Lululemon has the iconic logo for you to flaunt while you do your yoga (or pretend to do), constantly looking like you just came from the gym when in reality you just got out of bed ten minutes ago. Whatever comes to mind when you think of the brand, there is a definite culture and stigma connected to the fairly ridiculously overpriced athletic wear brand.
Before my freshman year at Villanova, a university well-known for the affluent status of the vast majority of its students as well as the area it is located, I barely knew what Lululemon was.
But once I arrived on campus and started noticing the flashy little logo on everyone's cropped leggings, eventually I felt like I was missing out on something amazing if I did not have a pair myself.
While I admittedly had to stop myself from falling down the Lulu rabbit hole around Christmas time of my first semester, I thank the socioeconomic diversity of my high school and financially reasonable parents for shielding me from growing up with the expectations that any pair of leggings that touched my body should start at $80.
Despite it's "Wunder Under Lextreme" leggings feeling like an absolute dream, the Lululemon logo is more of a status symbol than one of functionality, considering the amount of women and men (my dad included) who wear the brand despite never having any intention of becoming master yogis. If we are honest with ourselves, there are several other athleisure brands that make everything Lululemon does at a much more reasonable price.
Along with being unreasonable, almost every Lululemon shopper is guilty of reusing their bright red, printed product bags in completely unnecessary situations after we treat ourselves to a new Lulu purchase.
While I'm all for recycling, when we constantly carry around our little red bags and refuse to use any of the other totes in our closet for their intended purpose, we are feeding into the elitist culture centered on the power of a simple brand logo.
Carrying all of our things in the *free* Lulu bags around people who know how expensive Lululemon is only flaunts the fact that we have the ability to spend money on luxury items we may or may not actually need.
Lululemon creates amazing products and, while I personally treat myself to them whenever I have the ability to, I believe many people who are not brand minded do not understand the "Lulu phenomenon," and why so many cling to their leggings and these bags like a lifeline.
The Lululemon Omega is a status symbol that now speaks for itself in many ways. While Lulu enthusiasts may be called "cult-ish" or just plainly privileged, these stereotypes are understandable and somewhat valid considering the price of every item of Lululemon clothing, and how dedicated many of us become to growing our collections.
Lululemon definitely has a culture grounded in considerable privilege, and it can be extremely difficult to separate yourself from it when you are constantly surrounded by those nagging little logos. Remembering that certain brands and material items are not vital to your existence is always important, especially at a time in our lives when we are so easily influenced. It's always ok to treat yourself, but it's important to do so responsibly.
