Hold onto your stretchy pants and hide your credit cards. Lululemon’s adding running shoes to their apparel line — and these shoes are designed specifically for women.
Lululemon fans adore the Canadian brand’s buttery soft approach to athletic wear. And the folks at Lululemon took notice with their female-centric running shoe dubbed the Blissfeel.
According to Lululemon, the shoe is completely comfort-focused and designed to feel like a supported extension of your foot. And if you like some cushion for your running endeavors, the brand notes that the shoe’s got plenty of it, along with extra bounce to propel you forward with every step.
The Blissfeel will be available in U.S. sizes 5 to 11 (including half sizes) for $148 USD ($198 CAD). Plus, you’ll have 10 colorful and classic designs to choose from — which means plenty of options to pair with your fave running shorts or tights on your next run.
To design a running shoe specifically for the female gait and foot shape, Lululemon scanned more than 1 million women’s feet. (Creepy… but scientific!)
The shoe was then put to the test with wear testing done by female runners, which seems like a no-brainer — but it’s not always that simple.
“We intentionally started with women first because we saw an opportunity to solve for the fact that, more often than not, performance shoes are designed for men and then adapted for women,” says Sun Choe, Lululemon’s chief product officer. “That didn’t sit well with us. Innovating for women is in Lululemon’s DNA — now we’re bringing that same expertise to footwear, and women were part of this journey every step of the way.”
Ummmm. Aren’t feet just feet? Besides the obvious size difference (no shade to our sisters who wear size 11 shoes), females typically have differently shaped feet, and they physiologically move a bit differently when they run. You can partially thank your larger hips for affecting your running form — from gait to even how your heel strikes the pavement.
The Blissfeel is actually part of an entire female-centric shoe lineup. (Ooooh tell me more, tell me more).
Lululemon is dropping these sister shoes later this year:
- Chargefeel. It’s a cross-training shoe for the gym and short runs, available in low and mid-top styles. Launching in summer 2022.
- Restfeel. This is a slide for all your post-workout and athleisure needs. Launching in summer 2022.
- Strongfeel. It’s a training shoe designed for dynamic movements that require an anchored feel. Launching in fall 2022.
And don’t worry dudes, this is just an instance of ladies first. Lululemon is launching a men’s footwear collection in 2023.
