Lululemon Athletica Inc. , styled as lululemon athletica, is a self-described yoga-inspired athletic apparel company, which produces a clothing line and runs international clothing stores from its company base in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Dennis "Chip" Wilson founded Lululemon Athletica (usually referred to simply as "lululemon" or "lulu") in 1998 in response to increased female participation in sports and in accordance with his belief in yoga as the optimal way to maintain athletic excellence into an advanced age.[4] Today, the company has 189 stores primarily in the U.S. and Canada, with nearly 3,000 employees.