Leather, penny loops and a pin on the heel

Introducing the Gerard x Cuoio di Toscana capsule collection: a penny loafer, the timeless archetype of men’s footwear, reinterpreted with a contemporary sensibility that honours the roots of tradition. The collection is gender-neutral and comes in black and burgundy: colours that do not seek applause, but which enhance the depth and texture of Tuscan leather, allowing it to speak for itself without aesthetic embellishments.

The leather produced by Cuoio di Toscana is not just any material. It is the result of a slow vegetable tanning process, an ancient method that uses natural tannins extracted from chestnut, mimosa and quebracho wood. No chemical shortcuts, no industrial acceleration: just time, tradition and a mastery of the process that has made this district — between Santa Croce sull’Arno and San Miniato, in the province of Pisa — the global benchmark for sole leather. The consortium holds 95% of the Italian market share and over 80% of the European market share.

The customisation of the moccasin involves precise, highly meaningful elements. The penny, the model’s iconic symbol, becomes in this capsule collection a tangible sign of manufacturing heritage. But it is the new element introduced that captures the attention: a metal pin bearing the Cuoio di Toscana logo applied to the heel, designed to complement the iconic green sole that distinguishes the consortium’s products. A small detail, but far from insignificant: it is the visible signature of a supply chain, the mark of a certified origin. A symbol intended, in the consortium’s view, to define the identity of future Cuoio di Toscana-branded products.

In a market where traceability is increasingly in demand — and often merely promised — this pin tells a verifiable story, engraved into the product itself.