Jonathan Bailey Refines His Loafer Era for ‘Wicked 2’ London Premiere

Jonathan Bailey traded his viral red-carpet flip-flops for a dose of luxury comfort at the “Wicked: For Good” European premiere in London on Monday. The actor paired Manolo Blahnik’s Truro loafers with a tonal wool look, emphasizing his playful style choices while grounding them in a more traditional men’s footwear silhouette.

Bailey’s loafers came in brown calf leather with a low stacked heel, rounded toe and stitched apron seam that softened the profile. The Truro’s slim shape and Blake construction keep it light on the foot — a practical balance of polish and ease within Manolo Blahnik’s men’s line.

Bailey’s tailoring leaned easy. He wore a charcoal wool overcoat with dropped shoulders and wide trousers with a tapered ankle. A gray shirt fastened high at the collar and a single red Remembrance poppy completed the look.

The turn tracks with Bailey’s year in shoes. In June, he jumped between split-toe Maison Margiela Tabis and The Row flip-flops, pairing both with loose tailoring that favored proportion over polish. Monday’s outing brought that same sensibility into a more classic frame — still slim, still intentional, but grounded with a closed-toe for the winter months.

It’s not just him. Mahershala Ali, Damson Idris and other stars have all gone leaner, swapping thick-soled shoes for soft leather loafers that sit closer to the ground. Designers from Celine to Ferragamo are reading the same moment, refining shape rather than reinventing it.

Bailey reprises his role as Fiyero in “Wicked: For Good,” Jon M. Chu’s second chapter in the two-part adaptation. Set after Elphaba’s exile, the story shifts to Glinda’s rule in Emerald City and the fallout that reshapes Oz. The film opens worldwide on Nov. 21.