Lululemon's future depends on a customer named Duke
Lululemon reports earnings tomorrow.
The most important metric for Lululemon's future? How well the men's business did.
Lululemon sees menswear as a huge growth opportunity.
To ensure that men want to shop there, the company designs products with a muse named Duke in mind.
Duke is named after Lululemon founder Chip Wilson's son.
The ideal men's customer at Lululemon is successful and athletic, Felix del Toro, chief men's designer, told Women's Wear Daily.
"He's style conscious, works hard, has a sense of humor and is witty. He's a multidimensional man, someone you'd want to be friends with and someone you'd want your sister to marry - I know, he's quite a guy," del Toro said.
Founder Chip Wilson told The New York Times that Duke is 35 and an "athletic opportunist" who enjoys surfing in the summer and snowboarding in the winter.
Duke makes more than $100,000 and is willing to pay up for quality.
The company's strategy is working.
Sales of men's clothing grew 16% last quarter thanks in part to the "anti-ball crushing" pants.