seica

seica is the Kobe shoe brand of Yasunari Shimozaki (霜崎泰也). Born in Chiba, he moved to Kobe at 20 for its shoemaking, learnt the basics of Kobe's fine women's shoes at the Kobe Monozukuri Craftsman College's shoemaking course and worked for a shoe manufacturer, then spent about ten years as an apprentice at the bespoke shoemaker Spigola. Independent since 2012, he makes shoes as an outworker for other houses as well as under his own name; his workshop has been in Takinochaya, Tarumi since 2020. Every pair is hand-sewn welted and made fully by hand (jūbun-jitate), on a last he makes for each client with his own "rolling" construction meant to support the foot as it walks. Pattern orders come in a Country Line and a Dress Line, with a High Grade option that adds a trial shoe; full bespoke is quoted individually. Delivery is about 8–10 months, and he repairs his own shoes by hand. Workshop visits are by appointment, and he holds order events around Japan.