Getting to know Vee
A classic loafer, seen through a contemporary lens. Vee is our take on a familiar silhouette, shaped by an appreciation for timeless design and the way we dress today.
Why a loafer?
I’ve always loved a classic loafer. And the funny thing is, the need for one never really goes away. The way we dress, and consequently the way we wear our shoes, keeps changing. But somehow, a good loafer always finds its way back.
That was the starting point for Vee. I wanted to create a classic penny loafer that felt right for now. Something familiar, but with a contemporary toe box that gives the silhouette a slightly different perspective. Not a reinvention for the sake of it, but a considered take on a style we’ve admired for decades.
Making it your own
With every shoe we make, I feel like we’re getting a little better at restraint. It’s a development I genuinely enjoy seeing happen in real time.
Restraint itself isn’t necessarily the objective. For me, it’s about creating good, characteristic design that doesn’t need to be loud to get your attention. Shoes that make you stop for a second. That make you want to try them on, even if you weren’t looking for a new pair.
I think Vee does that particularly well. There’s nothing overly complicated about it, and that’s exactly what I like. The proportions, the shape and the small details do most of the talking. It’s about finding that balance between something familiar and something that feels distinctly our own.
The feeling behind Vee
I’ve always liked the idea of dressing up without necessarily dressing formally. Looking like you’ve made an effort, even when you haven’t made much of one. To me, that’s what a good loafer can do. It gives you something without asking too much in return.
That feeling was very much part of what I had in mind when designing Vee. I wanted it to feel classic, but never too formal or predictable. Something you can wear in a considered way, without having to think too much about it.
The name carries a little extra meaning, too. Vee is our first letter, and I wanted this shoe to have some of the significance that comes with it. Something that could stand on its own and, over time, become as recognisable to us as Townee and Yardee. It’s a big ambition for a little shoe, but I think it’s got what it takes.
The little details
For me, it’s the balance between the upper and the sole that makes all the difference.
The polished or grained leather gives Vee that familiar, almost dressy loafer look, while the rubber sole makes it a much more practical everyday proposition. It’s a relatively simple combination, but it changes how you approach the shoe.
You don’t have to save it for an occasion or think twice about where you’re going to wear it. You can just put it on and get on with your day. I like that there’s a certain ease to it. A shoe that looks considered, but feels completely natural to wear.
Sometimes it’s those seemingly small decisions that make a design work. And with Vee, I think this particular balance is what gives it its character.
A shoe for real life
To me, Vee is genuinely an all-occasion shoe. Whether you go for the grained or polished finish, you’re good with blue jeans and a tucked-in T-shirt, just as much as pleated trousers, a little knit or even a hoodie.
I like the idea that people can wear it in their own way. There’s no particular outfit or occasion it needs to be saved for. It should simply become one of those pairs you keep reaching for, without having to think about it.
And importantly, I believe shoes should be worn. All our styles develop character with use, and I think that’s part of what makes a good pair even better over time. So don’t be afraid of scuffing them up a little. That’s part of the pleasure.
Just give them some tender love and (shoe)care in between. A pair of shoe trees goes a long way.
Good shoes deserve to be worn, not saved.
