A TOAST TO 80 YEARS OF SEBAGO IN TRUE AMSTERDAM STYLE

words by MARIE GUI

Anyone who knows loafers knows Sebago. This year, the iconic American brand largely responsible for shaping preppy style celebrates its 80th anniversary, organising a unique Boat Tour across Europe for the occasion. We joined Sebago during their Amsterdam stop, gathering for a canal-side aperitivo while watching the brand’s Docksides shoe-boat glide along the water.

all images courtesy of SEBAGO

Founded in 1946 in Maine (USA) by Daniel J. Wellehan, Sebago built its visual language around the classic loafer shoe — a product which has become synonymous with authenticity, craftsmanship, and timelessness. Over the decades, the brand’s universe has expanded beyond footwear to include complete apparel and accessory ranges drawing inspiration from the nautical, outdoor, and urban worlds, while preserving Sebago’s deep connection to its coastal roots and its dedication to creating classic, timeless pieces. An inherent part of the brand’s DNA, the nautical world has inspired countless Sebago products and silhouettes, from the Docksides boat loafers to the sailing apparel line, designed specifically for its technical attributes.

Founded in 1946 in Maine (USA) by Daniel J. Wellehan, Sebago built its visual language around the classic loafer shoe — a product which has become synonymous with authenticity, craftsmanship, and timelessness. Over the decades, the brand’s universe has expanded beyond footwear to include complete apparel and accessory ranges drawing inspiration from the nautical, outdoor, and urban worlds, while preserving Sebago’s deep connection to its coastal roots and its dedication to creating classic, timeless pieces. An inherent part of the brand’s DNA, the nautical world has inspired countless Sebago products and silhouettes, from the Docksides boat loafers to the sailing apparel line, designed specifically for its technical attributes.

During our waterside conversation, Marco Tamponi, Sebago’s Global Brand Manager and Creative Director, made this philosophy very clear. “We are driven by product,” he explained, noting that while the brand’s growth strategy and activations involve bringing Sebago across cities internationally, these initiatives ultimately aim “to bring the consumer closer to us, not to go closer to the consumer.” This devotion to authenticity and heritage sets Sebago apart in an age where trends often take center stage at the expense of product and quality. For the Maine-born brand, instead, the same values that shaped its identity eighty years ago continue to guide its vision today: premium materials, craftsmanship, timeless elegance, and of course, staying true to its American roots.

Valuing heritage, however, doesn’t equate to staying frozen in the past. Amidst all the 80th anniversary festivities and activations, which are certainly an ideal moment to look back at Sebago’s legacy and its journey until now, there remains a clear undercurrent of forward momentum and continuity. Rather than treating heritage as something static, Sebago approaches it as a living identity: one that can continue evolving, travelling, and finding relevance within new contexts and generations. That is precisely the spirit encapsulated in the Docksides boat; at once playful, nostalgic, and yet contemporary. It transforms one of the brand’s most recognisable designs into something experiential and alive, leaving a little trace of Sebago’s legacy in every city it sails through. And for those lucky enough to stumble upon it unexpectedly, it’s a reminder that great design — much like true heritage — tends to endure. In Marco Tamponi’s words, “The real fashion, the real luxury […] is something that never changes.”