KEEN's UNEEK Loafer Is Peak Outdoor Elegance
The performance footwear brand transforms its woven sneaker into an “outdoor formal” loafer.
Name: KEEN UNEEK Loafer WK
Colorway: Black
SKU: TBC
Retail Price: $190 USD
Release Date: August 28, 2025
Where to Buy: KEEN
Performance footwear label KEEN has clocked into the fusion footwear trend, trailing behind the beloved New Balance 1906L to Nike‘s recent Air Max Phenomena. However, the brand is unique in its outdoor focus, resulting in a combination of its open-air UNEEK sneaker with a classic penny loafer silhouette — the UNEEK Loafer WK.
Handcrafted with ethically sourced leather and an “outdoor formal” ethos, the premium variant retails for $190 USD. The uppers showcase the sleek black hide, while inside, a contrasted lining and golden wordmarks elevate the formality of the style. Over the toe-box, KEEN’s recognizable woven leather detail adds an unexpected ornament to the traditional shoe. The soles depart from the formal sensibilities of the upper with the brand’s cushioned KEEN.CURVE midsole.
On the design, the Portland-based company’s Product Management director, Carlie Satchwell, said, “We reimagined our iconic UNEEK corded silhouette and elevated it to a more formal interpretation – premium lifestyle craftsmanship viewed through the lens of performance.”
Even if KEEN is a bit of a latecomer to the sneaker-loafer boom, one can admit that the brand is perhaps “fashionably late.” While the overtly chunky details of HOKA’s Speed Loafer or the ultra-technical feel of New Balance’s 1906 L may appeal to some, KEEN’s UNEEK Loafer sits tastefully in the middle.
The KEEN UNEEK Loafer WK drops on August 28 at the KEEN webstore and select retailers.
