Torbay—The New Unlined Dress Loafers
Hybrid designs are a common theme in the house’s footwear design. Retaining the excellence of traditional English shoemaking, this is yet another design that pushes the envelope of legendary English-shoemaking house Crockett & Jones. This is our take on a completely unlined dress loafer.
Good bench made shoes would always be best if they are Goodyear welted, if not by hand, the bespoke way. Why? Because they can be resoled. They are sturdier, also better for the foot, and it’s just a respectful nod to tradition. But that doesn’t limit the possibilities the upper can do, right? Spending the whole day strolling around the office, or the city, the last thing you want is an extremely sturdy upper that restricts breathability, worse it goes you cramps or blisters. Soft unlined upper contrastingly juxtaposed with a Goodyear welted sole, made the old English way, that’s what our new unlined dress loafer Torbay is all about.
Named after a small coastal town Torbay, we’ve taken inspiration from the sensibility of relaxation and tranquility. It has the comfort of a small, quaint town, but a sharp design geared up for the big city. We envision this to be the softest possible shoe for dress use.
Made structureless on the upper, it is suitable with tailoring or suits for an elevated look. It is an elegant shoe with a more angular toe box, featuring sharper lines to compensate for its completely unlined structure.
Crafted in luxurious milled calf, a soft calfskin that is comparable to sheepskin, with a buttery soft dark brown surface dressed with natural fine grains with no after-finish, no embossing. What you end up getting is a natural hide that has beautifully grained leather, softly complementing and texturising the softness of the design.
The overall shoe is completely unlined—a great sensation.
