G.H.BASS x DSM Kei Ninomiya Gives the Penny Loafer an Architectural Edge

G.H.BASS is marking its 150th anniversary with a collaboration that takes one of menswear’s most enduring shoes in a more experimental direction. The American footwear brand has teamed up with DSM Kei Ninomiya, the first in-house brand from Dover Street Market, to reinterpret its iconic Larson penny loafer.

First introduced in 1936, the Larson remains a defining G.H.BASS silhouette, built around the slip-on profile and distinctive saddle strap. For this collaboration, Japanese designer Kei Ninomiya brings his architectural approach to two men’s styles, finished in embossed polished black and rich wine leather.

The textured surfaces give the traditional loafer a different visual character without changing its recognisable shape. Both versions retain the classic penny slot, now fitted with a custom nickel coin bearing Dover Street Market’s signature hut logo.

It is a small intervention, but one that gives the collaboration a clear identity. Rather than redesigning the Larson beyond recognition, Ninomiya works within its established construction, introducing a more experimental finish and a distinctive hardware detail.

The project also brings together two different design perspectives: G.H.BASS’s heritage in hand-sewn moccasin construction and Ninomiya’s interest in architectural form. The result is a familiar menswear staple with a new material treatment, arriving as G.H.BASS celebrates a century and a half in footwear.