[1][2] Wilson is widely regarded as the progenitor and a pioneering figure of the athleisure phenomenon, which has permeated mainstream North American society since its emergence in 2014.
[4][5][6] He grew up in an athletic environment along with his two siblings, his Canadian father Dennis Wilson being an ice hockey and football player, and his American mother Ruth Noel being a gymnast.
His father worked for UPS, while his stay-at-home mother did sewing, exposing Wilson to a wide variety of fabrics.
[10][11] Wilson was CEO of Lululemon until 2005, when he sold a 48% stake to private equity firms Advent International[12] and Highland Capital Partners.
[14] In January 2012, Wilson retired from his executive post as chief innovation and branding officer, but remained chairman of the board of directors.
[15] In June 2014, Wilson raised concerns that the Lululemon board was not aligned with the core values of product and innovation on which the company was founded, and on which it thrived.
[16] Six months after the board's reconstitution, the company's share price rose from a June 2014 low of $36.26 to $65.33, a change in market capitalization of over $4 billion.
"[22] In June 2016, Wilson published an open letter to shareholders of Lululemon stating that it had "lost its way" and given up market share to Nike and Under Armour, after he was denied the opportunity to speak at the company's annual meetings.
[28] Wilson has often mentioned the influence of philosopher Ayn Rand on shaping his entrepreneurial and personal philosophy, often alluding to passages from the novel Atlas Shrugged.
[29] Lululemon's company culture was based around a collection of ideas, philosophies, and books prized by Wilson, such as: Landmark Forum, the work of Brian Tracy, and The Secret.
Chip and Shannon Wilson pledged $12 million[46] to the school with the goal of solidifying the future of BC's technical apparel industry.
[48] In 2013, Wilson and his spouse launched Whil.com, a website designed "to convince professionals to meditate a few times a day in increments of just 60 seconds" by making it more accessible.
[51] Along with his wife, Shannon, Chip pledge $100 million to BC Parks Foundation for the preservation and protection of British Columbia's ecosystem in perpetuity.
[52] Wilson has expressed multiple views regarding politics, the facilitation of Lululemon, and women's health, some of which received controversy and negative reception.
"[53] In his book titled Little Black Stretchy Pants, Wilson wrote that he is not necessarily opposed to child labour, as "working young is excellent training for life.
"[54] In 2013, on Bloomberg Television, when asked by a reporter concerning customer's complaints on why there was pilling on the fabric of Lululemon's yoga pants, to which Wilson replied, "Frankly some women’s bodies just actually don’t work for [wearing Lululemon pants]… it’s really about the rubbing through the thighs, how much pressure is there over a period of time, how much they use it.
"[55] In early 2024, Wilson expressed concern over Lululemon's diversity and inclusion policy saying in a Forbes interview: "they’re trying to become like the Gap, everything to everybody."
He also criticized an advertisement made by the company featuring plus-sized women models, whom he said looked "unhealthy," "sickly" and "not inspirational."
David Eby responded by saying, "When you are so rich that the Red Hot Chili Peppers play your birthday party, it's possible to lose perspective.
[67] Wilson appeared in a CBS interview in 2015 where he apologized for past statements regarding the Lululemon yoga pant scandal, saying, "I'm responsible for what comes out of my mouth.
[71] In 2021, after a lengthy search for investment,[72] the BC Parks Foundation acquired three at-risk, bio-diverse islands in British Columbia, with a $4 million donation from Wilson and his family.