British-Made Men's Loafers, Penny Loafers and Moccasins in Northamptonshire — Voted by the Community

Loafers are a style of slip-on shoe with a moccasin-inspired construction that rose to prominence worldwide in the twentieth century, particularly from the 1930s onward. While early inspirations include Norwegian slip-on shoes and Native American moccasins, the term “loafer” became widely used in the 1930s to describe this laceless, casual form of men’s shoe. In the UK, English shoemakers incorporated the slip-on silhouette into their own styles in the early twentieth century. One early English version — known as the Wildsmith Loafer — was created in London as a casual house shoe and later included in ready-to-wear collections, becoming one of the first English takes on what we now call loafers. By the mid-century, variations such as the penny loafer and tassel loafer had become established in men’s wardrobes internationally. In Britain, classic shoemaking houses in towns like Northampton applied traditional leatherworking and welted construction to these styles, creating loafers that could be worn with everything from suiting to smart-casual outfits. Today’s British-made loafers draw on both international style history and deep UK shoemaking expertise, offering refined slip-on footwear that reflects enduring design and quality craftsmanship.