The 20 Loafer Brands Everyone Should Know
And the best models to buy from each.
If I had to choose one footwear style to wear forever—and I don’t know why I’m faced with such a decision, but, you know, go with me here—I’d choose a pair of penny loafers without hesitation. Why? Because a penny loafer is the only shoe in a modern line-up that can sincerely, genuinely do it all. If you dial in that Goldilocks-zone perfect pair—the ones that aren’t too formal, nor too laid back—then you’ll soon realize that the setting or occasion you’re in truly doesn’t matter, because you’ll have the shoe that’s up to the task. On one hand, you can wear them with a suit, shirt, and tie, and on the other, also look cool when sporting them with a pair of shorts on a beachside stroll.
Now, I’ve always loved loafers, and throughout my career have done my best to keep an eye on what’s new and exciting in the space. I’ve also owned a metric shit ton of them, too. But over the last few months, as I was working on my own collaborative loafer (available now, here, by the way), I decided to dive deeper into the category than ever before. I wanted to become a true expert in the category, so I scoured the internet for every bit of information I could possibly absorb about the style: their history (which is grayer and more debated than you’d think), the different constructions, the leathers, and ultimately, which brands are making premium, great-looking versions that are worth people’s money today.
Now, with this post, I’ve decided to pass along this knowledge to you, dear reader, and list out 20 brands making loafers that I think are worth knowing about. Is this list completely exhaustive of every brand out there making loafers? Of course not, because that list would never end. But of all the imprints out there, these are the 20 that to me hit a combination of quality, style, and, most importantly, make shoes I actually want to wear. For each I wrote about why they made the list, and then rattled off links to the best styles that they make.
Now, some of these brands are storied shoemakers that have been in the business since before the Civil War broke out. Others have histories that are less than a decade long (short?). There’s even a handful of brands that do a lot more than just shoes, but whose shoes I think happen to be exceptional.
Point is, across the board, these brands are ones that are dedicated to making stylish, high-quality footwear that has the potential to be that perfect pair of shoes in your line-up; The ones that you wear for years, run into the ground, resole, and sport all-year round. I genuinely hope one of the below 52 pairs ends up being that for you, so let’s get to it. And as always, enjoy!!!
