1. Loafers are made up of two layers of leather, with a cardboard-like material called the counter in between. 2. The counter provides form and structure, but can be hard and uncomfortable. 3. Removing the counter changes the structure of the shoe. 4. Jamie Haller, a shoe and clothing designer, removes the counter to make her shoes more comfortable.
5. Sacchetto construction is used to create a contoured fit that molds to the foot. 6. KOIO loafers have an elongated shape and leather that is not too thick... making them sturdy and comfortable.
What is it that makes loafers so tough to break in? According to shoe and clothing designer Jamie Haller (and the woman behind my favorite pair of loafers , which I happen to be wearing as I write this story), it's all in the structure of the shoe. “ I began making [my] shoes by removing all of the counters, which is the cardboard-like material that lives in between the two layers of leather in the shoe and usually provides form and structure but can also be hard and uncomfortable,” the designer shared.
Based on first-hand experience, I can confidently say she did it right. “These structural changes really set us apart along with the old-world style of construction that offers a soft glove-like fit. We utilize soft, supple skin and Sacchetto construction (“Sacchetto” translates to little bag) that creates a contoured fit that molds to your foot,” she said.
Of course, she's not the only one to make comfortable shoes; there are plenty of easy loafers to slip on in bliss—and I used my own experience and crowdsourced my colleagues to find the best. Shop them all, below.
