Wednesday 6 February 2013

A muse of the month - Loafers


Christian Louboutin leopard loafers

History of Loafers - it's originally inspired by American Mocassins
 and Norwegian shoemaker introduced his first design around 1908. 
The Norwegians began selling to the rest of Europe and America. It 
first advertised in the American Esquire magazine and some photographs 
featured of Norwegian farmers in a cattle loafing area. The Spaulding
family in New Hampshire started making shoes based on this design in 
the early 1930s, naming them "loafers".


Gucci loafers

Italian designer Gucci in 1966 made the further step of adding a metal
strap across the front in the shape of horse's snaffle a bit. 

Valentino loafers

London based a bespoke shoe company Matthew
Wildsmith & Co of Duke St was established in the 1800s
who developed a penny loafers as a country house shoe for the landed 
gentry and the royal family. Their 'Wildsmith Loafer' was designed
for George VI as a casual house shoe. The shoe has subsequently nick 
named 'the Harrow' and sold other London shoe companies.


Valentino loafers





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