Photograph from Carmina Shoemaker.
Finally, we're going to review the first pair of Horsebit Loafers! This time, we've chosen the 80643 Horsebit Loafer from the renowned Carmina Shoemaker from Mallorca, Spain.
What is Horsebit Loafer?
We know some of you may not be familiar with Horsebit Loafer, so before we dive into today's topic, let's talk about what is Horsebit Loafer. It was first designed by Gucci back in the 1950s. Gucci tried to add a horse-bit-like metal buckle on the vamp of a loafer to replace the traditional leather strap or tassels. Therefore, it's also called the Gucci Loafer (or Bit Loafer).
Brief Background of Carmina
If you aren't familiar with this brand, here is the short history of the brand. The brand Carmina Shoemaker ("Carmina") was founded in 1997 but was originated from a small workshop in Inca, Majorca which was opened by the current founders' great-grandfather in 1866.
The current founder, José Albaladejo Pujadas, inherited the workshop from 1961. One year after José Albaladejo joined the workshop, the iconic Castellano Loafer was launched. In 1997, he decided to create a new company with his family and named it Carmina Shoemaker. Currently, they have branches in countries and continue to provide quality shoes.
Alright, enough of background information, let's dive into today's topic and review the 80643 Horsebit Loafer. First thing first, the price of the shoe is $380.
1. Look and Fit
The Carmina 80643 Horsebit Loafer (the 80643) is made with the UETAM last (It's named after a famous Spanish Opera Singer, Mateu). According to Carmina, this last is solely used to produce Loafers. Plus, as it's an Italian-inspired last, it has a rounded yet narrow toe. From our experience, it's sleek and elegant.
In terms of the look of the 80643, it differs from the classic Gucci Loafer. Personally, we're not a big fan of the original Gucci Loafer. It's a bit boxy, and the construction is not as good as Carmina's. The sleek look makes the shoe more trendy yet not over the top. The colour choices of the shoes are Black, Burgundy, Tan and Brown.
The height of the vamp is medium, so you can still express your uniqueness through socks. The golden buckle is the most beautiful part of the shoe. We do recommend buckle in circle shape instead of the square shape as it retains the classic look and looks more elegant.
For the fit, it fits true to size. Although you may not need to size up or down, please note that the shoe is quite narrow. However, from our experience, it doesn't cause discomfort even after whole-day wear.
2. Quality
The construction and the leather of the 80643 are also top-notch. For construction, Carmina used the Goodyear Welt for all of their shoes. For the 80643, they used the 270-degree Goodyear Welt. It refers to the welt line (stitching on the sole) ends around the heel.
For most of the shoes made with Goodyear welt, the stitching at the bottom of the sole is visible. However, for the 80643, Carmina added a thin piece of leather to cover the stitching to elevate its elegance.
For the choice of leather, Carmina used the premium leather named Vegano leather. In fact, it consists of calfskin. According to Carmina, unlike the boxcalf or museum calf, the vegano leather is not given the final finish in the tannery. Therefore, it's more flexible in brightness. In other words, it's more versatile as the patina will only grow with the way you wear it.
Plus, it's a pair of unlined shoes. It means there is no extra layer of fabric added inside the shoe. Therefore, this feature makes it a great summer Loafer, especially for those who sweat a lot as it won't generate extra heat to the wearer's feet.
3. Style
The 80643 is very versatile in terms of styling. It can be worn with most of the classic pieces of garments in the wardrobe. Considering the elegance of the shoe, the formality of it should be similar to other Tassel Loafers.
For working style, it can be worn with a suit or other classy garments like a dress shirt, dress pants, etc. Whenever you want to go to work casually, there is no problem to wear it with chinos or polo shirts. For a party look, it goes well with shorts or chinos. For the choice of top, you can wear something from as simple as a plain T-shirt to a linen shirt.
Just another quick reminder, although it is so versatile, you always want to keep the consistency of your outfit. What it means is that the first thing you have to do when planning an outfit is to define what is the main item of it. If the 80643 is the item of the day, you should then look for items that can complement it.
As always, here are some styling guides with the 80643.
Recommendation 1: Casual Working Style
Top: Shirt in a light blue/ Chambray Shirt (You may unbutton the first or first two buttons)
Accessory: A decent Watch with a Dark Brown leather strap
Bottom: Chinos in White
Socks: Invisible socks
Shoes: The 80643 in Brown or Tan
Bonus Tip: It is once said, no man will wear a pair of white pants unintentionally. In other words, white shorts or pants are some bold items that not every man would have a try. So, if you are just starting out, you may want to stick with some safer colours. But I have to say, white is one of the most summery colours for pants.
Recommendation 2: Modern Casual Style
Top: High-neck T-shirt in White (Tucked in)
Accessory: A decent Watch with a Med-Brown leather strap
Outer: Blazer in Olive Green
Bottom: Chinos in Grey or Olive Green
Socks: Invisible socks
Shoes: The 80643 in Black or Brown
Overall, the 80643 from Carmina is worth every penny. Generally speaking, for a pair of Goodyear Welted shoes, it should be able to last for 10-20 years. Therefore, the cost per wear is extremely low, and it should be one of the most ideal pair of Loafers for beginners.