There is a particular moment familiar to anyone who travels well: the arrival. Stepping off a train into a new city, crossing a hotel threshold, entering a bar just before dusk. In cinema, these moments are often framed from the ground up, leather soles meeting stone floors, before the person is then revealed. It is an old visual language, but an enduring one, and it is precisely where Edward Green’s new Putney loafer finds its footing.

The Putney marks the British shoemaker’s first horsebit loafer and is an expansion of its unlined collection. Crafted on the round-toed 125 last, the design is a direct response to the way menswear is evolving. Wider trouser silhouettes, softer tailoring and more generous proportions are increasingly popular, as the emphasis shifts from adopting a formal uniform to embracing ease and self-expression. Clothes are being designed to travel better and provide more comfort, and shoes must follow suit.

‘We’ve been making Goodyear-welted shoes in Northampton since 1890,’ says Euan Denholm, Edward Green’s head of brand and business development. ‘Techniques, tools and patterns are time-tested, but we always keep an eye on how tastes are changing, to ensure the shoes we make are objects of real desire, fulfilling the needs of today’s customers.’

Once the preserve of film stars and the jet set moving between Capri and St Tropez, the horsebit loafer has regained relevance as tailoring has relaxed. ‘What once felt too casual now works rather well,’ says Denholm, noting how the broader silhouette and solid brass hardware balance modern trouser proportions. ‘A slim almond-toed penny loafer can look lost beneath a generously cut trouser; a horsebit loafer holds its ground. The metal hardware adds a focal point at exactly the right moment, drawing the eye while maintaining elegance ’

Unlined and notably supple, the Putney is crafted for ease. Without the internal stiffness of a fully lined shoe, it fits closely from first wear. Light and breathable, it’s ideal for warmer months and long days on foot. ‘Because there’s just one layer of soft leather, it fits around the foot like a glove,’ Denholm explains. ‘That’s a different feel from the more containing fit of a traditional lined shoe.’

Available in black Delapré matt calf, black suede and mink suede, the Putney is a modern classic loafer that works effortlessly with both formal and casual wear. ‘Switch out trainers for loafers with a more relaxed look and immediately it looks smarter; or pair suede loafers with tailoring and they take the edge off,’ Denholm explains. ‘And that fits well with the way we dress now – elements that can work across different codes, times and places.’

Firm but flexible oak bark leather soles, tanned for more than two years, provide durability for shoes designed to be worn, repaired and worn again. The Putney is a shoe made not just to travel well, but to ensure you will always arrive in style.

edwardgreen.com