Long Summer Walks in Yacht Loafers
"Billionaire Loafers" are on their way to the yacht-less masses.
Loro Piana’s iconic Summer Walk loafers have experienced an incredible surge in popularity these past few years. While the brands efforts to push their suede sneaker sole footwear began prior to The Pandemic, momentum really picked up in late 2022. TikTok’s viral “Old Money Aesthetic” inadvertently brought attention to “Quiet Luxury,” a genre of dress that Loro Piana is often thought to be the pinnacle of.
Where the Old Money Aesthetic is a disjointed hodpodge of stereotypical dress from affluent yet unrelated subcultures, Quiet Luxury is an actual thing. There are very wealthy people who wear very plain, unbranded, yet very well-made clothing with an exorbitant price tag.
As in, a white tee made from superfine wool costing $2300 and cashmere joggers that retail at $3300
For those of us who can’t afford to pay $5600 to look like we’ve been lounging around the house all day, the concept of Quiet Luxury is simultaneously unapproachable yet grudgingly aspirational.
With so many minds contemplating the aesthetics of affluence, it was no small wonder that Loro Piana’s comparatively affordable suede Venetian loafer found itself in the spotlight.
Their signature Summer Walk loafer perfectly captures the appeal and aspiration of Quiet Luxury, but makes it approachable to the mass market. How could they not take off?
While $980 isn’t cheap for a shoe, it’s also far from outrageous, which makes you wonder how they ended up with the title of “Billionaire Loafers.”
Unlike Loro Piana’s 10k vicuna sweaters, the Summer Walk is recognizable rather than anonymous. Even without recognizing the brand or model, there’s a distinct jai na sais quoi that makes them look not just like a “nice shoe,” but one that alludes to an aspirational lifestyle.
The contours are sleek and refined, but its sneaker sole dials down the dressiness to make this shoe feel leisurely. Unlined suede uppers exude sophistication while the energetic colorways bring a sense of fun and play.
Summer Walks are the balance of dressy and casual that Cole Haan’s hybrid dress shoes wanted to be. But unlike the Zerogrands, Loro Piana’s melding of dressy uppers and sneaker sole stuck the landing.
They appear luxurious, leisurely, and are recognizable enough to be a flex. With their surging popularity and moment in the spotlight, Summer Walk dupification was inevitable.
Between the summers of 2023 and 2024 there has been such a deluge of imitations that you can shop the look for a fraction of the original price. Some iterations come in at $400, $340, $240, $180, and even $55.
It goes without saying that your mileage may vary with these Summer Walk copycats, but there are some respectable options in the bunch. While not every instance is so noteworthy, there’s much precedent for a superstar design in the limelight spurring imitation from brands at a myriad of price points and quality levels.
The best example of this phenomenon is Gucci’s Horsebit Loafer. One of the most influential shoes of all time, it has spawned so many copycats that “bit loafers” became their own distinct category of shoe. While there are cheap knock offs, of course, many respectable shoe brands offer their own take on this iconic design.
In that same vein, we have the current crop of Loro Piana Summer Walk dupes. The first of which came before their surge in popularity and is also the best by far: Aurelien’s “Yacht Loafer.”
There are unverified rumors that Aurelien uses the same manufacturer for their Yacht Loafers as Loro Piana’s Summer Walk. Whether or not that’s true, they are a worthy “budget” alternative clocking in at $400.
Aurelien manages to replicate the important details, such as the high vamp, sleek apron toe, ridged soles, and an assortment of summery color options in suede calfskin. Yet they’ve added their own flourishes, so as not to be a 1-to-1 knockoff. A slightly sleeker almond toe box, zig zag tongue edge, and ornamental “boat shoe lacing” set these Yacht Loafers apart from a mere imitation.
Perhaps, they’re more of an homage.
The one significant advantage this archetypal dupe has over the original Summer Walks is the illustrative name “Yacht Loafer.” After all, “Summer Walk” sounds more like an activity than a shoe. While there is a touch of the iykyk-factor surrounding Loro Piana’s loafer and according title, the current ubiquity of imitators means that it’s possible to become a fan of this style without ever knowing the source material.
Instead, they will know the “Yacht Loafer.”
Some may write off these suede sneaker sole Venetian loafers as a fad, but given the state of the world (of shoes), they are set up to become a staple of this decade.
Everyone is tired of the fugly Frankenstein “hybrid dress shoes” that have completely taken over business casual attire. But hey, they’re comfortable and vaguely work-appropriate, so they’ll do in lieu of a better alternative.
Sure they look too unserious for a wedding, too duty-laden for weekend outings, and too cringe for a fit pic. But, again, they’re comfortable.
Plus, it’s not like there’s better shoe that looks at-ease, exudes an air of gravitas in a myriad of settings, and has a cushy sneaker sole… A better shoe that is associated with affluence yet is understated enough to go largely unnoticed… One that looks at home in an office, on a summer stroll, or even on a yacht?
Oh wait.
That’s right — the Yacht Loafer is an indirect yet superior successor to hybrid dress shoes! While its origins, aesthetics, and associations are linked to affluence and luxury their design is exactly what many average dudes are looking for: a shoe that’s polished but not uptight; leisurely but not lax; functional yet fun.
Make no mistake, this is not the first, second, or even third time someone’s tried to crossbreed loafers with sneakers. But due to the alignment of declining dress codes, social media trends, mass dupefication, and several constellations of stars — by golly, this is the best melding of the two!
These are the first sneaker-dress shoe hybrid that is a beauty rather than an abomination!
By 2026, suede sneaker sole Venetian loafers will be as popular as Cole Haan’s Zerogrand was in 2016. While many men, women, and people will proudly sport their authentic Loro Piana Summer Walks, even more will be enjoying their $200 dupes dubbed “Yacht Loafers” that aren’t even from Aurelien.
Stay tuned for the part 2, in which we’ll disseminate the best Summer Walk dupes at the aforementioned price points.