Green it is! It’s time for our next Special Drop: welcome our Tassel Loafer Fig, whose color was chosen by the community.
Why our Loafer?
Tiktok & other streetwear brands promote chunky loafers, while we want to stay true to our values of longevity and sustainability: We present a timeless classic to you: flat, slim, casual. Our branding is quietly embedded at the sides, the seams are off-white for a little pinch of contrast. Fig is made of chrome free tanned suede, the interlining consist of vegetable tanned calfskin. Therefore, you can easily wear Fig barefoot if you prefer to do so. The high quality leather sole also contains rubber in order to protect the sole from damage and you from slipping. The moccasin construction ensures you premium comfort and flexibility.
The loafer’s vita
Today we are familiar with loafers as everyday shoes, but they have served different purposes historically and culturally. Early moccasins were worn by Native American Powhatan, before the 20th century, without fastenings and undyed. Moccasin simply means shoe. Norwegian sailors wire moccasin-like shoes as workwear. After exports to North America, the shoe turned into a stylistic rather than a functional choice as the literary scene in New York ,ade the elegant and comfortable loafer popular. The shoe also became a statement piece for women as their first female work shoe apart from high heels that paved the way for a more androgynous style in offices. Inspired by Oxfords with tassel lacing, the tassel loafer came into being in the late 1940s, thanks to Hollywood actor Paul Lukas. At first, it became a faithful companion for Ivy League students, who mainly wore the shoes without socks. Today, the loafer is no longer considered posh but has also found its way into street style: you get the sustainable best of both worlds of a leather shoe.
A tribute to our beginnings
Maybe some of you that accompany us since way way back remember our first Tassel Loafer that we launched at the beginning of ekn footwear as a collaboration with Highsnobiety in 2013 under the name of Le Berlinois. In 2025, we want to pay tribute to our first steps by bringing back a refined version of our forgotten classic as our 2nd special drop.
Not just anyone's, but yours.
Your loafer’s tassels are interchangeable. The tassel set contains 4 colors (green, purple, black & camel) so that you can individualize your shoe the way you want it: as a monochrome classic or colorblocked in a modern way - as unique as you like it.
Your Fig Loafer’s way to you
You may already be familiar with our Special Drop procedure from Quince, as Fig is also produced on pre-order only. It’s crucial that you choose the right size for your feet using our size chart, as your shoe will be made especially for you. This ensures that your Fig fits you perfectly while avoiding overproduction. Unlike fast fashion production chains, your personal Fig is sustainable and timeless. You have one month to place your order, after which production begins in Portugal. It takes 2-3 months until delivery and the arrival of your sustainably produced Fig to find its permanent place in your shoe collection.