The 'Penniless' loafer is our take on the iconic 'penny' loafer first introduced in the 1930s. The strap on the original penny loafer had a small slit which was the perfect size to hold a coin, preppy college students would add a penny for decoration, but also for a more functional purpose, using the pennies for emergency calls home. Our 'Penniless' loafer omits the slit of the traditional penny loafer to create a more minimalist design. It is made using kangaroo leather, which is hand dyed to create a 'Black carbon' or grey-black patina. The hand dying technique is a painstaking process, in which numerous layers of dye and a combination of colours are applied to the shoe to achieve the desired effect. 

This particular loafer is made using a unique construction technique, the rovesciata construction, in which the upper is hand sewn to the sole while inside out. Once the upper is stitched to the sole, the shoe is then turned out, it is an ancient construction technique never before seen in ready to wear and unique to L'bardi. The Rovesciata construction technique makes for an extremely flexible and comfortable shoe that moulds to the foot and flexes with every movement of the wearer, making it a glove for the feet. 

Details:

Last: La Ginevra

Construction: Rovesciata

Upper Leather: Hand dyed kangaroo

Sole: 4mm single leather

Lining: Calfskin

Heel: 2cm

100% Handmade in Italy