Myrqvist Review | Minimalist, Superb Value Penny Loafers

Swedish Minimalism By Myrqvist

Not so long ago I published an article about the Best Brands Under 400$. The competition is fierce with good quality companies popping left and right. One of them is Myrqvist, which is also a part of that article. Today, I am finally glad to bring you a full Review of the Myrqvist Smögen Penny Loafer in Dark Brown Calf.

With brands like Meermin and Myrqvist, you can buy a Goodyear Welted Shoe for less than 200$. In fact, this loafer was a pick up from a sample sale for just 75$! A welcome addition to the wardrobe for the rest of the summer or more casual weekend days.

But does it really live up to the hype? Can you really get a good shoe for that price that will last and age well?

Let’s find out in this in-depth Review where we put the shoes under the microscope!

Who Is Myrqvist?

Myrqvist is a Swedish, small lean business that sells directly to the consumer. Sebastian Öhrn (the owner) studied Business in Scotland and as a curious mind proceeded to become an entrepreneur. The first step was to find Herrstil, a small shop that focuses on shoe care and accessories such as shoe trees in 2011.

In 2016 he initiated project Myrqvist with the goal to make an affordable, quality Goodyear Welted range of shoes. The crowdfunding campaign was a tremendous success with the goal of 100000 SEK (about 10500$) reached within just 17 hours. In the end Sebastian gathered almost 7 times the amount which is pretty impressive!

The collection is slowly growing, with classic models and nice lasts that include Adelaide Oxfords, Derbies, Chelsea Boots and Loafers. Recently, you can also purchase sneakers from them. As for the leather and colors, the current models are more discreet and business looking in variations of calf, suede and grain.

I can really connect with people like Sebastian. After all I now have The Noble Shoe which is my first foray into entrepreneurship and a passion project. Lastly, he pays homage to his family and native Sweden. He used to walk with his grandmother around cloudberry forests in the Swedish province of Närke which inspired the name. A lovely little detail.

Trivia: Herrstil means “Men’s Style” in Swedish.

The 21st Century Business Model

With the rapid development of e-commerce, Brick & Mortar shops are very difficult to sustain. Companies like Suitsupply have a Vertical Integration Model where they buy directly from the suppliers and own the factories. A booming new model is the Direct-to-Consumer idea which cuts the middle man and retailers while keeping costs down.

This allows companies like Myrqvist to sell at lower prices and that benefits you as a customer!

Initially, the shoes were made in India but due to slow production and taxation Myrqvist moved to Portugal instead. You already know how I feel about Portugal huh?!

If you are in Stockholm, head out to the physical store at Grev Turegatan 46 and say hi!

Myrqvist Penny Loafer Review – Specifications

This model is the Smögen Penny Loafer in Dark Brown Calf. It also comes in Black Calf, Brown Suede and Navy Suede. The latter is quite nice actually. Many of Myrqvist’s models have a city rubber sole to deal with Scandinavian weather but the Smögen has a single leather sole to conform to a more business look.

• Brand: Myrqvist
• Model: Smögen
• Style: Penny Loafer
• Uppers: Dark Brown Calf
• Last: M02
• Sole: Single Leather Open Channel
• Width: Regular
• Construction: 270° Goodyear Welt
• Made In: Portugal
• Size: UK 7 (US 8/EU 41)
• Price: 1999 SEK ($210/£175/€187) New

I am not 100% sure but this particular model I own could be from the older India Factory days since it was a sample sale. I cannot confirm though. As you see it has some pretty nice specs and a very competitive price. The leather comes from respectable French tanneries Du Puy and Annonay.

Styling & First Impressions

Being a sample sale, I just put the shoes in a bag and left. So unfortunately I cannot do a proper unboxing experience. Searching tells me that they come with dust bags and a brown/blue box.

Onto the actual shoes now. It is a penny loafer alright! I do enjoy the style and it feels very sleek to look at. Minimalist in nature it blends well with the ethos of the company. On the front it has a classic apron and a pretty tight welt.

It is not visually stunning but the proportions and the composition create a very well balanced shoe. I will enjoy wearing them as much as I can and I think you will too if you don’t prefer extravagant shoes.

A Deeper Look At Each Area

Here is where we begin to delve deep and start nitpicking and discussing everything we can about each section.

Uppers & Leather Quality

The color is Dark Brown, although it has a red tint to it and in certain light looks a little burgundy. I am pretty satisfied with the quality and after a few wears there is a very gentle crease around the vamp.

The finish of the uppers is nice and vibrant although some spots are uneven. Of course this is an older sample and nothing a tad of polish can’t fix.

The leather itself is rather smooth to the touch and pliable. I would say much better than my Loake 1880. This is great since the average price of the Myrqvist loafers is 2/3 of that price.

Toe & Backseam

The loafers have a nice slightly chiseled toe shape with an apron on top. It is not a very elongated last but instead a very compact shoe. Looking around the toes reveals no problem and the same applies to the back.

The backseam is a simple single stitch that goes to the top of the shoe and meets with another piece of leather creating a T-shape.

Overall Stitching & Welt

I don’t really have anything bad to say about the stitching. Overall it is pretty good without any major issues. If you choose to examine it very closely you will see some stitches that appear to have a double thread instead of one. The the open channel sole also varies a bit on the right shoe. On the right part of the shoe the channel is big enough to show the stitching from the Rapid machine but on the left part it is very tight and invisible. However this is not a thing that will impact the functionality or aesthetics of your shoes.

The welt is actually quite tight and slim! It creates a very elegant, uniform silhouette. No threads are loose and it is a very good job considering the price point once more.

The Single Leather Sole

Now, I already talked a bit about the channel of the sole. It does the job very well and has Myrqvist’s cute logo in the middle. After using it these days I checked the sole to see how my walking impacts the sole and was pretty impressed.

The middle part is quite intact with decent arch support and the heel is also undamaged. Speaking about the heel, it has a half rubber part for grip. Myrqvist usually has rubber city soles for places with more “Scandinavian” weather but this is not the case with the Smögen.

I can see a bit of slightly lesser quality around the outsole and the heel part. There are a few dents here and there and the welt strip is not even in some spots. Nothing major but remember what price segment you are at.

Interior Design

That sounded like a new IKEA catalog! This loafer is fully lined with leather with a nice orange color and the Myrqvist logo where your foot rests. It extends to the middle of the shoe and it is an area where I noticed one inconsistency on the left shoe.

Take a closer look at the picture and you will see the leather flapping around where they two meet. It is probably the only part of the shoe that did not get a great attention to detail, with the back of the tongue also a tad messy.

Choosing Your Fit

A few months back I went to Myrqvist and tried a tassel loafer to find my fit. The best one was the UK 7.5 which is half a size up than my shoes. The UK 7 felt tight for a relaxed shoe such as a loafer. My general advice therefore is to size half a size up than your regular.

Heel slip is something you don’t want but you can fix that with some tongue pads. A too tight shoe however can be the source of discomfort and blisters. I would rather have the extra space in this occasion.

How Comfortable Are They For You?

Being a sample sale and all, it all depended on the stock. The model was not available on UK 7.5 so my only option was the UK 7. While not uncomfortable during the next year I must admit it is quite tight around the widest part of the foot. I would absolutely choose the larger size but the price was also too good to pass on.

Overall, I wore them for a few hours around the house without an issue. With the tight shoe trees and after the break in period I believe they will loosen up a bit.

The instep is rather normal but I sometimes can see a small bump on the left shoe from my foot. After a walk to the store my left heel was itching a bit and the toes were very close to the front but not at the point where I could not walk.

Can You Suggest Some Improvements?

If I have only one thing I could improve is the customer service, or rather the communication. In multiple occasions my attempts to reach them on Instagram or even through Facebook comments were futile.

I wanted to ask about the sizing and get some advice you see! Luckily, a really nice person working there called Massar actually sent me a message to help me with my sizing needs through his personal account.

Of course that might have been an isolated incident and by no means representative of the whole experience. However I should still mention it!

No Excuse To Not Buy Welted Shoes Anymore

This brings us to the end of the “Myrqvist Penny Loafers Review“. As you can guess from the article and the heading, I have very good things to say. A very interesting story for sure and a passionate young entrepreneur creating a lean solid business in a very competitive segment.

The quality is great for the price but I would not go as far as to say they much Carlos Santos or Carmina. I am confident however that the leather is superior to Loake 1880 which looks very dry after 1.5 years of use. Myrqvist’s moto is minimalism and they achieve that, staying true to their beliefs.

I feel good emotions when I look at this loafer. It might not excite me like Antonio Meccariello does, but it also doesn’t bore me. I look forward to testing them more in the future.

So, what did you think? Goodyear Welted Shoes for less 200$ these days means there is no excuse for you to buy cheap, cemented Ecco Shoes. Check out Myrqvist along with the other value brands! In the meantime, don’t forget to Subscribe for more awesome content. Your support and comments mean a lot to me.

Thank you for reading,

Kostas Mandilaris,
Misiu Academy