FALL 2026 EDIT · MADE IN ITALY · BY MIKE LOPRIORE
The Italian loafer is a slim, unlined moccasin or penny loafer handmade from Tuscan suede or leather. For Fall 2026 I would buy four: the Paola Moccasin ($265), Marzia Loafer ($295), Elsa Penny Loafer ($265) and the lug-sole Georgetown ($325). All handmade in Bergamo.
My father has worn the same style of loafer for forty years. Not the same pair, but the same shape: a slim moccasin, unlined, in whatever suede the tannery sent that season. When I asked him once why he never changed it, he said, "Because it is already correct." That is the whole philosophy of the Italian loafer. You do not improve it. You make it well and wear it until it is yours.
Here are the four loafers from the Fall 2026 collection, in the order I would buy them.
No. 1 — Paola Moccasin
The Paola is the closest thing we make to my father's loafer. Unlined Italian suede, a hand-stitched apron, a flat leather sole thin enough to feel the ground. It is the shoe for airports, for walking Milan, for the day you do not want to think about your feet. Nine colors; the camoscio testa di moro and camel are the fall ones.
NO. 01 · THE CLASSIC
Paola Moccasin
$265 · Italian suede · Unlined moccasin
A classic everyday moccasin with easy comfort, refined style and timeless Italian appeal. Handmade in Bergamo.
Shop Paola →
No. 2 — Marzia Loafer
If the Paola is the weekday, the Marzia is the dinner after. Same slim last, but with a low stacked leather heel and a gold horsebit on the vamp. It is the loafer that reads as dressed without a heel, which is why it has been our best-selling loafer for three years running.
NO. 02 · THE HORSEBIT
Marzia Loafer
$295 · Italian suede · Gold horsebit
Penny loafer with a slim gold horsebit and stacked leather heel. Suede in testa di moro, tan, beige, blue and brown; leather in black and cream.
Shop Marzia →
"Because it is already correct." — my father, on why he has worn the same loafer since 1986.
No. 3 — Elsa Penny Loafer
The Elsa is the penny loafer in the strict sense: a leather strap with the classic cut-out across the vamp, no hardware. It is cut in both nappa leather and suede, and the navy suede in the photo is the one Giada keeps in the Milan boutique window. It is also the loafer I would send a client who has never owned one.
NO. 03 · THE PENNY
Elsa Penny Loafer
$265 · Leather or suede · Classic penny strap
True penny loafer with a leather strap and no hardware. Six colorways in nappa leather and Italian suede. Handmade in Bergamo.
Shop Elsa →
No. 4 — Georgetown Loafer
Every season I allow myself one loafer that breaks the rules. This fall it is the Georgetown: a kiltie fringe and suede tassels on top, a chunky lug rubber sole underneath. It is the loafer for rain, for cobblestones, for the days you would otherwise wear a boot. In camoscio foresta it is the most-photographed shoe in the collection.
NO. 04 · THE LUG SOLE
Georgetown Loafer
$325 · Italian suede · Lug sole
Kiltie-fringe tassel loafer on a chunky lug sole. Camoscio Foresta or Camoscio Moro. New for Fall 2026.
Shop Georgetown →
What Makes a Loafer Actually Italian
A lot of loafers say Italian on the box. Legally, "Made in Italy" means more than 70% of the construction happened here; "designed in Italy" means it probably did not. Every loafer in this post is handmade in our Bergamo atelier, where my father opened his first workshop in 1986 after starting in Piazza Cadorna in Milan. The suede and nappa come from Tuscan tanneries. The uppers are hand-cut, the aprons hand-stitched, and the soles Blake-stitched so a cobbler can resole them. A finished pair has been touched by hand at least seven times. That is the difference between a loafer that lasts a season and one that lasts a decade.
SHOP THE EDIT
Five Italian loafers for fall
Flats & Loafers
Handmade in Bergamo since 1986. Free US shipping over $150. Free returns.
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Quick Answers
What makes a loafer Italian?
A loafer is Italian when it is made in Italy, not just designed there. Legally the label requires more than 70% of construction in Italy. Every Michele Lopriore loafer is handmade in our Bergamo atelier from Tuscan leather and suede.
Which loafer is best for walking all day?
The Paola Moccasin. It is unlined, built on a flexible leather sole, and weighs less than most sneakers. For a lug sole with more grip, the Georgetown is the one.
Can loafers be worn with dresses?
Yes. A slim penny loafer like the Marzia or Elsa with a knit midi dress is one of the most Italian combinations there is. Keep the sock either invisible or deliberately visible; never in between.
Do Italian loafers run small?
About half a US size. A US 8 usually wears an IT 38 in our loafers. Suede softens and molds within a few wears; leather holds its shape longer, so size up half if you are between sizes in a leather style.
How should I care for suede loafers?
Brush after wear with a soft suede brush, protect once with a colorless waterproof spray, and let them air-dry away from heat if they get wet. Store with shoe trees in the dust bag.
What is the price range of Michele Lopriore loafers?
Our fall loafers run from $265 (Paola Moccasin, Elsa Penny Loafer) to $325 (Georgetown). All are handmade in Italy and ship free in the US over $150.
Con amore,Mike LoprioreDesigner & second-generation Lopriore
