The Derby

Regular price £102
Regular price Sale price £102
Sale Sold out
Women's sizing
This style is coming back, but as it isn't currently on order, we don't have a confirmed delivery date right now. We receive restocks frequently, so please click 'Notify me when available' and we'll email you the moment it returns.

We should say at the outset that we love these shoes. They're the pair that gets picked up and turned over in the studio, and the naming took longer than it should have — not quite a loafer, not quite a derby, and briefly a candidate for just being called The Shoe.

The line is the loafer's: an unbroken sweep from the throat over the vamp and out to a long, softly pointed toe, with no lacing, no seam, nothing to interrupt it. What it borrows from the derby is the way it holds — an elasticated panel set into the vamp draws the shoe closed around the foot, so you get the fit of something laced with the ease of something you step into. That panel is the only texture on the shoe, matte ribbing against smooth leather, and it's doing the structural work while looking like a detail.

The upper is Italian vegan leather (62–66% plant-origin materials), and the three colourways are three different shoes. Black is the sharpest and most useful — to work, to dinner, and under a black trouser it reads as one continuous line. Tan warms the whole thing and shows the shape more clearly, the point and the vamp curve reading properly against cream or stone. Patent black is the evening version, high-shine and reflective, and a pointed toe does something quite dramatic in gloss.

Underneath, a slim TR outsole keeps the profile close and clean, with a compressed Tunit heel — a hard-wearing rubber-resin compound — at 2.5cm in a classic stacked finish, enough to lift the heel and set the posture without becoming a heeled shoe. Inside, Portuguese vegan suede (100% PU) lines it, over a layered insole with a soft memory-foam top on a recycled PU base (20% recycled PU).

Tailored trousers cropped at the ankle, a slip skirt, a midi with bare legs or sheer tights, straight or wide denim turned up. Classic-looking shoes with a bit of individuality in them, and the kind that make an outfit look finished without looking like you tried.

This product is certified carbon-neutral and ethically made in Portugal under EU employment, discrimination and health & safety law. It's vegan from the uppers and linings to the glue. It's delivered to you through our carbon-neutral supply chain in plastic-free paper and cardboard packaging.
Upper
Italian bio-based vegan leather (62–66% plant-origin materials)
Lining
Portuguese vegan suede (100% PU) – soft and comfortable against the foot, with a breathable suede texture that helps keep feet fresh
Insole
Cushioned layered insole – a soft memory foam top layer over a recycled PU base (20% recycled PU) cut to fit the shoe
Outsole
Slim TR outsole with a compressed Tunit heel (a hard-wearing rubber-resin compound) with a classic stacked finish, and a TR grip layer underneath.
Shank
Steel shank for stability and support through the arch
Construction
Mounted (cemented) construction – the upper is lasted to shape and the outsole bonded directly underneath. The most widely used construction method in footwear, it gives a clean, flexible build, though the outsole isn't easily resoled
Water Resistance
Water-resistant uppers, but due to the open construction overall water resistance is limited — fine for light rain, not made for wet conditions.
Width
D width fitting – a slightly wider fit with more volume than standard
Fit
Order your usual size. Half size? Wider width fittings size up, narrower width fittings size down.
Heel Height
2.5 cm
Toe Height
0.8 cm
Toe Shape
Almond toe
Instep
Flat insole through the arch
Break-in Time
You should find these comfy straight out of the box.
Type
Loafers
Closure
Slip-on
Gender
Women's
Made In
Portugal
Weight
0.6 kg per pair
Made with Italian bio-based vegan leather containing 62–66% plant-origin renewable materials. Produced in Italy using modern water-based, non-solvent processes, combining a viscose backing with a next-generation bio-based polyurethane surface.
Clean: Wipe the uppers and outsoles with warm soapy water and a cloth or soft brush, then towel dry thoroughly. Polish: A synthetic polish can be used to bring back shine and refresh the colour — any synthetic product should work fine, applied as described in its instructions. If your footwear has a burnished effect on the toes and sides (we apply a darker polish to some of our brown vegan leather uppers for effect), this is best reapplied by a cobbler, or at home using a darker shade of polish worked around the toes and sides. Drying: You can dry your footwear on top of or near a radiator or other heat source. Depending on the heat, it can take a few days to dry out the insides fully. Never put your footwear in the washing machine. Deodorising: Don't let your footwear stay damp between wears, especially inside boots, as this can damage the water resistance and let microbes develop, causing a smell. If this happens, dry the footwear thoroughly and use a footwear deodoriser until the smell stops. In extreme cases, wash the insides out with warm soapy water, then dry fully and reapply the deodoriser. Waterproofing (optional): You can treat the uppers with a waterproofing spray to improve durability, stain resistance and water resistance. We recommend doing this every 2–3 months depending on use — most standard waterproofing sprays work fine on our vegan leather.

We've made this chart to help you choose the right size. You'll need your foot length measurement to get started. Once you've found your perfect fit with us, you can typically select the same size for all other models.

Fit and comfort notes:

  • Width and volume: our footwear is designed with a slightly wider D width fitting, offering more width and volume than most brands.
  • Materials: we use high quality vegan leather and suede. These materials are stable and won't stretch out significantly over time, so we recommend sizing up for comfort.
  • The perfect fit: you don't want the shoes to pinch your feet. You should have wiggle room for your toes and no rub points.
  • Feel: in most cases you'll find our footwear is comfy straight out of the box. Depending on the style or your foot shape, it can sometimes take a few wears for the uppers to soften and mould to your feet.
UK sizeEU sizeFoot length (mm)
235220
336227
437233
538240
639247
6.540253
741260
842267
943273

How to take your foot length measurement

  • Stand on a hard surface with your heel against a wall.
  • Measure your foot from the heel (the wall) to the longest point of your toes.
  • Use this number to find your size in the chart above.

It is helpful to measure both feet, as one foot is often slightly larger than the other. Always choose the size that accommodates your longest foot.

We provide 365 days free returns and exchanges. You can swap sizes or styles as many times as you need, and you can return for a full refund at any point.

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Vegan Women's The Derby | Will's Vegan Store
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Vegan Women's The Derby | Will's Vegan Store
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The Derby

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