Chinese sensation Xiao Zhan fuses his contemporary flair with Tod’s ever-evolving classic, the Gommino loafer. Just almost four years since he started working with the house in 2021, and the announcement of his ambassadorship with the Italian house just last year, actor and singer Xiao Zhan meets with the brand’s in-house artisans and involves himself in the process of creating the iconic shoe.
For those unfamiliar with the Gommino, it is the essential flagship product of the Tod’s label. The Gommino was first conceptualised by Diego Dalle Valle, who took inspiration from driving shoes of the 1950s, and envisioned a shoe that could be worn both casually and professionally. It is one of their best-selling shoes, and is made out of 35 pieces of fine leather that are cut and sewn by hand, taking at least 100 steps in its construction, including its trademark sole that features 133 rubber pebbles at the shoe’s bottom, each of which needs to be carefully treated and inspected. These shoes are popular for good reason: their everlasting build quality and a design that’s made to be both comfortable and stylish give them such an enduring appeal.
But why is the Gommino still so relevant, even after its inception in the late 70s? That’s due to the brand’s constant update of the silhouette into a multitude of styles. From the likes of the City Gommino, sporting a thicker rubber sole, to the Gommino Bubble, with reimagined oversized rubber pebbles on the bottom, the shoe is widely considered an icon of style. You can even tap into their special customisation service, My Gommino, to create a unique pair of loafers utilising their selection of leathers in varying colours.
No doubt that Xiao Zhan, whose resume at Tod’s currently includes two design collaborations and sat front row earlier this year at Milan Fashion Week, is an icon of style as well. He has come to define the contemporary Tod’s man, almost somewhat synonymous with the Gommino loafer. Before his Global Ambassador announcement in 2024, comes a lineage of celebrity consignees of the shoe from Hollywood legends such as Adrien Brody, who was spotted wearing a blue pair of the loafers to a store opening in NYC, to K-Pop sensations such as Jungwoo from the boy group NCT, who also announced his ambassadorship to the label back in 2023.
Xiao Zhan has been one of the numerous carefully selected icons to adorn the iconic pair of shoes. With it, he serves as a connecting point to remind us of the value of the house’s storied craftsmanship, between the past, present and future. He advances forward Tod’s journey of spreading the mission of classic Italian style, craftsmanship and culture to global contemporary audiences.
Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our May 2025 issue.