Lululemon’s first-ever running shoe is a simple, stylish all-rounder

Designed specifically for women, the ‘blissfeel’ trainer is here

The brand used data on over a million women’s feet to create the blissfeel (The Independent)

When I visited Lululemon’s HQ in Vancouver, Canada, a couple of years ago, I got the chance to take a peek around its Whitespace research and development facility. Among the scattered tape measures and mannequins was a lab filled with testing equipment – treadmills and stationary bikes sat side by side with 3D printers, laser cutters, an endless pool and even a special temperature simulation room.

It was in this moment I realised this brand was serious about tech – not just how cute a strappy sports bra looks when worn with a pair of matchy-matchy super-soft leggings. Sure, I drank a little of the Kool-Aid – but, even so, Lululemon’s thirst for researching how clothes can impact physical performance and emotional wellbeing was clear.

Now, it appears it has grown hungry for a new challenge and has launched its first-ever footwear collection. After 20 or so years of designing some of the best athleticwear money can buy, Lululemon has applied those exact same innovations and insights to create a running shoe – the “blissfeel” – engineered specifically for women’s feet.

“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,” says 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.”

How we tested

I took to the roads wearing Lululemon’s blissfeel shoes and looked at their ability to absorb and soften impact, the cushioning (and quantity of padding), how responsive they felt, their fit (including size and width), weight, durability and style. After all, lots of runners care about how their shoe looks, so visual appeal is just as important as support.

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Lululemon blissfeel running shoe: £138, Lululemon.co.uk

(Lululemon)

Designed to “make the miles feel effortless and blissful”, Lululemon’s first-ever running shoe – the “blissfeel” – was created based on the feet data of over a million women.

“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.

On first impressions, the blissfeel is a feminine-looking, lightweight and supportive shoe, and features a flexible and breathable upper, a cushioned moulded heel collar and a padded tongue to help protect the foot from any lace pressure.

The midsole (the cushioned material that sits directly between your foot and outsole) is made up of a single layer of thick foam, while the outsole (​​the bottom of the shoe) is made from sturdy rubber to provide bounce and flexibility.

Once on, they are seriously snug. So much so that I advise you to go up an entire shoe size. I usually wear a UK 6 and I had to opt for a UK 7 in order to give my toes some breathing space.

To run in, they remind me slightly of an older iteration of Adidas’s ultraboosts – they’re extremely comfortable, cushioned, and offer bounce and support as you move through each stride. They roll nicely underfoot and picking up pace in the blissfeels felt easy and effortless.

But I’m not sure how many miles you’d really want to run in them. They felt great for a short 5k, but I’m not entirely convinced they’re responsive enough for longer distances such as a half marathon.

Durability wise, I’ve run multiple times in them and they still look brand new. No wear and tear on the outsole and no fraying of the upper. But perhaps the biggest draw of the blissfeels is how they look (and the use you’ll get out of them when you’re not actually running). Simple and stylish, if you’re looking for an all-rounder trainer that will work for Saturday parkrun as well as in the gym for strength sessions, or at brunch worn with jeans, then these kicks will become a mainstay of your workout wardrobe.

The verdict: Lululemon blissfeel running shoe

While I love that the blissfeels have been designed to fit female feet, as a dedicated running shoe there are cheaper and more cushioned easy running shoes already on the market.

Seriously comfy is what these shoes are – half marathon (or longer) race-day shoes, they perhaps are not. But that’s ok, we wouldn’t expect an athleisure brand’s first foray into footwear to tick every single box – even one with such cult status as Lululemon.

We’re just excited that the brand has ventured into new waters, and in doing so, hopefully acts as a reminder to other footwear brands that shoes for women shouldn’t just be a shrunken down version of men’s – we want (and deserve) female-specific footwear.

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