This spring, athleisure brand lululemon is kicking things into high gear with a running shoe. With the brand’s more than 20 years of innovation in the performance apparel arena, lululemon has officially entered into the footwear category with its debut sneaker design, the Blissfeel. It was released on March 22 and is available online and in select stores across the United States and UK.
At its core, the brand has always put a level of thoughtfulness and intention into designing apparel that not only allows women to bend, jump, run and stretch in the finest materials but its also centered styles around being “women-first, not women-also.” Today, the brand takes that mission to the next level with its first-ever, women-first running shoe, for a fit it says feels perfect for you — and every other woman who wears them.
“Footwear is the natural next step for us to expand and apply our long history of innovation in fit, feel, and performance, and it represents an exciting moment for our brand,” said lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald. “We are entering the footwear category the same way we built our apparel business — with products designed to solve unmet needs, made for women first.”
Finding the right fit and function for the shoe came from a four-year process of research and development of a design that focuses on the “feel” that the woman wearing the show will experience, called the Science of Feel™ design approach.
“How do we recreate the unparalleled feeling of our pants, in footwear? That was the spark. From there we had engineers, scientists, and researchers figuring out that design challenge,” shares Sun Choe, Chief Product Officer at lululemon.
The sneaker comes in 10 colorways including Electric Lemon, Water Drop, Mink Berry, and Green Ray, and are priced at $148 USD with sizes ranging from US 5-11 (half-sizes included.)
What you can expect is a shoe designed to a feeling, with a balanced cushion and impact-responsive sole, all without compromising the comfort you need while you take on your fitness (and lifestyle) activities.
Later this year, lululemon is set to release three other new styles from its footwear collection, with a cross-training shoe, an elevated slide for post-workout, and a training shoe all included in the lineup. And in 2023, a separate footwear line for men will be released.
With the sports and footwear industry both male-dominated, seeing brands like lululemon approach footwear and athletic apparel in a way that focuses on the comfort of women looks to a future that is inclusive to women in the many ways we move and stay active. Now that’s exciting.
Visit lululemon today to shop for your Blissfeel!