Few styles move this easily between tailoring, denim, relaxed trousers and evening dressing. That versatility is exactly why the search for the best loafers brands for men goes beyond finding a good-looking shoe. A great loafer needs the right shape, material and personality to become the pair you instinctively reach for.
GQ has gone as far as describing loafers as the “Swiss Army Knife” of footwear, and we understand why. They can sit under a tuxedo and still make sense with something considerably more relaxed.
For 2027, our loafers brand for men edit comes down to five houses that each do the loafer differently.
What Makes a Luxury Loafer Worth It?
Before the brands, a few things we always look at:
- Material: Beautiful leather gives you polish, while soft suede immediately makes a loafer feel more relaxed.
- Shape: A slimmer silhouette feels elegant and dressier. A heavier sole or wider shape gives the loafer a more contemporary attitude.
- Construction: Look beyond the logo. Leather quality, stitching, sole construction and finishing matter when you’re buying a pair to wear repeatedly.
- Versatility: The best loafers brands make shoes that don’t need one particular outfit to work.
- Personality: Penny, horsebit, Venetian or something more experimental? Choose the style that actually fits the rest of your wardrobe.
1. Loro Piana: For the Quiet Luxury Loafer
Loro Piana has turned the soft suede loafer into something of a modern menswear uniform. The Summer Walk is particularly recognisable, with its lightweight suede construction, hand stitching and non-slip rubber sole. Interestingly, the design was originally conceived for wearing aboard a yacht.
It’s the kind of shoe we’d wear with linen trousers, relaxed tailoring or a polo and chinos rather than reserving it for formal occasions.
Among the best loafers brands for men, Loro Piana is our pick for the man who wants his loafers understated, soft and very easy to wear.
2. Tod’s: For the Italian Driving Loafer
Tod’s has built a considerable part of its footwear identity around relaxed Italian craftsmanship and its signature Gommino driving shoes.
This is where we’d look when traditional dress loafers feel a little too formal. A Tod’s loafer belongs with chinos, linen, denim and the sort of unstructured tailoring you would actually want to wear outside an office.
If you’re looking for a loafers brand for men that sits comfortably between smart and casual, Tod’s makes a very convincing case.
3. Bottega Veneta: For the Modernist
Bottega Veneta is where we’d look for a loafer that feels distinctly fashion-led. The appeal is in proportion, beautiful leather and silhouettes that can make an otherwise very simple outfit feel intentional.
That’s what earns Bottega a place among our best loafers brands for 2027. It gives the classic loafer a more contemporary fashion vocabulary.
4. Gucci: For the Horsebit Icon
Gucci introduced its now-iconic Horsebit loafer in the 1950s, and the design has remained remarkably relevant ever since. The signature metal horsebit connects the shoe directly to the house’s equestrian heritage. Gucci’s current 1953 versions continue to reinterpret the shape in leather and suede while retaining that instantly recognisable hardware.
GQ currently names the Gucci 1953 Horsebit its best designer loafer, which tells you something about the staying power of the silhouette.
5. Maison Margiela: For Something Less Expected
Maison Margiela brings a more conceptual attitude to footwear. This is the house we’d turn to when classic menswear starts feeling a little too predictable.
Margiela makes sense in this edit precisely because it offers contrast. Where Loro Piana whispers and Gucci leans into heritage, Margiela gives you something more directional.
So, Which Loafer Brand Is Actually for You?
- If you want understated suede, we’d start with Loro Piana.
- For relaxed Italian dressing, Tod’s.
- For something modern and fashion-forward, Bottega Veneta.
- For an icon you’ll still understand decades from now, Gucci.
- And when classic isn’t really your thing, Maison Margiela.
Final Word
The reason loafers keep surviving menswear’s changing moods is simple. They adapt. That’s also why there isn’t one definitive loafers brand for men that wins every category. The real question is what you want your loafer to say.
For our 2027 edit, Loro Piana, Tod’s, Bottega Veneta, Gucci and Maison Margiela each answer that question differently. And that’s exactly why all five belong on the list of best loafers brands worth knowing.
