Interview with Lisa Kay, Founder of Footwear Company Sole Bliss

We caught up with Lisa Kay, founder of pain-free fashion footwear company Sole Bliss to talk all things from shoes that are bad for your feet to expansion to the US…

Tell us about Sole Bliss

Sole Bliss is the pain-free fashion footwear brand dedicated to women who suffer from bunions and other foot issues; or have wider feet than average; or who simply find that wearing heels all day long is too painful. All Sole Bliss shoes contain patent-pending Comfort Technology which includes 3 layers of memory foam cushioning, a deep and wide toe-box, and an invisible stretch panel – all neatly wrapped up in fashion-led silhouettes.

How did you come up with the idea for Sole Bliss?

As a shoe designer of many years, I know how important it is to wear comfortable shoes. When I started growing a painful bump on my foot, I looked into just how many other women were suffering like me and I couldn’t believe the numbers! There are over 14 million bunion sufferers in the UK! That’s when I decided it was time to design a collection of fashionable footwear for women with bunions, wider feet and other foot conditions. After 5 years of R&D with expert artisans and podiatrists, we launched the first collection of Sole Bliss shoes in 2017.

Why are traditional shoes so bad?

The human foot is made up of over 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments which work to provide balance, support and mobility. It’s very important to wear shoes which understand your feet. High heels, in particular, can cause all sorts of damage and exacerbate pre-existing foot conditions. You should always look for shoes which are roomy enough for your feet, contain underfoot cushioning, arch support and leather lining, particularly in the warm weather.

What does the future hold for Sole Bliss?

We launched Sole Bliss in the USA in March 2020. While the events of this year have delayed our plans, we’re very excited about the future of Sole Bliss in America in the coming months.