Chip Wilson, the billionaire founder of Lululemon Athletica, is divorcing his wife of 20 years, Shannon “Summer” Wilson, without a prenuptial agreement, according to a report by Bloomberg. The couple, married in 2002, are involved in sealed family litigation in the British Columbia Supreme Court.
Shannon Wilson, 52, was one of Lululemon's first employees and served as its founding lead designer. Chip Wilson, 71, has credited his wife with playing a significant role in the brand's growth into an $11 billion company. Both have been separated from the company for over a decade, but Chip Wilson remains a major shareholder, owning 8.6% of Lululemon shares, valued at nearly $1 billion.
Chip Wilson, who was born in the U.S. but raised in Canada, stepped down as chairman of Lululemon's board in 2013 following several controversial public statements. He previously faced criticism for comments attributing the need to recall sheer yoga pants to the bodies of overweight customers, stating, "Quite frankly, some women’s bodies just actually don’t work for [the pants]."
He also made remarks disparaging Lululemon's diversity and inclusion initiatives and suggested the brand had become generic, telling Forbes in 2024 that it had "become like the Gap, everything to everybody." Wilson stated that a brand's definition involves not catering to everyone and being clear about not wanting certain customers.
Despite no longer being employed by Lululemon, Wilson has utilized his position as a significant shareholder to influence the company. In December 2025, he initiated a proxy battle against the company's leadership, criticizing them as "complacent" amid declining sales.
Shannon Wilson has since founded the luxury retail brand Kit and Ace and holds a 1% stake in Lululemon, worth approximately $100 million.