Lululemon debuts women’s footwear in China

Lululemon Athletica announced the debut of its women’s footwear line in China on Wednesday, saying that the products would be available to customers on March 23 online and in select stores.

The launch of the running shoe, called Blissfeel, marks the yoga and fitness apparel-focused Canadian brand’s first foray into footwear.

The Blissfeel collection comes in ten colors, priced at 1,180 yuan ($186) a pair. Customers in China may virtually try on the shoes via an augmented reality capability on Lululemon’s official WeChat store. Pre-orders are also available in China through both online and physical stores.

In addition to China, the sneaker will also be available in North America and the UK.

Three additional styles were also revealed, Chargefeel, Strongfeel, and Restfeel, which will be introduced in the coming months, said the company. Chargefeel is cross-training shoe designed for gym training and short runs and features a dual-density midsole, and an upper that provides midfoot lockdown; ​Restfeel is an elevated slide for post-workout; and Strongfeel is a training shoe designed for multi-directional movement that features a low profile, supportive midsole with a multi-directional outsole. 

As the world’s second-largest consumer market, China is among the main growth focus areas for Lululemon. By the end of 2021, Lululemon has opened 71 stores in mainland China.​ As the official outfitter of Team Canada, the brand gained a lot of exposure on Chinese social media during the Winter Olympics and received a massive amount of likes.

According to the company’s Q3 2021 earnings report, net income increased 30% year over year to $1.5 billion, with a 28% increase in the North American market and a 40% increase in the international market.