleeveless (SL), short sleeve (SS), or long sleeve (LS) to ensure the right product for every workout.


Tall (*T)
Those with wonderfully long legs need not worry – a tall length is made just for you! Women’s *T inseam is 35″ (size 4 = 34.5″). Men’s *T is 37″ (36″ for size small.)

Inseam measurements are listed on our size chart too.

That’s a lot of reference to your inseam, right? To figure out what yours is, check out Melissa’s “How to measure your inseam” blog.

And there you have it. Now take your new-found knowledge and shop fearlessly!

Posted in education & care, fit & function, products

love this post? share it! |
strategic sales: in a town near you!
This blog post was written by lululemon, posted on November 3, 2009 at 8:52 am, and filed under job profiles, our people, stories from our stores, what we do for fun. Comments (1)

monica from grande praire

This is a guest post by Monica, part of the lululemon Strategic Sales team!

Did you know lululemon is in many small towns where stores don’t yet exist? That is part of the work that we do in our Strategic Sales department.

We love small towns! We work with athletically driven businesses like yoga and pilates studios, fitness centres and spas; many of which are in smaller hubs away from big cities. We supply these pre-approved locations with our goods for small town folks to wear while they sweat.

If you are unable to make it to one of our stores, you might be in luck! You never know if a yoga studio or fitness-inspired location near you may carry our gear.

See if there is a Strategic Sales partner in your small town or learn more about the Strategic Sales program.
Monica from Strategic Sales introduces us to her favourite small town!

Where did you grow up?

Grande Prairie, Alberta! It is wild rose country and home of the Trumpeter Swan.

What is the thing you miss the most about your small town?

While the lights of the big city skyline can take your breath away, nothing can quite compare to the Northern Lights.

How far is your town from a city

Grande Prairie is located 460 kilometers (286 miles) northwest of Edmonton, Alberta.

How does your small town sweat?

Well, my favourite thing to do growing up was ride my bike through the trails at Muskoseepi park. The trails went from one end of the city to the other.

What is something that you can only do in your small town, and not in a city?

Grande Prairie is host to many annual hot air balloon races. It was so amazing as a kid to go down to the park and watch the balloons being set up and make their way up to the sky. The city would be covered in hot air balloons. A sight to see!

Last but not least, a big shout out to our newest partner in my own hometown – Love Life Hot Yoga in Grande Prairie, Alberta.

Posted in job profiles, our people, stories from our stores, what we do for fun

love this post? share it! |
meet our lake oswego showroom manager
This blog post was written by lululemon, posted on November 2, 2009 at 6:18 pm, and filed under our people, stories from our stores, what we do for fun. Comments (2)

showroom

Meet Haley, the Lake Oswego Showroom manager, in Lake Oswego, Oregon

What is your role at lululemon?

Lake Oswego Showroom Manager

What is the difference between a showroom and a store?

The intention of a showroom is bring the lululemon culture to a community where we do not have a store. Unlike stores, showrooms are not open every day. This gives us time to be active in the community, hold trunk shows, arrange shop nights and kitchen parties, take yoga and fitness classes, meet with the local instructors and gym owners, and get to meet our community. To sum it up, our goal is to spread the lululemon love.

How did you come to lululemon?

I always found myself shopping at lululemon even though I worked at other athletic apparel stores. After reading about the company culture and manifesto, I just had to be a part of lululemon!

What is a typical Wednesday like for you?

It includes hitting up a class, regional manager call, working the floor, getting our new product for the week, sending a product notification, getting the product on the floor, working with the fabulous Lake Oswego guests, possibly taking a studio owner or instructor out to coffee, fit sessions, fun and sometimes class number two after close!!

 remix rainbow

The inside of our Lake Oswego Showroom!

How do you usually sweat once a day?

I love running or hitting up a class… spin, yoga, anything!

yoga in the store

One of the complimentary yoga classes in the showroom.

What’s one activity/fitness trend that you’ve been dying to try?

Kettle balls.

Why do you have the best job in the world?

I am surrounded by the greatest people in the world. Everyone is dedicated to creating new possibilities, setting goals and dreaming BIG! Ever since I joined the company, my personal and career development sky-rocketed! I am absolutely in love with the company, the people, the culture, EVERYTHING!

What piece of advice do you have for future showroom managers?

Talk, talk, talk!! Find out all about events in the community, gyms, studios, and get to know the locals. Hire a rock-star team and travel as a pack.

What’s your Big Hairy Audacious Goal!? (one year)

The Lake Oswego Showroom will be the best showroom in the US by May 2010!

haley at oswego

Come visit Haley and the team in Oswego!

Posted in our people, stories from our stores, what we do for fun

love this post? share it! |
three days of dedication
This blog post was written by Billie, posted on November 2, 2009 at 11:22 am, and filed under community, events, what we do for fun. Comments (0)

This Fall I attended the opening ceremony for the Breast Cancer 3-Day benefiting Susan G. Komen for the cure. 2,200 participants came on Friday morning to kick off their walk around Chicagoland and dedicate the next 3 days and 60 miles to their mothers, friends, daughters, wives, teachers, husbands, and themselves.

supporting

I am grateful to have been part of this event, which began at the Northbrook Court mall about 10 miles north of Chicago. Our Northbrook store’s ambassador, Marcy Caron, kicked off the 3-day with a morning stretch for 2,200 walkers at the opening ceremony.

stretching for a cause

In being there to see the opening ceremony, I was able to get a small taste of what the walkers would go through over the next 3 days. They trained for this event and looked forward to it for so long, and throughout the weekend they cheered, laughed, cried, shared, and celebrated together.

the ladies of lululemon
Beth, Liz, Marcy, Kristin, Suzanne, and Billie supporting the participants of the 3-Day Chicago at Northbrook Court.

Once the walk began, I went to a spin class at the Pilates Barre in Winnetka with the rest of the Northbrook lululemon team. To our surprise, when we were eating at Panera after class, the 3-day walkers were moving through Winnetka! In the brief moments I spoke with the walkers and encouraged them on their journey, I was touched by their stories, their memories, and their unforgettable t-shirts and memorabilia. It was so incredible to be a witness to their courage, commitment, love, and optimism.

Posted in community, events, what we do for fun

love this post? share it! |
the 100.1 mile ride
This blog post was written by Lauren, posted on October 30, 2009 at 9:52 am, and filed under goal setting, our people, what we do for fun. Comments (9)

lululemon tattoos
Todd, Rachelle and Lauren about to ride 100 miles.

When I started working at lululemon in August 2008, I decided to challenge myself by setting the goal to cycle a century ride (100 miles) in 2009. Thankfully, my fellow Carlsbad Forum store key leader Rachelle Morton was interested in training with me. A two-time Ironwoman, Rachelle had never ridden a century ride outside of an IM race, and set a goal to compete in a race a month in 2009.

So, we committed and signed up for the Lighthouse Century Ride flat 100 on September 26, 2009 in San Luis Obispo County, California. We knew the views from the Lighthouse Century Ride would be gorgeous.

view of san simeon

View of San Simeon from the saddle

First thing first - I sold my hybrid bike and purchased a road bike that could withstand thousands of miles of training on flat roads and rolling and steep hills alike, and of course, make me fast!

lauren hugging her bike

I knew the second I got in the saddle cycling would become my passion. This bike has gotten me through a successful triathalon and a century ride this year - not to mention thousands of miles of training.

Rachelle became the “big sister I never had” and walked me through all things advanced cycling, from equipment, training, and cross-training, to recovery, hydration, and nutrition - you name it, she taught me! I became someone to help keep her honest in training, push her up the long climbs, and the one to introduce her to the best recovery drink - coconut water.

Her husband Todd, to whom I also owe much thanks, became my mechanic, another advanced rider to provide me equipment and cycling 201, chauffeur, and wine-tasting buddy as a reward after the race.

And now, for the ride:

There were four rides going off at the same time, and we accidently hopped on the metric century (62 mile) route. Very thankfully - due to my trusty math and route slip comparing skills - we realized we were only 10 miles behind, and our intended route met up with the metric route at the first rest stop. It was here we discovered our favorite riding fuel is Nutella and chunky peanut butter on anything! We loaded up, as we knew we had to add on 5 miles past the rest stop, to bring us back up to 100 miles.

break time

We were SO thankful for coffee at the mile 55 turnaround rest stop. We’d been facing headwinds for 20 miles that stalled us to 7mph at one point, and I’m convinced our core body temperature must have dropped a degree or two. Lesson learned - buy arm and leg sleeves!

Elephant seals at mile 59.

Elephant seals at mile 59.

At mile 82, Rachelle was dropping me on the hills (I usually can take most guys on a climb) so she feared I was on my way to “bonking.” It was then she yelled, “Take your Espresso Love GU NOW!”

I abided, and after the final rest stop for our final 10 miles, we were passing nearly every rider in our foreground.

time

My Garmin proves to the world we rode 100.1 miles in 6 hours 16 minutes. While we weren’t doing the century for time, we rode our fastest pace for a long ride yet.

done.
We did it!

For more pictures from our ride, check out my Flickr photo set.

goal achieved

The following day, Rachelle and I wore our 2008 lululemon holiday goal shirts to work. It was awesome to share with guests our achievement and inspire them to set goals that “tickle their tummy,” as our store manager Laura Murphy puts it.

Rachelle, Todd and I had such an awesome experience, we’re all doing the Solvang Prelude on November 7th.

Now it’s time to create a 2010 health goal; thinking about running a marathon or racing a 70.3 (half Ironman).

What are your health goals?

Posted in goal setting, our people, what we do for fun

love this post? share it! |
from hawaii to san francisco
This blog post was written by lululemon, posted on October 28, 2009 at 2:30 pm, and filed under community, events, run, stories from our stores, what we do for fun. Comments (5)

spot the ambassador 

This is a guest post written by Rachel Ross, triathlete and Ala Moana ambassador.

This Sunday I ran my first marathon in two years that was not preceded by 112 mile bike ride, because I just couldn’t resist a chance to run Women’s Marathon in San Francisco. 20,000 women running either the half or full marathon from Union Square out to Ocean Beach, and getting a Tiffany’s necklace at the end as a finisher’s medal - what’s not to love?

My children were all born in San Francisco. I lived on Potrero Hill and ran the Embarcadero day in and day out. I’ve been in Hawaii for five years now, but there’s still a little of my heart and my history in that city. But it’s cold there. I run in 80-90 degree weather day in and day out over here on the rock. So what to wear? Not to worry, said Corey, the manager of the Ala Moana lululemon store, come in and we’ll get you all dressed up for the cold weather. Stop laughing, dear readers, 60 degrees is a cold run for some of us!

We started with the Run: Spirit Tights. I had a feeling I would be the only girl in Union Square Sunday morning wearing tights. I was indeed - everywhere I looked it was women in shorts and tanks. And lululemon was well represented! As the rest shivered, I was toasty in my new striped spirit tights. I picked them up on the way to the airport and broke every race-day rule by trying something new for the race. They fit like they were made for me, the back pocket held my gels just fine and zipped my $2 for the muni ride home up safe and sound. On top I had my lucky Timex jersey, but for the noggin - back to my lululemon love, my new favorite beanie. It kept me warm through 20 miles of fog, and I whipped it off for a little fresh air as I came back along Great Highway to the finish.

As for the race - it was impeccably managed. They gave us chocolate at mile 20. What more could a girl need at mile 20? Well, I was kind of wishing for a skateboard at that point, really. I came in a little unprepared, hoping to enjoy the sights and run happily to the finish. I surprised myself with a 3:13:57 and a 5th place finish. Bonus! There were some serious climbs that I hadn’t accounted for, but they kept it interesting.

rachel done the race

After the race I hit the San Fransico lululemon, because you never know what they might have that we don’t out in Honolulu… sure enough, killer coats and gloves! If only I could get them to turn down the AC a few degrees in my office I could totally justify buying one.

Posted in community, events, run, stories from our stores, what we do for fun

love this post? share it! |
run with matt
This blog post was written by Shawna, posted on October 26, 2009 at 6:17 pm, and filed under community, goal setting, run, what we do for fun. Comments (0)

matt running

In the heart of New York City there is an inspirational man who lets nothing stop him. Matt Long was a New York City firefighter who was struck by a bus and was severely injured with broken bones and internal bleeding. He went on to complete the New York City Marathon, and most recently an Iron Man.

The lululemon athletica family is thrilled to be part of his journey. If you’re in New York or ANYWHERE close, please join the lululemon Soho store for a night of inspiration and motivation as we celebrate all things running. Get ready for the New York City Marathon! We will be spending the night with Matt and hear about his I Will Foundation.

This is an event not to be missed. The night will be magical. Wednesday, October 28th at 8pm, 481 Broadway, New York – be there!

Posted in community, goal setting, run, what we do for fun

love this post? share it! |
meet our senior merchant
This blog post was written by Carolyn, posted on October 26, 2009 at 10:59 am, and filed under why we love this. Comments (2)

Carolyn

Above: Carolyn, our senior merchant for mens/accessories/outerwear hits the seawall for a run.

You’ve asked us to share more stories about the people that work behind the scenes here at lululemon! Today, we interviewed Carolyn, our senior merchant for mens/accessories/outerwear and asked her all our burning run questions.

What gets you up in the morning?

Honestly- my dogs licking my face! I’ve always been an early riser especially in the summer when there is beautiful weather to enjoy. I love an early morning run or hike - such an invigorating way to start the day.

When did you start running?

I have two first memories of running- the first was in 6th grade when I belonged to an after school track team and competed in the long jump, 100 yard dash and relay. My favorite (and second) memory is running with my best friend in junior high and high school - we used to run 2 miles downhill to a little corner store, buy Hostess donuts and a kiwi strawberry Snapple and then sit in the park sharing our delicious treats before WALKING back up the hill - not much running involved!

What about running do you like the most?

There are so many things I love about running - I love the social aspect of it, meeting new people and having great conversations during a long run (definitely makes you forget that you are running miles and miles). I also love going for runs by myself, listening to my ipod and losing myself in the music - I am convinced that my ipod knows me because it always seems to know what mood I am in and what songs I need to hear.

What are some of the biggest races you have been in?

Definitely the Boston Marathon - it was incredible being around such elite athletes, such an incredible experience. In 2006 I ran the Chicago Marathon - there were so many spectators throughout the whole course which was so awesome. The most random race I did was the Powerman Duathalon in Birmingham, Alabama. I did this through team and training in 2003 - it was the first time I had ever competed in a race with truly elite athletes. [Editor's note: read more about Carolyn's training for the Boston Marathon here]

What is your favourite running moment?

I have two favourite memories. The first was in 2006 when I ran Chicago. I ran it with a friend that I had trained with. We had been running together for about a year when we ran the marathon and it was her first marathon. I remember crossing the start line holding hands with a huge grin and teary eyes as I thought about the endless early morning runs through the snow and ice and how it had all brought us to that moment. We both qualified for Boston in that race. My second favourite memory was last December when at mile 24 my husband knowing that I qualified for Boston joined me for the last 2 miles and told me that he had already booked our trip to Boston.

What lululemon running product do you like the most and why?

There are so many - where to begin?-I love the Run:Ultra and Run:Speed short. The Empower Crop are definitely the best for spring and fall running. For tops, the Cool Racer back is perfect, light weight, comes in all different colours and works perfectly with a sports bra.

For fall running, what types of product do you recommend?

The Run:Hills pullover is fantastic - the cut is very feminine and the fabric feels like butter on your skin. I am a big fan of the Empower Crops as they are the perfect weight as the weather gets a little cooler. The Run:Swiftly top is also a favourite of mine. The fabric is incredibly soft while moisture-wicking and extremely breathable.

How do you describe the lululemon run line?

Candy - you want one of everything, and if you start with one you keep going back for more because the fit and feel of the product is amazing.

What are your running goals/BHAGS?

I think my biggest goal is to run a 3:05 marathon by the time I turn 35, so I have four years to train. Other than that, to always enjoy it and make it a part of my life. I never want to get to where I feel like I have to run - there are too many other things in life that we have to do.

Posted in why we love this

love this post? share it! |