Startup Story
As any woman who has larger feet will tell you, it can be a real challenge trying to find shoes that not only look beautiful, but are also well crafted and comfortable to wear. Entrepreneur Nicoline Bole, founder of Bolnique Ltd based in London, has the solution. Her uniquely created designs are appealing to all those discerning women customers who want luxury shoes that actually fit larger feet.
LoA found out more about this unique brand from founder Nicoline Bole this month.
Tell us about yourself
My name is Nicoline Bole, and I am the founder and chief designer of Bolnique Shoes London. I have an engineering background with over 18 years of experience in the mobile, chipset and aviation industries. I hold a Masters in Telecommunication Engineering and another Masters in Artificial Intelligence. My brand, Bolnique Shoes London, started in 2016 initially for the woman with big shoe size problems looking for unique. handcrafted and comfortable Italian luxury shoes at the best possible price point. On a personal level, I am married with 3 children and am always looking for new challenges that will help empower myself and my fellow women.
What does your company do?
At Bolnique Shoes London, we design and manufacture handcrafted, unique Italian women shoes for the normal range and for large female feet.
“At Bolnique Shoes London, we create unique, handcrafted, comfortable and beautiful shoes for the woman with big feet.”
“I want every woman who thinks of great shoes to think of Bolnique as a first point of call.”
What inspired you to start your company?
My own problems finding a beautiful, comfortable and well-crafted shoe for myself as someone with large feet. I was always squeezing my feet in smaller sizes to look fashionable and I wanted to design shoes that are not ugly, boring or fast fashion specifically for women with big feet.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Because at Bolnique Shoes London, we create unique, handcrafted, comfortable and beautiful shoes for the woman with big feet. There are big shoes in the market, but why invest in shoes that will be worn out after a few wears, and which are uncomfortable and made of fake leather causing swollen feet especially in hot climates. I want people to take care of their feet by investing in good shoes, as people tend to spend money on clothes and not shoes. However, you get bunions from wrong shoe choices, whereas that will never happen to cheap or ill-fitting clothes.
Tell us a little about your team
We are a two person team - myself and a secretary. I am in charge of design and production while the secretary runs the day to day work, updates the website and processes the orders. We work great as a team; however we intend to expand the team as we grow.
“My mission is to make the shoes even more affordable if possible but without compromising on quality.”
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
I am an engineer by profession and because of the nature of my job I used to travel a lot for business. Some of these trips were day trips and I wanted to look elegant with just a handbag and no extra shoes. However, this was impossible as I always had an extra pair to change into because most of the heels were not really my size.
So as I got older and had more disposable income, I did not want to compromise either on quality or comfort and I knew this was not only my problem. I knew there were many women facing the same issues as me and wanted a solution.
This journey was funded by my savings. I enjoy what I do and I am happy to get feedback from my customers. A positive feedback produces a large smile from me and a negative feedback gives me an opportunity for improvement. So I set off to Italy to meet manufacturers, discuss my vision and try to negotiate business deals. I found some and it’s a continuous process because we keep innovating.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
I want every woman who thinks of great shoes to think of Bolnique as a first point of call. My mission is to make the shoes even more affordable if possible but without compromising on quality.
“I want people to take care of their feet by investing in good shoes, as people tend to spend money on clothes and not shoes. However, you get bunions from wrong shoe choices, whereas that will never happen to cheap or ill-fitting clothes.”
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Creating designs that not only solve large feet problems but designs that are actually loved, because we offer quality, craftsmanship and comfort at the best possible price point.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Nothing is born out of an idea without action. It’s better to start than not to start at all, because we all have the ability to do anything we set our minds on. So start and if it does not work, keep changing strategies till you find the right one that does work.
Contact or follow Bolnique
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL nicolinec@yahoo.com
Why LoA loves it….
Often, some of the most successful businesses are created to solve a particular problem or challenge. For entrepreneur Nicoline Bole, that challenge was finding beautiful shoes that actually fit for women with larger feet. She understood from first-hand experience how difficult it can be to find great looking, well-fitting, comfortable and affordable shoes for larger feet, so she set out to create a solution. Today, her business and brand is inspiring style-conscious women with beautifully handcrafted shoes that not only look fabulous, but also feel that way too. Nicoline has found her market niche, understands her customers’ needs, and is providing great products that tick all the boxes. Definitely a brand to watch! — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo of Lionesses of Africa