Hello.
I'm Noguchi from CASANOVA&CO.
The latter half of January is full of events.
This weekend:
LEVER order exhibition
2026.01.24(SAT) - 2026.01.25(SUN)
On Saturday and Sunday, Mr. Hashimoto, the creator of LEVER, will be in store to support your fitting.
You can find out what kind of person Mr. Hashimoto is and how LEVER was born in this blog post that was updated on New Year's Eve last year.
If you read it, I think your understanding will increase, if only slightly, when you actually see the shoes.
If you have some free time, I'd appreciate it if you could give it a read. Haha.
And today, we're talking about the LEVER lineup.
Some of you may have already seen them in store, but I'd like to briefly introduce them here in this blog as a preview for those planning to visit this weekend.
Briefly, because there's a certain "aura" that can only be felt from the real thing, photos have their limits. I really want those who are interested to see and try on the actual shoes.
Before seeing LEVER with your own eyes, and after seeing it,
After seeing it, and after putting your foot in it,
After putting your foot in it, and after owning it,
I felt my perceptions change each time.
I'm sure you'll be able to experience that too.
Let me introduce each model one by one.
LEVER
model _ PATH (Black)
last _ TH103
size _ UK5 - UK9
This model is probably what many people who know LEVER think of as "the quintessential LEVER".
The PATH, commonly known as the "paddock boot".
According to Mr. Hashimoto, the roots of this PATH boot are his own boots, which he made using an upper given to him for practice when he first started training under his master, Mr. Jason Amesbury.
I think it's fair to say that this is the pair of shoes that led both Takeyuki Hashimoto as a shoemaker and the LEVER project to where they are today.
It's a Balmoral, yet it's an open-laced design.
At first glance, the specifications make it difficult to define as either closed-laced or open-laced.
The shaft is made of grained leather.
Furthermore, it has a "V-front" style where the open lacing opens in a chevron shape.
Unique and refined ruggedness.
I think LEVER's PATH model symbolizes its "freedom" to not be constrained by classic British bespoke traditions, even while valuing them deeply.
Also, when I saw this PATH, I was drawn to the square waist.
There are probably techniques like beveled waists and fiddlebacks that express elegance in the world of classic shoes, which I'm not entirely familiar with.
However, lately, it sometimes feels like these are conveniently symbolized and consumed in a context of "if you do it that way, it looks authentic."
Amidst all that, Mr. Hashimoto has a "formula" he's cultivated throughout his career, saying, "This design calls for these specifications," and that kind of authentic approach is really cool.
And since it's something Mr. Hashimoto, who is trying to master the lasting techniques of the British bespoke world, has arrived at, I have no complaints about it at all.
The models I'm about to introduce were also created according to Mr. Hashimoto's formulas, so it might be interesting to look at them from that perspective.
LEVER
model _ S MOLTON ’99 (Black,Dark Brown,English grain Black,English grain Dark Brown)
last _ TH103
size _ UK5 - UK9
Side-zip boots with an Excella zipper on the inner ankle.
Among LEVER's current lineup, only the S MOLTON '99 departs from the classic context, and conversely, it deeply reflects Mr. Hashimoto's roots and sensibilities.
In 1999, shortly after arriving in England, before enrolling at Cordwainers (now London College of Fashion), Mr. Hashimoto encountered boots that sparked his interest in shoemaking on "South Molton Street."
And around the same time, he watched "Buffalo '66" on VHS.
He says he couldn't understand English at all when he first watched it, but about six months later, he could understand almost everything perfectly.
The bright red boots worn by Vincent Gallo, the star of "Buffalo '66," in the movie.
Both the boots he encountered on "South Molton Street" and the boots Vincent Gallo wore had a common design with a central seam. This inspired Mr. Hashimoto to create the "S MOLTON '99" through his own creative lens.
Mr. Hashimoto says that the most important thing in bespoke shoes is fitting.
Bespoke shoes are made to the individual's foot shape from the last, so it's meaningless if they don't fit the foot.
In other words, in the world of bespoke, not only comfort but also a seamless fitting is required.
Conversely, the world of ready-made shoes is, in a sense, the exact opposite.
Lasts must be developed to be comfortable for many people, which inevitably makes it impossible to achieve an "aggressive" fitting.
Also, since "no pain" is emphasized for sales, lasts are designed with even more room, they say.
While there may be no need to determine which of these approaches is superior, it goes without saying that LEVER is based on the former, which is precisely why the shoes are so beautifully made.
However, this absolutely does not mean condoning pain during wear. LEVER aims for both comfort and a seamless fit for many Japanese people by meticulously calculating the Japanese foot.
This means the last is highly perfected.
However, there's just one caveat regarding the S MOLTON '99.
Combined with the slenderness of the shaft and the position of the zipper, when you first put your foot in, it's unbelievably difficult to get in. Lol.
Once you get the hang of it and get used to the shoes, you can put them on and take them off somewhat smoothly, but on the first day, it took me about 20 minutes to put on both shoes.
I even thought the shoes would break. Lol.
That's how much the S MOLTON '99 has an aggressive form in pursuit of beauty, but in return, it becomes quite firm when worn in the right size.
My personal S MOLTON '99 and Mr. Hashimoto's personal S MOLTON '99 are on display during the period, so please take a look.
Mr. Hashimoto's S MOLTON '99 is particularly well-finished.
That's unfair.
The appearance of a new pair is breathtakingly beautiful, so I think it would be good to get an idea from the well-worn personal pair as well.
LEVER
model _ APRIL (Black)
last _ TH103
size _ UK5 - UK9
Finally, the APRIL boots.
Like the PATH, it's a 9-eyelet lace-up boot, but this one is a classic closed-laced Balmoral style.
However, this APRIL, though incredibly subtle, is a combination specification using different leathers for the vamp and shaft.
Normally, a combination would be obvious, by changing the color, using suede, or grained leather like the PATH, but LEVER doesn't assert its style in such an obvious way.
Therefore, the APRIL is a combination style that uses black box calf for the vamp and black baby calf for the shaft, so subtly that it seems almost designed to conceal that it's a combination.
But actually, it's a very rational distinction based on the characteristics of each leather, and the appearance is solid yet somehow off.
The PATH tends to be the preferred LEVER lace-up boot, but I think this APRIL is quite good.
LEVER
model _ TIDE (Black,Dark Brown)
last _ TH103
size _ UK5 - UK9
According to Mr. Hashimoto, the cap-toe oxford is "the style that can't lie the most."
A direct hit that confronts British classic style, Mr. Hashimoto's own career, and aesthetics head-on.
In terms of the order in which the models were completed, classic-based but unconventional models like PATH and S MOLTON '99 came first, and then this TIDE was completed.
You can't see it in the photo at all, but this style definitely has a beveled waist.
The cap-toe stitching with two lines is reportedly a deliberate specification to retain a ready-made shoe feel.
Even with such a classic back-to-basics model, it's surprising how it still has that distinctive LEVER look.
Considering his background and context, I think this model is the most Hashi-moto-esque style, and also the one that elevates the least LEVER-like style into something distinctly LEVER.
LEVER
model _ VESTIGE (Black)
last _ TH103
size _ UK5 - UK9
An Adelaide style with a U-shaped vamp overlay near the shoelaces.
This model features a semi-brogue, which Mr. Hashimoto considers the best fit for Adelaide.
The balance of the medallion isn't overdone, giving it a stylish impression, and I think the semi-brogue is probably more LEVER-like than a full-brogue style.
Mr. Hashimoto said about this VESTIGE that he "aimed for a rustic balance," but it's fundamentally so high-level that I couldn't feel any rusticity. Lol.
However, I think it means drawing lines that don't kill the earthy or rustic feel unique to brogue shoes.
I still have a lot to learn, so I'll keep studying.
LEVER
model _ NIL (English grain Black,English grain Dark Brown,Black)
last _ TH103
size _ UK5 - UK9
The last of the low-cut shoes is an authentic open-laced style.
From a fashion perspective, open-laced leather shoes have a universal appeal, but for a brand with LEVER's origins, it's a slightly more casual, workwear-inspired style.
However, since every aspect of its construction differs from that of typical derby shoes, I believe NIL creates a unique position, neither one nor the other, as "LEVER's open-laced shoe."
The beauty of the low instep, characteristic of LEVER, combined with the masculine details of open lacing and a square waist.
The finest grain leather on top of that.
Black box calf is, of course, excellent, but the way this style works with grain leather is exceptionally good.
Regarding the leather used by LEVER, its quality is beyond words, so please confirm it in person at the store.
We plan to display a large piece of leather in the store so you can see firsthand the selection of leather used and the process of pattern making (determining which parts are taken from where).
So, regarding the leather, I hope you can take a look at it.
This NIL is such an excellent pair that suits everyone, almost to the point where every household should have one.
LEVER
model _ SCALE (Black,Dark Brown)
last _ THC101
size _ UK5 - UK9
The next three models are loafers.
First, the tassel.
Of course, loafers are shoes that don't have laces, zippers, or elastic to secure the foot.
Therefore, if you choose the wrong size, your heel will slip out with every step, making them unwearable, which happens relatively frequently.
Many people tend to choose "the tightest size possible and then break them in," but this is wrong.
Because you'll just stop wearing them because they hurt.
When you try on LEVER loafers, you'll notice that they aggressively hug your foot.
Specifically, by minimizing the excess space on the instep and adding a curve to the heel, the "last is adjusted" to prevent the heel from slipping out.
In other words, it's "adjusted by the last," not "aggressively sized."
That's why, if you adjust them properly with socks or insoles, you'll get an astonishingly good fit.
In fact, for LEVER fittings, we adjust the fit by using leather inserts like insoles.
By inserting leather only at the front, only at the heel, or throughout, we can fit the shoe to each individual's foot shape.
This means that whether your instep is high or thin, or your foot is wide or narrow, the system and last can basically accommodate most Japanese people.
So, I think you can choose loafers with peace of mind.
This waistline, it's the best, isn't it?
I never thought of trying tassel loafers because I thought they were too adult for me, but looking at LEVER's SCALE, I sincerely feel, "I want to be a mature man who looks good in these."
It's scary that I'm already worrying about the next pair when my S MOLTON '99 is just starting to feel good...
LEVER
model _ YOKE (Black,Dark Brown)
last _ THC101
size _ UK5 - UK9
LEVER
model _ CUDDLE (Black,Dark Brown)
last _ THC101
size _ UK5 - UK9
Finally, two loafer models together.
YOKE, the half-saddle, and CUDDLE, the full-saddle.
The half-saddle, which gives a more casual impression, has a square waist.
The full-saddle, which emphasizes a more stylish aspect, features a bevel.
Again, it's not about which is better or worse; I hope you choose according to your own style.
Given my current preferences, I'd like to casually pair a full-saddle with workwear pants like SARTO or T.T.
And a single T-shirt on top, something like that.
Even though it's cold.
LEVER might look quite sleek, but I think it's a leather shoe that shines when worn hard.
This is partly because Mr. Hashimoto wears them that way himself, and the appearance of his personal LEVER shoes tells the story.
Tomorrow, I'm hoping to show you the character of LEVER that's hard to discern from a brand new model shoe, by comparing my personal shoes with Mr. Hashimoto's personal shoes.
Please look forward to it.