If winter is all about heavy-soled boots and chunky lace-ups, summer is the season of the loafer. Keenly aware of this sartorial fact, Crockett & Jones may have just created the ultimate summer shoe. The Northampton maker has taken the classic penny loafer and stripped it of all excess, re-engineering it to be as lightweight, comfortable and flexible as possible.

Two new takes on the loafer form part of the brand’s SS26 collection: the Richmond 2, smart and prep-inspired, and Harvard 2, a classic-looking penny loafer. Both are made with “milled” calf leather, which has been tumbled for an exceptionally soft yet durable finish. Completely unlined, they come with the brand’s newly developed flexible City rubber sole, flexi welts and extra-flex insoles. This ensures that, while they look every ounce the traditional penny loafer, they also have the flexibility of a slipper.

‘We’ve thrown the kitchen sink at them in terms of comfort and flexibility,’ says James Fox, head of marketing and ecommerce director at Crockett & Jones. ‘We have essentially created the most flexible, comfortable loafer that we possibly can. There is no requirement for a break-in period at all.’ The results are shoes that you can wear practically anytime, anywhere.

With familiar penny loafer silhouettes, they’re perfect with tailoring for business use, but work equally well with casual, warm-weather looks. And, thanks to the inherent comfort of the lightweight construction, they’re ideal for travel, from gliding through airport security to relaxing by the ocean-side bar.

From £475; crockettandjones.com