Good morning, friends! Welcome back to The Kicks You Wear. Thanks so much for reading today. I appreciate you giving me a bit of your time.
Hope you’ve got a great weekend ahead of you! For most of us in the US, it seems that we’ve got a big winter storm coming our way. I dread this cold weather so much, but a blizzard doesn’t sound like the worst thing in the world. Do you want to build a snowman?
Quick hits:
Alright. Let’s dive in.
Lululemon Trips Up Again
Lululemon founder and former board president Chip Wilson looks for any and every angle to nip at the company’s leadership. This week, they gave him a good reason.
What’s happening: Lululemon temporarily pulled and subsequently brought back its “Get Low” leggings this week after consumers complained that the new products weren’t “squat proof.”
- Users on Reddit noted that the $108 leggings weren’t “squat proof,” as they were easy to see through when the wearer bent.
- Lululemon temporarily pulled the leggings after complaints surfaced and entered the conversation. The brand wanted to “better understand initial guest feedback.”
- The company then brought the leggings back, along with additional advice on how to wear them. The company recommended users buy a size up in pairs of leggings and wear them with seamless, skin-tone underwear.
My take: None of that is a good look — especially not at a $108 price point. These are problems that should’ve been solved when the product went into its wear testing phase, not once it hit the market.
The timing: This is where the boardroom intrigue comes in. This couldn’t have happened at a worse moment. The company will soon be without a CEO as Calvin McDonald steps down at the end of the month. Meanwhile, Wilson is staging a proxy fight against the company’s board of directors.
Be smart: You just knew he wouldn’t let this moment go to waste. Wilson immediately went to LinkedIn following this news and ranted — again — about how Lululemon has not only lost its “cool.” He called out leadership on this one.
“It is clear that persistent failures like this are born out of this board’s lack of experience in creative businesses, disinterest in product development and quality and focus on short-term, self-interested priorities,” he said. “How could anyone reach a conclusion other than the board continues to make decisions that are destroying the brand and stock price?”
Why this matters: This is an easy moment to leverage for Wilson, who is working to win over shareholders as he tries to install his handpicked candidates on Lululemon’s board.
- He nominated three director candidates for election in late December at the company’s annual meeting for 2026: former ESPN chief marketing officer Laura Gentile, former On Holding co-CEO Marc Maurer and former Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg.
This moment is perfect for him. It’s a major company mistake, happening at a time when there’s a power vacuum at the top and growth isn’t as strong as it once was. There’s never been a better time to convince those with a stake in the company that the people running it aren’t fit to do so. In this situation, he’s not incorrect. A blunder like this falls squarely on a company’s leadership.
Yes, but… This was always Wilson’s goal. He’s been singing the same tune since he was removed from the board in 2015 following scrutiny over anti-Asian and fat-phobic comments. He hasn’t been a fan of the brand since and has noted particular gripes about its diversity efforts as the company left him behind.
The bottom line: This isn’t just a complaint from a concerned shareholder — it’s a play to win back control. The more leadership fumbles, the bigger an opening Wilson has to do so. If they don’t want that to happen, they should take care of problems like this one before they hit the market.
SZA’s Vision Comes Together
There haven’t been too many major footwear moments at Paris Fashion Week so far, but Vans certainly has the biggest yet.
What’s new: The Grammy-winning artist, SZA, who was appointed as Vans’ new artistic director in August, had her first big moment with the brand when she stepped out in a pair of custom Vans in Paris at Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton FW26 menswear show.
The details: There are five total custom pairs of shoes out there made specifically for SZA.
- The first is the pair SZA wore — a pair of Authentic 44s, aptly titled “Ladybug Garden,” inspired by the artist’s obsession with ladybugs and nature.
- There are four more pairs of Vans in the collection, all customised and adorned with gemstones by jewellery designer Rachel Goatley.
- She also gave out a few samples to fans during a meet and greet in the city.
Why this matters: Don’t get it twisted — whatever SZA creates with Vans that does eventually make it to retail is not going to look like the pairs she’s wearing in Paris. Many of the samples she passed out probably won’t see the light of day otherwise. But I think these combined events might give us a taste of what we can expect from this partnership.
I was skeptical about the SZA partnership initially, and I do certainly still have my qualms about it. SZA doesn’t really have a background in fashion or footwear that we can point to. But these custom pieces do make the partnership feel a bit safer.
The big picture: This moment for Vans comes as the company’s turnaround seems to be catching steam. The brand has found itself in some big cultural moments — it was one of the drivers in the Sneaker of the Year conversation. And more Chanel bag-inspired pairs are on the way.
2025 was a legitimate moment for Vans. If what SZA has cooking here is any indication, 2026 might keep the momentum going.
Naomi Osaka Pushes Boundaries
Haute couture has made its way into tennis, folks. Naomi Osaka won over the internet this week when she stepped out on the Australian Open court donning an incredible custom kit.
The details: Osaka paired her jellyfish-inspired Nike uniform with flowy, white silk pants, a wide-brimmed hat that would make everyone at the Kentucky Derby jealous, a veil and a butterfly parasol.
- Thanks to Vogue, we know Robert Wun is the mastermind behind the look. He’s worked with the likes of Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Björk, Usher and more on their elaborate ensembles.
- The hat and parasol both feature a butterfly, an ode to the 2021 Australian Open that Osaka won.
Why this matters: What a moment for fashion and sports. Naomi Osaka has always been very fashion-forward. She’s worn custom outfits to matches before — one of my favourites is the piece she put together with Ambush’s Yoon Ahn in 2024. Even still, those moments pale in comparison to this one.
The big picture: Tennis is a sport that is usually held back by its modesty and tradition. The Australian Open isn’t Wimbledon, but Osaka showing up to the event is such a gigantic way still rubbed those traditionalists the wrong way. But, still, Osaka leaned in and created her moment. That’s what I love most about this.
She addressed that just that in a Threads post.
“There’s a demographic that’s been talking about “traditional” tennis outfits and calling me classless for what I wear,” She said. “To be honest I see it for what it is. I don’t do this for them though, they will never get it and I don’t want them to. I do this for the people that are like me.”
I don’t know what Osaka’s plans after tennis are, but it’s clear that she has a future in fashion if she wants that. Luckily for us, it seems like she does.
On in Basketball?
NBA star Stephen Curry continues to up the ante with his sneaker free agency. He’s worn all sorts of footwear brands, from the bigwigs like Nike and Adidas to underdogs like Reebok. He’s even been spotted in Chinese sportswear brands like Anta and Li-Ning.
The latest: Curry caught me off guard when he showed up to Warriors shootaround in a pair of Roger Federer’s signature shoes, The Roger Fire Pro, in a white and pink colourway. Curry only warmed up in the shoes — he swapped them out for a pair of Nike Shox BB4s for the game. But that single warm-up from Curry starts an interesting conversation.
The state of play: On has done tennis. On has done running. But On hasn’t done basketball — at least not yet. Curry might be the right way in, if the company is interested.
- Curry is 38-years-old and at the end of his NBA career. In finding a new sneaker home, the most important conversation thing he needs to consider is what the partnership looks like after he leaves the NBA.
- On has handled this sort of thing before, ironically, with Federer. The company signed the tennis legend at the end of his career but still found creative and unique ways to leverage his career and celebrity.
Even if this never happens, this was a fun moment. I hope this sneaker free agency goes on for the rest of the NBA season.
#TheKicksWeWear
This is the community section of the newsletter where you (Yes, you!!!!) send me your best fits and kicks from the week. Feel free to send submissions to michael.sykes@businessoffashion.com or shoot me a message via social channels @MikeDSykes
LET’S GOOOOOO.
First, the homie Saoirse got us started with these classic AJ4s. Never get tired of seeing these, y’all. Never.
The homie Jess kept the party going with these incredible New Balance 530s. What a slept on silhouette. These are great.
Then the homie Rick Dubb sent us home with these Spider-Man AJ1s. Can I call these a classic now? I think these are a classic.
Great stuff, gang. Greeeeat stuff.
Thanks for reading, gang! Go throw some snowballs!
If you have any questions, comments or concerns, reach out to me via email at michael.sykes@businessoffashion.com or shoot me a message @MikeDSykes via socials.
Peace and love. Be safe, be easy, be kind. We out.
-Sykes 💯
