Lululemon enters the running shoe market with the colourful Blissfeel – and more to come later this year

Over the last two decades, lululemon went from an obscure (yet appealing) yoga brand to a global sports brand juggernaut, only bested by the biggest brands in the industry such as Nike and Adidas. Thankfully, its "women's first" approach has never gone away and is represented by Lululemon's first-ever running shoes, the Blissfeel, a colourful number built from scratch based on scans of over a million feet.

The Blissfeel is a women's running shoe and very much reminds me – in philosophy – of the Adidas Ultraboost 22. Instead of using a unisex last somewhat tailored to women's needs, Lululemon researched and developed a new last which they spent four years designing to create running shoes specifically designed for women's anatomy.

Should Adidas and Nike be afraid? Maybe...

Lululemon Blissfeel: Price and release date

The Lululemon Blissfeel was announced on 8 March 2022 and will be available to buy directly from Lululemon from 5 April for a recommended retail price of £138/€148 (approx. $181/AU$247).

The Blissfeel will be available in no less than 1o different colourways, these are Green Ray (pictured above), Flare, Pale Linen, Water Drop, Silver Drop, Black + White, Electric Lemon, Triple White, Mink Berry and Triple Black.

Lululemon Blissfeel: Feel the difference

According to Lululemon, the main guiding principle behind the Blissfeel was to achieve a desired “feel state”. This meant using "drastically" different upper materials, foams, construction methods, and even colours to make sure the shoes fit and feel right when worn by the group of people who they were designed for – women.

The Blissfeel has a thick layer of Lululemon's own compound foam that is said to balance cushioning, energy return, and performance. We can't wait to put the shoes through their paces and see how it fares against the fierce competition!

Also announced although not available until later on the year are the Chargefeel and Strongfeel workout shoes for women.

The Lululemon Chargefeel is a full-fledged workout shoe that has a dual-density foam layering system: the bottom layer dampens impact and supports multi-directional train movements, while the top layer is responsive enough for running. The Strongfeel is a training shoe that features a low-profile foam that makes her foot feel anchored, without compromising on comfort or responsiveness.

Finally, there is the Lululemon Restfeel, also coming later this year. The sliders also feature the dual-layer midsole and snazzy look, just like the rest of the collection.