On May 21, following the close of the New York Stock Exchange, Canadian yoga and leisurewear company lululemon announced a significant personnel change: Chief Product Officer Sun Choe (pictured below) will be leaving the company later this month to seek other opportunities.
Following this announcement, lululemon’s stock price fell by 7.8% on May 22, resulting in a market value loss of nearly $3 billion and sparking widespread discussion in the capital markets.
In the announcement, lululemon’s CEO Calvin McDonald expressed gratitude for Choe’s numerous contributions over the past seven years, noting that she leaves behind a stronger, product-centric organization and a group of vibrant leaders who will continue to propel the brand forward.
So, how important was Sun Choe to lululemon, and why is the capital market so uneasy about her departure? Luxeplace.com provides a comprehensive analysis based on publicly available information.
Sun Choe joined lululemon in December 2016 as Senior Vice President of Merchandising and was promoted to Chief Product Officer in 2018.
During her tenure as Chief Product Officer (2018-2023), lululemon’s total sales doubled (from $3.29 billion to $9.62 billion). While the traditional women’s apparel category remained robust, the “men’s” and “other categories,” including footwear, also saw significant growth. Men’s sales increased from $690 million to $2.25 billion, and other categories from $260 million to $1.22 billion, becoming two major new growth drivers for the brand.
A Cross-Industry Veteran with Nearly 30 Years of Experience
Before joining lululemon, Choe had no experience working with sports brands. However, she had been Chief Global Product Merchant at American designer brand Marc Jacobs and had held roles at Gap, Levi’s, Guess, Urban Outfitters, and high-end home retail company West Elm, amassing extensive merchandising experience.
In interviews, Choe expressed her long-standing passion for fashion and design, although she hadn’t considered it a career path in her youth. After graduating from college, she joined Gap as a merchandise trainee and then worked at Levi’s for five years. She credits her time at Levi’s with igniting her love for fashion products and brands because of the rich stories they could tell, deciding to pursue this industry from then on.
An outdoor running enthusiast, Choe often wore lululemon’s products before joining the company, inspired by the performance and comfort of their fabrics. She joined lululemon because the brand stayed at the forefront of retail and consumer behavior evolution, helping guests live the lives they love through products, tools, and experiences.
Regarding products, she noted, “lululemon is more than athleisure. Our products make guests feel and perform their best. We design for athletes and involve athletes in the design process. We focus on design details, blending performance with fashion, and using high-performance technical fabrics to support athletic activities.”
Besides lululemon, she also admires the Japanese home brand MUJI for its simple, clean aesthetic, making even the most ordinary products elegant.
Choe graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a degree in Political Science, unrelated to fashion. She advises those interested in entering the fashion industry to stay curious and open-minded. “The fashion industry is a multi-layered business with many opportunities and roles. There are many paths to achieve your goals, often non-linear. Engage with people from different areas of the company and be willing to learn things you might not initially find appealing. And always be kind—today’s subordinate might be tomorrow’s boss.”
She believes lululemon offers a fair and open environment where senior leaders often exercise and communicate with newcomers. Based on her experience, she finds accumulating product expertise challenging and is eager to share her insights with newcomers. She regards her mentor at Urban Outfitters, CEO Richard Hayne, as one of the most underrated executives in the retail industry.
Leading lululemon into the Footwear Market
In July 2018, Calvin McDonald officially joined lululemon as CEO, and Sun Choe was promoted to Chief Product Officer in September of the same year.
During her tenure as Chief Product Officer, lululemon significantly expanded its product categories, introducing clothing for tennis, golf, and hiking, the Mylo product line made from mushroom materials, and its first footwear line.
Entering the footwear market has been one of lululemon’s most critical product initiatives in recent years. Under Choe’s leadership, the brand launched its first running shoe, Blissfeel, in March 2022, followed by more footwear products.
“We started with women’s athletic shoes because typically, athletic shoes are designed based on men’s needs and then adapted for women. This approach didn’t suit us. We wanted to change the male-centric market perspective. Therefore, we developed the entire series from ‘her perspective.’ Innovating for women has always been in lululemon’s DNA, and the introduction of footwear is no exception. Women’s influence permeated the entire process,” said Choe.
lululemon Blissfeel 2 Women’s Running Shoe
In February 2024, lululemon launched its first men’s footwear series. Choe stated, “Every product we create reflects our feeling-first philosophy rooted in the belief that when you feel your best, you perform your best. Our new and men’s footwear products are no exception. We now offer versatile equipment from head to toe for men and women. Each design undergoes extensive research, wear testing, and ambassador feedback to ensure a perfect fit for any activity.”
lululemon Beyondfeel Men’s Running Shoe
To date, lululemon has released six women’s athletic shoes and one women’s sandal, two men’s athletic shoes, and one men’s sandal.
John Zolidis, founder of consumer investment advisory firm Quo Vadis Capital, pointed out that Chief Product Officer Sun Choe’s departure followed worrisome comments during the company’s March earnings call, where lululemon attributed a slow fiscal year start to reduced shoppers and an unfavorable product mix, suggesting potential issues in product sales or execution.
Despite this, Wedbush Securities analyst Tom Nikic noted a positive sign: lululemon’s discount levels significantly decreased in May after a substantial rise in previous months. This could indicate that trends have stabilized this quarter, and management might express a more optimistic outlook in the upcoming earnings call.
With Choe’s departure, lululemon announced a series of organizational changes:
Jonathan Cheung, appointed Global Creative Director earlier this year, will report directly to CEO Calvin McDonald, responsible for setting product design and innovation directions and continuing to oversee design, innovation, and product development.
lululemon will form a new team from the existing merchandising and brand departments: Chief Brand Officer Nikki Neuberger has been appointed Chief Brand & Product Activation Officer, overseeing merchandising, footwear, and product operations in addition to her brand responsibilities. Chief Merchant Elizabeth Binder will report to her.
The company also announced that it does not plan to replace the Chief Product Officer position.
As for Choe’s next career move, it remains unknown.
| Image Sources: lululemon official website
| Information Sources: lululemon official website; Footwear News; Retail Wire; Joe’s Blackbook; Key Executives
| Editor: LeZhi
