The first time I saw these colored grain loafers, I knew that they were going to be successful and the fact that Norman Vilalta was presenting them at Pitti means that it must have become true. It would appear that demand has been high for them so I believe that Norman is putting them into a regular RTW rotation. The question is which color will be the most popular? My heart always goes out towards the bold colors, like the green and the blue, but putting my mind into the mindset of the common consumer, I imagine that the tan version will be the most marketable in a practical sense.
I love seeing bold ideas like this become sought after by the consumer as it just goes to show that all we need as individuals is someone actually doings that push the boundaries for people to buy them. And when I say boundaries, I mean of classic with a twist but always with a sense of elegance and style and not just fashion bull crap that only appeals to being gaudy beyond belief. Everything about these loafers screams ‘I love classic ideas, but don’t want the same black loafer that every other guy in the street has!’ And if only more people designed this way, the world would be a different place.
Here’s to Norman for not playing it safe and going for bold, yet beautiful!