Sneakers Are Shrinking. Derbies Have Never Been Bigger
If the performative males have loafers, and the Hedi boys have Chelsea boots, what’s left for the menswear nerds? Lately, it’s been derbies, and more specifically, somewhat clownish ones—marked out by round and bulbous toe boxes that curve upwards.
You'll find the style on the feet of folks who glide through the world in clothing from designers like Casey Casey, Evan Kinori and vintage Yohji Yamamoto. These are people who geek out over fabrication and (yes, sometimes annoyingly) explain the garment’s slow manufacturing process as a righteous flex. And they don't just like the clown derby style because it's more comfortable. It also serves a styling purpose, because for all of the subtlety and design genius of wearing just a baggy button-up, one detail still needs to be off-kilter. And for that, the shoe’s bold silhouette adds a freaky full-stop.
When I bought my own first pair two years ago (the Marsèll Muso Derby you’ll find below) I thought they looked a little extreme for a classic shoe, and more like something out of Jonathan Anderson’s Loewe universe (also featured later on). But the roomy toe box proved extremely comfortable and, to apply a similar logic learned during the recent square-toe shoed trend, worked a miracle for my wide feet – my dogs could move freely about the cabin.
Admittedly, my style has started to morph into the above profile more and more since. (The power of a pair of shoes, huh!) My most reached for pieces today all possess a similar freedom in cut and proportions. But the best part about the lace-ups is that their endless versatility can refine the look of straight-leg jeans, or add some polish to beaten-up work pants.
Where, then, to start your shopping search? As you’ll see from the 15 derbies we picked below, some of GQ’s favorite zeitgeisty and artisanal brands are now making their own, with luxury giants like Prada and Maison Margiela jumping on the bandwagon more recently. So cancel your other footwear plans, grab a ticket, and roll up to the menswear circus.
If hearing the word ‘bulbous’ to describe a pair of shoes gives you the ick, let’s start off easy with this pair from MM6 Maison Margiela. The round toe gently slopes upward, with another freaky detail in the sharp counter that cups (sorry) the heel nicely.
In the era of the preppy good boy, clown derbies aren’t always for such men. Acne, however, has made theirs schoolyard-friendly.
Venetian shoemaker Marsèll has maintained an IYKYK status since launching in 2001 because of its handmade and unplaceable leather shoes. The Muso derby is crafted from soft leather, but the real kicker comes in the reinforced toe box that makes them feel as hardy as Blundstones – an elegant and durable choice.
“Enchant the mundane” are the words that greet you (on the insole) as you slip on a pair of Paracia shoes. The emerging Madrid-based brand’s mid-heel derbies will certainly do that, and then some: The structured toe box has a whimsical touch, but you’ll get some even-more-practical height help from its pleasing inch-and-a-half stacked heel.
For the slow fashion freaks, Guidi Rosellini prizes the veiny imperfections of its leather, highlighted through vegetable tanning without vanish, which, in their words, is “aimed at exalting its natural flower”. The handmade Morosinos do take two months to arrive – but the patience will be well rewarded, in our opinion. (The Tuscan-based footwear brand also has a currently sold-out collab with San Francisco’s Evan Kinori.)
J.M.Weston's 180 Penny Loafer rightly gets a lot of attention—but the bulbous Golf Derby deserves just as much.
