What do late former US president George H. W. Bush, ’60s muse Jane Birkin and rapper Wiz Khalifa all have in common? Despite their vastly differing personal styles and occupations, they have all been spotted in a pair of Gucci horsebit loafers.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the distinctive shoe, recognizable by its metal snaffle flourish, which has become a piece of fashion history — one so renowned that a pair entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s permanent collection in 1984. In mid-June, coinciding with the menswear shows at Milan Fashion Week, Gucci will stage an exhibition celebrating the legacy of its signature loafer.