The eternal best loafer in the universe.
Loafer is the best selling model in China though, very few knows about this most iconic model. If even not too many people know it, how can it be called the best loafer? Because no matter in Europe, USA or Japan, J.M.Weston 180 steadily sits on top of Lopez from John Lobb and is regarded as the god of penny loafer.
To know why 180 is so prominent, we have to trace back to the rise of Ivy style, and the first penny loafer gaining popularity among Ivy students was J.M.Weston 180. Maybe in the end, Alden took the throne and became the staple of Ivy style, but in the beginning it was 180 that pleased everyone. In its mother country, 180 is well received but maybe not crazily, however when Ivy style landed in Japan, BANG, 180 was worshiped as God!
Let us check out how it is so good to resist.
Pattern
A very conventional penny loafer, even the strap becomes the classic.
The hollow area and shape of the strap is quite normal now and I suspect J.M.Weston is the origin as it matches the outline of its old logo.
Another element makes 180 the iconic is the apron stitches.
The edge of two pieces of leather is skived and put together by stitches. The skiving process is the key.
As you can see on this pair of Maftei shoes, without skiving, the apron looks very rough and maybe it suits the derby design.
Leather
Top of the top, I don’t think I have seen any one is better than this one.
Many people know Du Puy is one of the greatest French tanneries, and it belonged to J.M.Weston before Hermes group acquired the tannery. J.M.Weston has the highest priority to pick leather, it is no wonder why the quality is so good.
Construction
The owner of J.M.Weston once said a man can live so well of only 3 to 5 pair of J.M.Weston shoes because their quality is impeccable.
The construction of J.M.Weston is a little different with other Goodyear welted shoes as it implements handwelting technique by machine. I know it sounds controversary, but it is true. The machine skives the center of the mid sole and forms the wall to connect with welt.
The benefit is this technique provides much more times of resoling.
Maybe the stitch density is not so high but as a machine made shoes, the stitches perfectly match fudge ridges, unbelievable. And each step looks very sturdy.
There is no cutting corner at the waist as some brands do, the density is even higher.
Details
To consider the quality of the shoes, welt or construction is one aspect, upper stitch is another. You can tell how well J.M.Weston does. I think J.M.Weston is honouring its word, to make the very durable shoes.
Conclusion
The very classic icon with impeccable construction and quality, I love it.