Footwear ambition becomes reality for Spanx founder
The founder of shapewear and activewear brand Spanx, Sara Blakely, has launched a footwear brand, calling it Sneex.
Shoes in the inaugural Sneex collection combine “the comfort of a sneaker with the fun of a high heel”, the brand said.
Uppers combine mesh fabric with grain leather and suede and the shoes use hook-and-loop adjustable straps for fastening. The sole also has sporty elements in the forefoot, with wide grooves cut into polyurethane material for high levels of grip.
Sneex has also paid close attention to comfort in the toe-box design and in the high level of arch support it has engineered in. However, the shoes also have 7.8-centimetre heels.
On launching the brand, Ms Blakely said: “Sneex are my love letter to every woman who has taken her shoes off at a party, who wears flats to work with heels in her bag, or who thought her days of wearing heels were over. I hope Sneex give women an extra inch or three to chase their dreams. After all, it’s hard to change the world when your feet hurt.”
Sara Blakely launched Spanx in 2000 and ran the company until 2022 before stepping down. This followed the acquisition by investment firm Blackstone of a majority stake in Spanx in 2021.
As long ago as 2013, Sara Blakely began speaking in public of her ambition to design comfortable high-heel shoes.
