They’ve become a staple of the Queen’s wardrobe – the bunion-busting heels she wears on royal outings.
Now MailOnline has gone behind the scenes at the Sole Bliss factory in the Spanish province of Alicante to find out how Camilla’s £159 Ingrid pumps are created.
And we’ve discovered that four factories and a team of 50 expert craftsmen are involved in its creation, from its intricate design to its impact-resistant heel tips.
“Sole Bliss shoes are made differently than all other shoes,” explains designer Lisa Kay. ‘Our expert artisans obsess over every detail to create the most comfortable shoes.
Queen Camilla during a ceremony at Highgrove House wearing her Sole Bliss heels, 2020
A black leather Sole Bliss ‘Ingrid’ shoe worn by the Queen above
Lisa Kay, owner of Sole Bliss, in her company’s factory in Alicante holding a pair of finished shoes
‘The shoe business is incredibly technical and it’s very difficult to make a quality pair of shoes because you have to go through so many steps. In our factory alone, each pair of shoes passes through 50 pairs of hands.’
It’s been six years since Camilla, 76, started using Sole Bliss, which makes “comfortable, stylish shoes for bunions and wide feet.”
She made her brand debut at the 2018 Royal Cornwall show, wearing their £159 Ingrid Camel leather block heels.
Since then, she has invested in more than a dozen pairs of the brand’s shoes and sneakers and has worn them to almost every royal engagement, including the week after the queen’s death, when she broke her toe.
All shoes feature cutting-edge technology to contour bunions and an ingenious device to prevent pronation: the inward turning of the feet.
Lisa, 59, launched Sole Bliss in 2017 and designed the Ingrid, a two-inch block heel, the following year. Camilla was one of her first clients and owns more than 13 pairs.
It comes with three different heel styles: a leather heel, a stacked wood heel, and a sparkly heel. Camilla has leather and stacked heels.
Queen Camilla made her debut in Sole Bliss shoes (a £159 pair of leather block heels) in 2018.
Lisa Kay, 59, launched Sole Bliss in 2017 and designed the Ingrid, a two-inch block heel, the following year.
CEO Lisa Kay is seen here choosing heels for new shoe designs.
Lisa chooses leather for her shoes while visiting a tannery in Spain
Finished products waiting to be shipped from the Sole Bliss factory
Ingrid’s design, which is one of Queen Camilla’s favorite designs.
Lisa visits Spain four times a year, before each season, to visit the tanneries, source the leather and suede material for the soles and uppers, and choose the heels.
“Our factory sources all the raw materials for the shoes from other factories and then manufactures them,” he says.
‘There are leather tanneries, lasts, heel factories and shoe factories.
‘We have been working with the same guys for about 25 years, so we have enough contacts to not have to visit the fairs.
‘Ingrid has been with the collection for five years, so it’s more about reinventing the classics, as well as keeping the collection interesting and having something new for our customers.
Camilla was one of Lisa Kay’s first clients. Above: Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, wearing the shoes at Sandringham Flower Show in 2018
It is observed how the shoe’s durability process occurs (term used to refer to “pulling the upper part over the last”). The last is the foundation of a shoemaker and is often thought to be its best kept secret.
Quality control is very important to Lisa and her team of 50 expert craftsmen in Alicante.
“Our lasts are unique,” says Lisa. “Most people with bunions or wide feet choose a size up to fit them, but that means the back of the foot can slip.”
This is where the heels join the ‘Carmen’ shoe.
‘We are always thinking two seasons ahead. We are currently finalizing the autumn/winter collection and thinking about next summer. That’s why we are working on three collections at the same time.’
After designing Ingrid, Lisa hired a craftsman to hand-carve a wooden last in size 38, her own size. Once perfected, it was replicated in resin in 13 sizes, from 36 to 42, including half sizes.
All lasts, whether for rounded or pointed toes, feature a wide, deep toe box at the front of the shoe to ensure there is room for wider feet and bunions.
“Our lasts are unique,” he says. ‘Most people with bunions or wide feet choose a size up to fit them, but that means the back of the foot can slip. We’ve built them with extra room in the front, but they’re perfectly proportioned in the back.
Once you’ve chosen the leather and heels, and created the last, it’s up to the factory to make the shoes. The first step is to stretch the leather over the last to create the upper.
It is left on for 24 hours to take its shape, which is essentially the shape of the foot. “The longer the shoes are left on the last, the better,” adds Lisa.
The upper part of the last is then removed, the liner is sewn to the upper part, and the bunion base (an elastic panel strategically placed inside the shoe) is attached to the liner without seams rubbing against the bunion.
Queen Camilla with her ‘Ingrids’ for a visit to the Theater Royal Drury Lane, 2021
All shoes feature cutting-edge technology to contour bunions and an ingenious device to prevent pronation: the inward turning of the feet.
CEO Lisa Kay is always thinking two seasons ahead to make sure she stays up to date with all the shoe trends.
When the upper part of the shoe is finished, it’s time to attach the soles. Firstly, a palm is placed to ensure that the shoe and sole fit comfortably with no gaps between the sole and insole.
Two soles (one inner and one outer) are attached to the palm, the heels are glued to the shoe, and the shock-resistant heel tips are the finishing touch.
Once the shoe is finished, it’s time for the inner soles, which have three layers of memory foam to protect and cushion the soles of the feet.
All Sole Bliss shoes and sneakers have three distinct layers of high-quality, antibacterial memory foam to provide customized cushioning.
The base layer provides high-performance shock absorption and protects the sole of the foot. The middle one molds the foot to provide personalized support and the upper one offers softness and comfort.
Finally, a foam pillow is placed to support the arch, keep the foot in the correct position and counteract pronation, the inward movement of the foot. “You’ll feel like you’re walking on clouds,” laughs Lisa.
After the shoes are packaged in pale pink boxes, with the silver Sole Bliss logo, they are sent to the Sole Bliss headquarters in Watford, Hertfordshire, where they are checked to ensure they are fit for royalty.
