The best shoes work across occasions like punctuation marks—precise, elegant, never unnecessary. An Oxford underlines, a Derby opens up, a loafer softens the mood. In India, a Peshawari can add more weight to an outfit than any blazer. And when the event demands spectacle, luxury houses like Dior or Louis Vuitton offer footwear that borders on wearable art. This is a survey of formal shoes across the spectrum, designed for men who understand that being well-dressed is not about following rules, but about mastering them.
Bridlen Straight Tip Oxford
Price: ₹9,250
Every wardrobe begins here. The Straight Tip Oxford from Bridlen is the sort of shoe your grandfather would respect, your boss would approve of and your peers would envy quietly. Built with full-grain box calf leather and a vegetable-tanned sole, it uses Blake construction to deliver flexibility without compromising structure. What makes it timeless is its restraint. No flourishes, no distractions, only clean lines and durable leather. This is the shoe for interviews, important meetings and any occasion where understatement is your sharpest weapon.
Rosso Brunello Tan Braided Leather Loafers
Rs. 13,999
Tan is where formality loosens its tie, and Rosso Brunello executes it with just the right balance. The round toe and breathable lining make these shoes practical, but the rich tan colour is what elevates them. They pair naturally with navy or beige suits, and look especially sharp for daytime occasions, whether that is a summer wedding or an outdoor business lunch. These shoes are about stepping away from black without losing authority. They suggest confidence, but never arrogance.
Ferragamo Square-Toe Lace-Up Oxfords
Price: ₹1,10,000
Ferragamo’s Oxfords are the definition of quiet power. Cut from a single piece of flawless leather, they have no seams to hide behind, which makes their perfection all the more striking. The square toe is a subtle gesture toward modernity, giving the shoe a character that is both contemporary and steeped in tradition. This is not a shoe that asks for attention. It commands it, the way an immaculately tailored suit does—calmly, decisively, with nothing left to prove.
Aldo Norris Black Loafers
Price: ₹19,999
Loafers walk a delicate line. Too casual and they undermine a suit, too ornate and they feel forced. Aldo’s Norris loafers hit that middle ground with conviction. Black, streamlined, slip-on, they are practical yet polished. The breathable upper and cushioned insole make them shoes you can wear all day, moving from the office into evening engagements without needing a change. They belong to men who favour efficiency, who like to dress well but never at the expense of comfort.
Rajesh Pratap Singh Overlap Handmade Peshawaris
Price: ₹23,500
No editorial on formal footwear in India can ignore its own traditions. Rajesh Pratap Singh’s Peshawaris are not an alternative to Oxfords; they are equals in stature, meant for different moments. Handmade in black leather, cushioned for comfort, and finished with the designer’s trademark attention to detail, these Peshawaris carry cultural credibility. They work perfectly with bandhgalas and kurtas at weddings or festive gatherings, and they remind the world that Indian formalwear does not need to mimic Western codes to look sophisticated.
Ralph Lauren Jett Lug-Sole Moc-Toe Shoe
Price: ₹25,800
The Jett Lug-Sole is a contradiction, and that is its appeal. A moc-toe silhouette with hand-stitching and pinked leather detail nods to classic shoemaking, while the thick rubber sole grounds it in rugged practicality. It is not a shoe for the boardroom, but for men who want their formalwear to have grit. Think business-casual Fridays, creative offices, or events where you want your shoes to suggest toughness without abandoning polish. Ralph Lauren has always thrived on Americana, and this shoe is its contemporary expression.
Dolce & Gabbana Black Leather Dress Shoes
Price: ₹98,000
Italian formality has always had a hint of theatre, and Dolce & Gabbana’s brushed leather Derbies are proof. Sleek, sharp and unapologetically dramatic, they look tailor-made for candlelit dinners, gallery openings or Milanese streets after dark. Crafted in calfskin and finished with precision, they lean toward the dressier side of formals, more suited to tuxedos than boardrooms. To wear them is to embrace fashion as spectacle, and they reward the wearer with instant presence.
Dior Palmarès Derby Shoe
Price: ₹1.15 lakh
Dior approaches footwear with the same couture sensibility it applies to its tailoring, and the Palmarès Derby is a masterclass in that philosophy. The glazed calfskin glistens under light, the square toe injects modernity, and the Blake-constructed sole is engraved with Dior’s signature. Even the non-slip tread feels deliberate, marrying practicality with style. This is not merely a shoe, it is an announcement. One that belongs on polished floors, in environments where refinement is noticed and remembered.
Hermès Paris Loafer
Price: $1,375 (approx. ₹1,14,000)
With Hermès, formality becomes intimate. The Paris loafer is finished with an orange sole and palladium-plated buckle, but what sets it apart is the inside. A lambskin lining that is as soft as silk ensures the experience of wearing the shoe is as luxurious as how it looks. This is footwear for men who treat luxury as second nature, who no longer need logos to prove taste. Hermès is not about spectacle; it is about mastery.
Louis Vuitton Checker Mary Jane
Price: ₹1.15 lakh
Louis Vuitton thrives on provocation, and the Checker Mary Jane pushes formalwear into unexpected territory. With its glazed calf leather, gradient finish and Damier-patterned tread, it is less about tradition and more about rewriting the rules. Inspired by workwear, but elevated into high fashion, it is a shoe that dares you to be noticed. Paired with a sharply tailored suit, it signals that the wearer is not just attending the event, but redefining its dress code.
