Lululemon new 'naked' pants lead to 'insane' price hike

The cult brand favoured by yoga fans, Lululemon, has decided to reorganise the way it sells pants in order to help customers find the right fit. In the past, the brand displayed its pants according to silhouette, going from highest to loosest but now the athletic wear label has decided to organise their bottoms according to fit, or as they call it: ‘sensations’.

Consumers will be able to select their pants depending on their sporting needs and new categories for the bottom’s division will carry new enticing names, such as “hugged, naked, relaxed, tight and held in.” However, the name “naked” may trigger some unwanted memories for the athletic wear label - in fact Lululemon was forced to slash its outlook for the year 2013 after a line of its popular ‘luon’ yoga pants had to be recalled due to their unusual sheerness

Lululemon's renamed 'Naked' pants may not sit will with all of its customers

Nevertheless, Lululemon is not worried about the names of its pant categories. “I don’t have concern around calling it naked because we really are engineering an experience that is that, so to not call it what it is wouldn’t have felt right,” explains Antonia Iamartino, design director of Future Concepts to Yahoo Style. “That was really the ultimate experience we were going after to create, so people can link whatever, but we are very confident with that [name choice] and we are very committed to quality.”

Lululemon unveiled its new category and design pant wall display in store this month. “Our guests now have the choice on how they want to feel,” says Iamartino. “One of the things that is grounded in that feel is level of training compression.” The decision to rebrand Lululemon’s pant system was the result of intensive customer research and athletes alike, to determine the proper amount of compression to include to have the best physiological impact on the body’s performance during sport and to help customer select the perfect pairs for their choice of sport.

New pant wall and display may have negative impact on Lululemon

However, with the new pants categorisation, which was unveiled both in-stores and online September 1 came a price hike for some of Lululemon’s established pants, something customers do not seem to be responding to very well. A spokesperson for the brand confirmed that some prices for the brand’s pants increased, some decreased but over half remained the same. The brand’s cropped pants increased from 72 dollars to 88 dollars, whilst many other styles retail for 98 dollars, significantly more than other athletic wear brands such as Under Armour and Athleta.

One former customer accused the brand of using the price increase as a way of paying for their advertising and means to boost margins on basic pieces. “To go from 72 dollars for solid crops to 88 dollars is insane. That is a 22 percent increase,” she wrote on the brand’s Facebook page and messaging boards, Hey Lululemon. “I don't get a 22 percent raise each year, inflation isn't 22 percent, and surely Lululemon's cost to manufacture these items has not increased 22 percent. Plus, it was only in recent years that Lulu started charging more for printed versions of pants and crops.” With over 100 comments on the post and other customers venting their feelings via other social media channels, it seems this former customer is not alone in her sentiment.

Lululemon's new pant wall and price increase leaves customers feeling 'ripped off'

Lululemon claims that the price increase is reflective of the quality of its products. "We always have and will continue to price our products based on a commitment to value, fit, functionality, premium materials and detail, technology, and craftsmanship. Our pricing structure is reflective of this and allows us to create the very best products for our guests," a company spokesperson told Business Insider in a statement. New pants include a laser-cut zoom as well as seamless front to prevent any accidental camel toes.

However this explanation does not seem to have satisfied all of Lululemon’s customer base. “I could understand a slight increase in prices if quality were increasing, but longtime and loyal customers are well aware that has NOT been the case,” continued the post by willrunforbiscuits. “Putting out "Nulu" pants or changing the name of WUC II's to WUC III to erase the bad reviews is not the solution. Raising prices is not the solution. Making better quality pants, without a 22 percent increase in price, is a solution. Because while Lulu is focused on helping us feel naked, hugged, or whatever sensation we choose, I am left feeling ripped off.”