OUR HISTORY

Roberto Ley is the result of three generations of shoemakers in Almansa, with the obligation and commitment to continue a tradition of craftsmanship that dates back to 1951. Internationally recognized as one of the leading brands in quality and high-end.

My name is Rafael Lacarcel, I'm the owner of Roberto Ley. I still look at the shoes on the production line and remember my grandfather Juan walking along it, with his tailored suit, his hat, and of course, his greatest pride of all: his shoes. Impeccable, he should be 80 years old by now, but he should still be there.

THE BEGINNING

Like every great story, the beginning is quite complicated. In our case, it all began after a terrible civil war in Spain that finally ended in 1939. My grandfather, Juan Lacarcel Gil, who was 29 years old at the time, began rebuilding his life.

The city of Almansa, which had had an important relationship with footwear, offered him the opportunity to start a new beginning in this sector. My grandfather contacted one of those companies, which offered him its footwear collection for northern Spain, specifically Castile, Asturias, and Galicia, thus beginning his career in this sector.

Since there weren't many wagons or money to buy them, trips were made by train, carrying the shoes in trunks, with their corresponding wooden pins for each shoe, so you can imagine the weight of each trunk. The trips lasted months, as they were very expensive and long, each season lasting about three months.

As time went by, and having established a good relationship with many clients, who were already friends, he managed to greatly improve his finances, being able to buy a car, his first car, an American Ford brand, specifically the Cuba.

When he was very young, he told me an anecdote, which seemed like something out of an adventure movie, about how he had to climb mountain passes, driving in reverse with a car loaded with suitcases that had run out of power. It's unthinkable now, but for him, it was the only way to reach his destination.

Between 1955 and 1956, seeing the possibility of establishing himself on his own, he began making his own shoes in the courtyard of the Almansa house, where my grandmother Elia (his wife) cut and sewed, and he finished them. They progressed until 1959, after years of traveling and increasing his sales, he had to consider setting up a factory capable of handling the orders he received, so he moved to a location where he established his first shoe factory.

Unfortunately, in 1960, when the factory had barely opened, my grandfather suffered the first of three heart attacks. At the time, and with virtually no experience, my father had to take over the reins of the business at just 16 years old, having to leave his studies to dedicate himself fully to the factory. Thankfully, my grandfather recovered, but his duties were already more limited.

My father was truly the architect of the company's consolidation. His hard work and dedication helped maintain its tradition and determination to overcome adversity and achieve a goal.

And so, learning from the best teachers life can give us, the essence of creating a brand is born that conveys to our products all those experiences acquired and inherited over time, in terms of quality, materials, artisanal finishes, design, and tradition. These are the sensations I try to reflect in each pair of shoes so that, when you put on Roberto Ley, you'll think that behind each step there is a story that I have allowed myself the luxury of telling you.

IDENTITY SIGNS

Tradition and innovation are the hallmarks of Roberto Ley, a brand that offers comfortable, elegant, and exclusive footwear, combining artisanal craftsmanship with personalized finishes, geared toward customer satisfaction.

Today, thanks to the market's constant evolution, we have become a company that adapts to the times, equipped with the necessary technology to face new challenges, and where the artisanal aspect of footwear production has not been neglected, resulting in a symbiosis of style and comfort.

Our goal is to continue evolving, as we have done so far, throughout the entire footwear production process, as well as in the design and quality of our products.