Every once in a while I come across a local footwear brand that I see is improving in the area of design. While I was checking out some shoes I saw these pair of loafers by Gibi from their Homme line (yes, local brands are now using words like homme) that sets them apart from the rest of their usually undesirable offerings. At PHP 1,999.75 the shoes seemed like a good buy so I got a pair.

I must say I like the way the shoe is shaped. Most local brands have square-shaped toes so kudos to Gibi for not doing that. It has a hefty yet flexible rubber sole. Sure a more sleek and thin sole would have been more elegant but I walk a lot so I didn’t mind.

The construction is top notch with the upper sewn together nicely. There aren’t any rough edges inside which makes them great for wearing sockless (if you must wear socks use loafer socks). In addition to the glue used to put together the upper and the sole they stitched it making the shoes extra durable. The leather upper is soft so they did not need to be broken-in.

I’ve worn them for full days and they are comfortable even with a lot of walking. They don’t have any half sizes so I got a size 10 which is a bit slim on the width but the leather is stretching nicely. My advice is to size up when buying a pair.

Looking for a good pair of loafers at a decent price? Check out Gibi Homme.

Gibi Homme is sold at SM Department Stores and Gibi boutiques.