The Most Comfortable Loafers...Ever?
This might just be the best offering on the market today.
I’ve long been a proponent of small brands that I think are doing something meaningful and have their heads screwed on straight [see: my wardrobe of Stoffa drawstring trousers, Morjas penny loafers, Serica’s 4512, Observer Collection…everything]. So when I encountered the offerings at August Special, it was a coup de foudre.
August Special is a name that few outside the industry, let alone within it, may have heard of [yet*], but what designer Joseph Pollard has accomplished with the brand is, in a word, extraordinary. Beyond the world of traditional benchmade footwear, beyond the ease and elegance of a Belgian, beyond lug-soled work boots, rubber-soled boat shoes, and crepe-soled chukkas, lies a concept of footwear that marries tradition with modernity to present shoes that are, presumably in practice, most suitable for life today.
To truly appreciate what August Special is, we need to journey back to where it all began. Growing up in the naval town of Plymouth, England, young Joseph Pollard was fascinated by industrial architecture. He dreamed of building grand structures until one fateful day in the spring of ‘94 when Joseph stumbled upon Arena Homme Plus Issue 1. More than an average fashion magazine, it opened his mind to a world where creativity knew no bounds. This discovery ignited a passion in him, leading him first to art school in Plymouth and then to college at Epsom, where he immersed himself in fashion design. It was there that he produced his final collection with a deft display of creative ingenuity, using bent plywood to craft accessories and shoes inspired by midcentury designs by Eames [this was 1996, and he had just blown two months’ rent on an Eames rocking chair]. This blend of craftsmanship and innovation would become a hallmark of his career, dotted with stints at 6876, Duffer of St. George, Abercrombie, Ralph Lauren [during the #menswear heyday], Best Made, and most recently, Buck Mason — where I met him just this past year.
The seeds for August Special were always there, but it wasn’t until he was at Ralph that he met someone who could put him in touch with the right shoemakers. Joseph had always been looking for shoes that weren’t just stylish but also rugged enough to withstand the rigors of daily life. He found top-tier factories in Tuscany, Italy, negotiated relationships with them [“the way it works there is very different than anywhere else, they basically interview you”], and spent the next few years developing and perfecting designs for both a new last and a new method of construction.
The Harry Last, named after his daughter Harriet, became the crux of the collection. Inspired by an orthopedic last the US Navy developed in the 1930s, it offers exceptional comfort with its unique toe volume [“wiggle room”], arch support, and banana-shaped footbed. Most importantly, it’s a shape that marries elegance with comfort.
From there, Joseph carefully selected every element from well-respected makers — suede from Zabri and calfskin and horsehide from Maryam. High-density athletic foam midsoles add a modern touch, providing superior comfort to the majority of dress shoes on the market. Fully lined in calfskin, each pair exudes the sort of experience you’d expect from a storied luxury brand — in truth, the family-owned factory he works with has his shoes on the same line as a few of them.
When Joseph finally shared the August Special story with me, I jumped at the chance to try out his Augie Type-P [plain toe] loafers in a rarefied leopard-print hair on hide.
The Augie is a hybrid of slipper and loafer, capable of being worn indoors or outdoors without the need for any modifications or special care. Construction-wise, it takes cues from a foot-molding piano wool sole virtually unseen except in Belgian Shoes’ Mr. Casual style. Not many places outside of Izegem, Belgium, can make that shoe, so Joseph worked with his factory to develop what I would say ended up being a much better version of it. Starting with his orthopedic-style last, they cut the leather or suede uppers, calfskin lining, and finally, a midsole wedge from that high-energy-return foam I mentioned earlier. The midsole is then wrapped in leather, and they use what’s called a Speedy Stitcher to hand-stitch a 4mm-thick rubber outsole onto it. Once that’s done, the outsole is shaped with a beveled edge to give it a slimmer, more refined appearance without affecting its durability. The final product is, by my estimates, far better than just about every comparable option on the market. It has the elegance of a Belgian with more rugged practicality. It has the comfort of a Loro Piana Summer Walk, with a more elegant shape and, frankly, better craftsmanship. The closest comparison might be Baudoin & Lange’s Stride — a rubber-soled, almond-toed cousin of the Belgian. But it exceeds even that with a more comfortable last and more refined sole construction. At $590, it’s rather fairly priced considering these comparisons.
On foot, the shoes speak for themselves. While the leopard print I chose may be over the top for most, they pair with literally anything I’ve conceived to throw at them, making them easily the most versatile shoe in my wardrobe. Even in calfskin or suede, I can see them pairing as easily with jeans as with tailored suits. The sole is remarkably comfortable, even after a long day of walking. My only caveat might be that hair on hide is not something I have experience caring for — I sold my cow hair Paraboot Michael a few years back for this reason — but with the quality of this shoe, I’m more than willing to learn. As with all things, the proof will be in how often I actually end up wearing them. So far, in the week since I received these, there have only been 2 days I haven’t.
Great review. How do these fit in your experience? True to size?