one lulu girl amongst many

The the first lululemon item I have ever owned. I still use it once in a while.   (maryjanawege via instagram)

Really? No way! I had to read the newsfeed twice on the lululemon facebook page before it registered and even now 30 minutes later I still cannot believe what I discovered: my favourite brand of all times will launch a European website in a few weeks time; all prices in euros and free shipping guaranteed! Where is the huge smilie button with an open mouth laughter when I need it?

Lululemon Athletica has been my favourite brand for many years. I saw the little omega logo for the first time when I was a student at Dalhousie University on Canada's east coast. Only the girls from the big T.O. or from out west wore these amazing jogging pants that seemed sporty, yet super-trendy and so comfy at the same time. The pants would hang really low on the waistline of the Torontonian girls. In the back, just above their bums, there it always emerged: the mysterious omega sign. I felt too uncool to want to ask what brand that was and despite my journalistic skills no google search could solve the mystery of this cool logo that all the stylish girls obviously knew about - but me. Until one day while I went shopping in a little boutique called Wildflower in downtown Halifax, just off Spring Garden Road, when I saw the logo on a little red and white clutch. There was the word "lululemon athletica" written on one side and on the other "friends are more important than money".  I paid 48,00 Canadian dollars for the wallet, way more than I could afford at the time.

Years and many, many, many shipments later, my closet is full of lululemon gear. Not sure if that little Wildflower boutique still exists, but after I had moved back to Germany a large lulu store opened right on Spring Garden Road in Halifax. I am convinced that there are no better clothes for yogis. Not a day goes by I don't wish I could wear lululemon to work. That way, I would never have to dress in anything else since I already have on my lulu hoodies when I go grocery shopping, when we go drink prosecco at a local bar and when we have friends over.

With lululemon launching the European website, the novelty will be gone soon. This is kind of what happened with Abercrombie & Fitch. I bought my first A&F jeans and shirts in 1997 when I lived in Florida and when I moved back to Germany one year later nobody even knew what that brand was let alone that I spent half of my paycheck on a tank top. When Germans started noticing the brand years later, they had to order jeans and hoodies in the States to get them. Not only did they have to pay a fortune for a t-shirt bearing two letters and an ampersand but also did they have to pay international shipping fees as well as local taxes. However, the more European Ebay shops specialized on Abercrombie gear the more its wearers lost their cool.

Is that what will happen to me wearing my lulu hoodies in a year from now? No more strange looks from girls trying to figure out what the omega sign above the ankle stands for but instead I will spy more and more girls with lulu tea cozies and yoga mats?

I could be sad about the fact that I'll be loosing my niche status as a lulu girl here in Europe but the truth is, I am happy that I will have easier access to the fabulous clothes I love. The launch of the lulu online shop might even give yoga a boost in Italy, since it is not a common activity here, yet.

To say the truth, I cannot wait for the launch and I for sure will be amongst the first loyal clients to order off the new site. And since I have known for many years, thank to my lulu clutch, that "friends are more important than money", I might even spend a fortune!

If friends are more important than money: shop on, girl!   (maryjanawege via instagram)