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If you’re in tune with the men’s fashion scene in New York, or globally for that matter, there’s a good chance you’ve heard the name Blackstock & Weber. But even if you haven’t, there’s an outside chance you’ve seen the brand in the likes of J.Crew or stocked on the webpage of 3Sixteen. And if none of those things ring a bell, enjoy it while it lasts — Blackstock & Weber is hot on the heels of menswear stardom.
Credit: Blackstock & Weber
The brand, founded by Chris Echevarria in 2017, aims to bring high-quality loafers (and occasionally other goods) to market at prices that are fair and reasonable. The term high-quality can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people when applied to footwear. When Blackstock & Weber says high-quality, the brand is referring not only to the materials and style it’s bringing to the table but also the construction. High-quality construction calls to mind the likes of Nicks, Viberg, Yuketen, White’s, Maine Mountain Mocassin…you get the idea. Footwear from these brands routinely commands prices well into the $500 range and beyond. Blackstock & Weber’s prices? Either $325 or $345 depending on style. And the construction can hang with the best of them: Blackstock & Weber’s loafers are often made with double-, triple- and even quadruple-stacked leather soles and many feature industry-leading Vibram 1757 rubber outsoles.
There’s more to Blackstock & Weber than fair pricing and quality construction, though. The driving force behind the brand’s meteoric rise is the unique take on a footwear style that had long gone stale. Echevarria looks beyond the traditional materials you’d find for loafers at every menswear store you walk into. Instead, he opts for everything from embossed crocodile leather to nappy suede and even raw denim.
Blackstock & Weber’s style, approach and method to the madness is anything but random. Echevarria has deep roots in the men’s fashion industry. He studied at FIT, cut his teeth at J.Crew and even had a hand in bringing Stone Island stateside. Each of those experiences and influences has played a major role in where B&W is today. And Echevarria’s work history is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to inspiration for B&W — his childhood plays a major role as well. He was raised by his great-grandmother and mom, and going to church was always a part of that. “The uniform for church was a pair of khakis; white shirt; penny loafers. And the loafers — and everything in that outfit — have never left my wardrobe. So I’ve always been wearing these loafers in very interesting ways,” he said in an interview with Esquire in 2021.
He was raised by his great-grandmother and mom, and going to church was always a part of that. “The uniform for church was a pair of khakis; white shirt; penny loafers. And the loafers — and everything in that outfit — have never left my wardrobe.
Credit: @blackstockandweber
Delve a bit deeper on the Blackstock & Weber website and you’re likely to find even more inspiration for the brand. In fact, there is an entire section of the site dedicated to inspiration titled “Mood.” On it, you’ll find Shortie from Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom wearing his iconic Mets cap, a collection of Pierre Jeanneret Easy Chairs, a 1992 photo of the jogging-attire-clad former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore and lastly a brilliant blue 1980s Mercedes-Benz Turbo Diesel wagon (a motif that appears in two of the brand’s four lookbooks as well).
Credit: Blackstock & Weber
It’s clear that Echevarria is shaking up the perception of loafers. In an article published by Valet. in late 2021, he provides suggestions on how to wear Blackstock & Weber loafers. As you would expect, raw denim and a white t-shirt are part of the spread. But it’s the grey 3Sixteen sweatsuit and reversible tweed raglan mac coat from Drake’s paired with a chocolate pebble grain tassel loafer that flips the script. Loafers plus a sweatsuit plus an overcoat? Anything is fair game for B&W loafers in Echevarria’s wardrobe. “After a night out you have to go to the store and grab a breakfast sandwich. But just because you feel like shit doesn’t mean you have to look like shit,” he says of the look.
It’s a quote at the top of Blackstock & Weber’s shop page that perhaps sums up the brand better than anything that this author can write here: “Best fucking loafers in the world... and occasionally some other things that are equally amazing.” It’s a bold claim, and one that pairs nicely with the equally bold styles the brand is dropping season after season.
Five Things to Pair With Your New Blackstock & Weber Loafers
1. Men’s Blanket Socks by Richer Poorer $14
2. GD110 Slim Tapered Selvedge Denim Jeans by Glenn’s Denim $295
3. Standard Belt by Tanner Goods $120
4. Auquascaphe Watch in Black Cream by Baltic €696
5. Midweight Jersey T-Shirt by Reigning Champ $65
