The renovation clock is ticking. We've blacked out our online store as we move ahead with our site's renovation. We've affectionately called the place "Boutique Noir" because let's face it, it sounds better that way. To celebrate the state of affairs, we interviewed Sheree Waterson, our Executive VP of Merchandise Management. Why? You'll see. 

Sheree is the woman ultimately behind the fabulous colour you know and love from lululemon. We are all intrigued by the way she plays with texture, shape and proportion, all with function at the core, no matter what she’s creating.

We’re also intrigued by the amount of black in her wardrobe. The woman can wear black. I mean really wear black. Think 29 days out of 30: black shoes, pants, tops, jackets, hair, nail polish, accessories – all black. Considering our online store is about to look a lot like Sheree’s wardrobe, it only seemed fitting to spend a little time with the woman to talk about her favourite colour. (Is black a colour?)

the woman in black

Elissa: So how long have you been wearing all black?
Sheree: Since I started in the business. I used to wear a lot of colour. When I started, I was a buyer for designer sportswear. We used to travel a lot and so, you know, your wardrobe has to be easy. Truthfully, I love dressing this way because it’s easy to play with proportion when you keep the palette all black. My clothes are all black and my environment has to be white. I admit. I send myself white flowers. I need a clean blank canvas to create so that ADD doesn't creep in.

It’s funny, when I lived in San Fran, I had some friends who had a shop called “Alabaster”. They helped me decorate my apartment.  I said I wanted this particular Napolean couch in white velvet and another piece in white silk satin, a look inspired by this Oscar De La Renta dress.  “Honey,” she said, “we can’t do that. It’s going to look like a wedding cake in here.” That was the point.

E: So you own a lot of black luon?
S: Oh yeah. (she laughs.)

E: Do you own any coloured luon?
S: A bit. I have some jewel-tone pieces, Dark Classic Sport Grey, Snorkel Blue, Flush…but mostly black. It’s about proportion and function at that point.

E: Before you were at lululemon you were...
S: Before I was at lululemon I was President of Speedo North America and before that, I was the VP of Women's at Levi's.

 (At this point, the accessories designers interrupt with a colour board to show Sheree. It’s for upcoming water bottles. I get to observe a really unique moment where Sheree challenges them to get inside her head and try to understand what’s working for her and what is not. I have never seen anyone speak so passionately about colour’s ability to inspire, to drive emotions and to communicate.)

S to designers: The colour has to blow me away – I mean literally. It has to blow me away.  This finish? (She points to a metallic bottle) This slays me. I walk by this and think “quality”. It’s really just a water bottle. It’s the opposite of intellectual. It’s purely creative. Are you with me?

(After ten minutes of interacting over water bottle colours and graphics, the designers leave the office to go back to the drawing board.)

S to E: Did that make sense? Did I communicate that well?

E: Yes, I get it. I have a mother who did women’s colour analysis in the eighties, so I totally get the whole language of colour thing. I’m curious: how many black pairs of shoes do you own?
(She’d rather not comment, but she did mention she’s in the triple digits. Whoa.)

E: Who’s your style icon?
S: I don’t know. It’s hard for me to say. I don’t really think anyone dresses that great these days. Who rocks hard? (Sheree looks at Janine, a designer who is standing within earshot.)  

E: Ok, if you take “style icon” and replace that with whose work do you love?
S: Oh, easy.  I love Givenchy. Ricardo Tisci, McQueen - I love Rick Owens. His favourite colour is black too. We're soul mates.

E: Black or red licorice? 
S: Black!

E: White or dark chocolate?
S: Oooh, it depends on the brand.
Janine: Gummi bears!
S: GUMMI BEARS! Vitamin Gummi bears! (We all laugh.)

E: Favourite workout?
S: Kundalini Yoga...at Semperviva with Gloria, or Yoga West with Hari Singh, or Ghurmuk Kaur Khalsa when she’s in Vancouver. (I find this amusing. A lot of people who practice Kundalini wear all white.)

Goals for the year?
S: Go to Harvard. (Check. She heads to Boston for a two-month leadership course on Saturday. Ironically, she’s wearing a stunning cherry red cropped jacket to celebrate. There’s a long silence. She looks me square in the eyes.) Truthfully, I am so wrapped up in work that the thing that I really care about – really care about – is that the team that I work with is the most inspired, happiest team in the world. That is it. I can’t think of anything else that I’d rather have. Except more yoga. Do more yoga.
Erika (Sheree's Executive Assistant): …and drink more water.
S: More water, yes.

E: …out of a sexy water bottle?
S: Yes, out of a really sexy water bottle! Exactly.  It has to be chartreuse. No, really. (Her expression goes completely stoic.) Chartreuse is the number one colour in the world.

want more?

• Meet some of the other people behind our products. Say hello to Katie.
• Follow our designers on their trip to Europe. Croissants and goals abound.
• Find out about the product black-out. Read our reno page.

We like Sheree's philosophy as much as we love her office. Sometimes things are simpler in black and white. Consider our all-black selection our clean slate as we tidy things up behind the scenes. Thanks so much for your patience!

The Boston Marathon is arguably the most iconic race. We'll be there cheering on April 18th but in the meantime, we caught up with our Boston-bound ambassadors to get inspired before the big day. First up, Sue Anne Clark. We get along for many reasons, like the fact that when she's not running, she's EATING. (Yes, all caps. Her words not ours.)

the road to boston with sue anne clark

Sue Anne is a bit of a superhero. She has competed in over 75 triathlons - and she didn't start logging them until she set a goal on her thirtieth birthday. When she's not leading the run club at our Wayne, Pennsylvania store, she's sharing her passion with the next generation of athletes as a cross-country and track and field coach. Chances are if she's not running, she's eating. She's our kind of girl.

Who inspired you to start running?
My dad. He suddenly passed away when I was in my twenties. It inspired me to make a list of goals. A triathlon was number one, so I figured I better start with running. One mile lead to 26.2 over the years. My mom tells me I have my dad’s legs, so I’ll give him all the credit.

Why Boston?
It’s the marathon of marathons. I love the challenge of qualifying for a race. Besides, I can’t pass up a lobster roll & Sam Adams at the finish line!

What’s your goal for the race?
To have a better time than last year and I'm not referring to my run time. I had so much fun between the cheers, the high-fives, and the amazing people. This year I'm also hoping to raise $1,000 for WANDAA to help send care packages to Japan through my Running to Relief for Japan campaign.

How has yoga helped your running regime?
When I started adding yoga to my routine, I felt more fluid on my runs and looked forward to the calmness of the classes. I liked it so much, I worked with the local studio owner to hold a “Yoga For Runners” series at our running club. It was a great intro for my fellow runners.

Sue Anne conquers last weekend's monsoon at the LA Marathon

Where do you run on days when you feel you can conquer anything?
I take to the trails! Blazing through the trails is such a rush. Speed is your friend when it comes to the really rocky or rooty sections. The steep climbs and fast descents, twists, turns, and trees - I love it. I want to go right now just thinking about it.

What yoga poses keep your training on track?
Pigeon! Any pose that opens my hips and lengthens my legs is great. I like how yoga strengthens my upper body and core. Right now, I am taking a Hoopvinyasa class. It's been amazing for my hips and core, and I have lots of fun learning tricks with a hoola hoop! (Editor's note: Hoopvinyasa? When is that coming to Vancouver?)

When you’re not training you’re…
EATING.  And when I am not eating, I work at University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPenn) as a Physician Liaison for Cancer & Surgery services. I am inspired every day by the people I work with. They are dedicated, intelligent & extremely fascinating.

What do you look for in training and race gear?
I love colorful stuff but more importantly, I want to wear gear that makes me feel like a woman when I am racing or training. 

Years ago, my old race gear was so off the mark that I thought about starting my own line. I even took a course at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. I think lululemon entered the US market soon after…so I kept to my day job.

What’s next for you after Boston?
Two weeks later I will be racing at the ITU Cross Triathlon World Championship in Spain. This race is all on trails - yahoo!

visit us in boston

If you'll be in Boston for the marathon, come visit us at the John Hancock Sports & Fitness Expo and at our Prudential Center store. We've got a lot of fun planned from April 15th to 18th. The store's Facebook page has all the details. (Oh, and if you're running the race, we'll see you at Heartbreak Hill with bells on. You won't miss us.) 

want more?

• Spend more time with Sue Anne. Read her blog.
• Get to know your local ambassadors. Head to your neighbourhood store's mini-site.
• Apply to become an ambassador. Start by filling in the online application.
• Learn more from the experts. Check out our Ask A Runner blog series.
• Start packing for Boston. If you're running the race, get a head start on the necessities.

We'll be checking in with more ambassadors as Boston tip-toes its way closer. What's on your list of things to ask them?

A team that jumps together, stays together!

Here's what to expect from the seasonal hiring process:

your local lululemon puts the word out on the street

To find if your lululemon is hiring for the holidays, you can:

- check their store web page
- search our careers section
- check their Facebook page. Here's a list of our stores on Facebook
- ask someone you know who works there already
- drop in to the store to chat in person! (This way your future team can put a face to a name, too.)

Each store's hiring process is slightly different. This year lululemon Kingston is holding a loveyourjob fair for seasonal hiring - find the details here.

the group interview

The group interview is meant to be an opportunity to learn more about what it might be like to work at the store, meet the people you'll be working closely with, and share more about yourself. Wear comfortable clothes, be yourself, and be prepared for impromptu downward dogs!

Staff meeting at our new Palm Beach Gardens, Florida location - opening Oct. 30!

the one-on-one

Stores want their seasonal hires to potentially turn into members of their team. After the group interview, managers send out invitations for one-on-one meetings. This is another chance to shine and ask any other questions you may have. Got goals? Hope so! Be prepared to answer what your 1, 5, and 10-year plans are. Need help? Check out goaltender!

lululemon La Jolla's staff wall of goals. View their educator job postings here.

frequently asked questions

What should I wear?

Dress comfortably. Be yourself. Elissa says "don't wear heels."

How do I prepare for the group interview?

Ask yourself what you like about lululemon and why you're interested in joining the team. Other than that, expect the unexpected - anything can happen!

How do I prepare for the one-on-one interview?

This is the more "regular" interview: questions, availability, goals, etc. Remember that "Preparing for Interviews" lecture from your guidance counselor in high school? It's like that.

Do I need to be a product expert?

It helps, but your biggest asset is a keen, teachable spirit. The team shares a pool of knowledge, and you can tap into that pool once you jump into the deep end.

Guerilla yoga could be part of your job! Pictured above: lululemon 4th St. braving the Calgary cold.

Being part of the seasonal team gives you the chance to see if you're a good fit with lululemon, participate in community yoga classes and events, and learn more about the culture. Oh, and make some extra spending money over the holidays. If you've ever thought about what it might be like to work at a lululemon, now is a great time to find out.

Get out there! We're waiting for you!

I never applied to work for lululemon. In fact, I was actually going to a job interview at a local restaurant, dressed to impress, when I stopped into my neighborhood store and my world turned on its axis. I had just achieved a big life goal: “I leave the security of suburbia and move into the big bad city before my twentieth birthday.” (Attention please: my goal is SMART. Not sure what I’m talking about? Check out GOALTENDER.) My favorite groove pants apparently did not share my vision of moving into Vancouver’s West End and they got lost in transition. I decided to replace them on the way to my interview. The Robson location was busy as usual, and I casually wandered through the bustling sea of tourists and locals.

Ananda was waiting for me at the pant wall and we became instant friends – she was incredibly helpful and had an infectious personality. I told her that I wished that I could come to work in flip-flops and comfy pants, not the impending pencil skirts and heels.

“You can!” she exclaimed, as she took my hand and boldly escorted me to the front of the store to meet the manager. Hilarious. Only at lululemon. We had an on-the-spot interview, and I was invited to attend a group interview that week.

Fast-forward to the big day:
I was well-versed in my interview responses.
I picked out a nice outfit – and hooray! no heels included.
I planned my bus route and made sure that I had enough time to arrive EARLY.

To my dismay, the good people running the buses that fateful day were behind the eight ball. This, combined with my total lack of knowledge for the city’s streets, successfully made me twenty minutes late for my interview. It was the grossest feeling. I felt like I lost before I even got my chance.The whole interview was a fantastic blur of ingenuity - nothing like I had ever experienced - but I don’t really remember anything except the gut-rot I felt for being late. When it was over, I think I apologized five times to the girls hosting the interview.

“Life is full of setbacks. Success is determined by how you handle setbacks.” The thing about being put in a challenging situation is that it brings out your true colors. I didn’t feel like a confident Chili red; instead I was more like a sedated Sand, but they liked what they saw, and I got the job! My journey has had some interesting ups and downs in the five years I have been with the company, which I look forward to sharing with you. I continue to challenge myself, and continue to realize some really amazing goals along the way. (This includes meeting the man of my dreams - stay tuned for that one.)

If you are considering an opportunity with us – GO FOR IT! If you want to pick my brain and hear more about my time with lululemon, EMAIL me (Attn: Elissa at gec@lululemon.com). I’m happy to be your personal cheerleader. My first advice nugget to all you ladies and gentlemen out there getting ready for an interview? Don’t wear heels.

Come join the team and check out some of the cool jobs we have in the company!