Birddogs Steals Yet Another Billion Dollar Idea From Lululemon

I recently wrote about my personal transition from banking to social media to fashion — a men’s lifestyle brand focusing initially on the neglected top drawer — in which I cited Birddogs as an inspiration for me. When I first did a social media collaboration (as @GSElevator) with them in 2015, their sales were $300,000. Last year, they did $20,000,000. Incredible!

So I decided to check in on them now. And it’s hilarious. They are actively stealing Lululemon’s lunch, yet again, and it’s fun to watch.

Lululemon objectively has a great product, but the only guys wearing it in public are soul cycle instructors.

Every time I see a guy in Lululemon I want to punch him in the face, but then I look down and remember that I’m also wearing Lululemon. — @GSElevator (2015)

For the other 183 million men, we had to wait for Birddogs. They poached Lululemon’s head of design, sold over 1 million pairs of shorts and pulled down Mark Cuban’s pants on national TV along the way.

Lululemon still could have won pants but they couldn’t get out of their own way. My bet is they were too busy hosting sign making parties for Amy Klobuchar AND Elizabeth Warren.

Stretch pants — or technical pants — whatever you want to call them — feel incredible. It’s nice to get back from the office and not want to immediately shed your work pants. But even brand stigma aside, Lululemon kept putting in logos and zipper pockets that made dudes look ridiculous — soy latte sippers who get laughed at by their wive’s boyfriends.

Birddogs took the same Lululemon fabric that looks like a cashmere merino twill but moves like spandex and put them into a flattering fit that is completely indistinguishable from high end slacks. They are objectively the most comfortable pair of pants I’ve ever worn, and it’s not even close.

Lululemon if you’re reading this, lob a bid into Birddogs now while you can still afford them.

DISCLOSURE: I tried to invest in Birddogs in 2019, and they said, “Fuck off. Where were you three years ago? We don’t need the money now.”

John LeFevre is the creator of @GSElevator, the founder of a fashion line, a podcast host, and the author of the New York Times bestselling book, Straight To Hell: True Tales of Deviance, Debauchery, And Billion-Dollar Deals, currently in development as a major motion picture.