We sell a lot of loafers at Herring but mostly to men, after all, it is such a versatile shoe. But what about women? Yep, we have loafers for women covered too with our Charlie, Giulietta, Louisa, Miranda and Sophia styles becoming staples in our women’s collection and in the shoe cupboards of our customers. Most recently, the horsebit-style Scarlette has made its debut this season. For this In the Spotlight offering though, we would like to focus on the Emma.
The Emma is a little bit different. We describe it as a heritage loafer due to its slightly raised heel. For this style, we have blended two types of cedar calf with the saddle in grain to give this shoe a contemporary edge. The powder blue leather lining is a nice touch too. We also stock a black calf version.
These would look good with ankle skimming trousers, long or short preppy pleated skirts, long dresses, or even with ankle socks and a mini dress depending on how dedicated you are to following catwalk fashion.
The loafer is a great transition shoe from summer to autumn as we pack away our flip-flops but are to yet ready to don tights and socks. Part of the reason why the classic loafer is rolled out every year. Handy then that as the Emma is welted to a light-coloured rubber sole, it is possible to repair them time and time again so you can hang onto your favourite shoes for longer, therefore treading lightly on the planet too.
By investing in the Emma, you are also buying into a piece of classic Northamptonshire shoemaking as these have been made exclusively for us by Barker. Every pair of shoes or boots Barker makes goes through 165 production stages and takes six to eight weeks to make. More than 140 years of shoemaking expertise is key to the footwear that represents some of the finest craftsmanship Northamptonshire has to offer.