Throughout its long history, REGAL has consistently responded to changes in the shape of Japanese feet and in lifestyles, while remaining devoted to quality-first craftsmanship. Today the brand has broadened its range to include sneakers and other casual footwear, yet leather shoes remain, as ever, its backbone.
Its formal models in particular, made with Goodyear welt construction and semi-Blake (semi-McKay) construction, are produced at three company-owned factories in Niigata and Iwate prefectures. A surprising amount of handwork goes into every process, and the skilled techniques honed over the brand’s long history can be savored to the full. Also worth noting is that the shoes are made in partnership with Japanese manufacturing, from materials makers to tanneries. And yet the brand remains open-minded toward innovative techniques and new materials.
Take, for example, the cushioning placed between the insole and the outsole. Goodyear-welted shoes usually use cork, which molds to the foot over time, but REGAL has also developed models using OrthoLite, which conforms to the foot quickly and delivers a softness that seems to envelop the sole. While the sturdy, no-nonsense construction stays the same, elements such as comfort are updated with the times. That, too, is why REGAL has been loved for so long.
At the heart of the fit that underpins REGAL’s leather shoes are the lasts, developed and refined for each series. The company holds a collection of lasts so vast it defies counting; some have served as a base for more than 50 years, refined over time to match changes in the shape of Japanese feet. The carefully stored lasts still bear the marks of those refinements, showing just how cherished these lasts, handed down through the generations, have been.
REGAL’s range extends from sneakers to classic leather shoes and even full bespoke. With ways of working and business styles changing of late, the brand is also putting effort into developing leather shoes that work both on and off duty. Built on classic designs, with touches that reflect current trends such as a fuller volume and slightly rounded toes, the lineup makes leather shoes feel more approachable. Well suited to an age of diverse lifestyles, it should also give those who have drifted away from leather shoes a reason to rediscover their appeal. With this flexible attitude and closeness to its customers, REGAL will keep gracing our feet in every era.
A new collection that stylishly fuses the classic with the contemporary
The “New Classic” collection debuted in spring/summer 2022. Under the theme “the value of what stays the same, the value of what changes,” it proposes classics for a new era. The “Country” plain-toe, which can also be worn casually, uses cowhide with a distinctive translucent sheen for the upper. A last with a thick toe pairs beautifully with the Ridgeway sole, creating a contemporary sense of volume, and the shoe goes exceptionally well with the relaxed, loose-fitting trousers in fashion today. Note the attention paid to unseen details, too, such as the cup insole and the Tochigi Leather used for the insole board. Goodyear welt construction.
