Meermin Mallorca Shoes

bboysdontcryy said:

I prefer shoes that have a slightly wider vamp that taper towards the toe-box to create a chisel/point as opposed to one that is uniformly slim.

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I agree.

bboysdontcryy said:

That's true, though I'm not sure who, on the thread, is saying that sleek and narrow lasts always look better.

I prefer shoes that have a slightly wider vamp that taper towards the toe-box to create a chisel/point as opposed to one that is uniformly slim. Shoes that are out of proportion are, naturally, ugly. Like suits. Like tie against lapels etc.

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You are talking from a top down perspective and your description is fairly generic to square, narrow rounded, chisel or even rounded lasts.

But a chisel last (as oppose to square) has a knock down effect towards the tip of the toe box, most visibly from the side profile.

I have sent 3 emails to Pepe in the past week with no response whatsoever. Any idea of where he might be or why no response?

stevent said:

Also did anyone have a strong chemical smell on their shoes? Mine reek?

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Mine smell chemical leathery.

chogall said:

And make it a double monk to go full iGent...

Hatch grain is a casual printed/pressed leather more suitable for country shoes, not something to be worn proud and showcased like croc or lizard suede.

p.s., symmetrical lasts shapes are inorganic and inelegant.
p.s.s., Meermin does not have a chisel toe last. Square, yes. But not chiseled.


Sleek and narrow lasts doesn't always look better. Actually it looks dreadfully ugly if you do not possess legs of giraffe with a starving teenage boy body.

It's all about proportions.

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Just to be clear, in your opinion the following shoes look like ****?

terrorsquad said:

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Does anyone here own the Meermin Black Captoes on Hiro last, not sure if i should go AE park avenues or these.

If anyone does can you post a real life picture also.

Thanks

UnnamedPlayer said:

Just to be clear, in your opinion the following shoes look like ****?

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No, but the choices is certainly very interesting and conflicted.

Whole cut construction is the perfect canvass to showcase exotic leathers such as crocs, stingrays, etc, or to showcase patine work by patine artists at Berluti or elsewhere, or to showcase a mirror like elegant mirror shine.

But here, we have a pair of whole cuts with hatch grain, a printed calf leather. Not the best quality leather, nor the most expensive ones, nor is it suitable for patine work or mirror shine. It is, to me, akin to using Cordovan leather to construct a pair of embroiled house slipper. Not the best choice IMHO.

chogall said:

No, but the choices is certainly very interesting and conflicted.

Whole cut construction is the perfect canvass to showcase exotic leathers such as crocs, stingrays, etc, or to showcase patine work by patine artists at Berluti or elsewhere, or to showcase a mirror like elegant mirror shine.

But here, we have a pair of whole cuts with hatch grain, a printed calf leather. Not the best quality leather, nor the most expensive ones, nor is it suitable for patine work or mirror shine. It is, to me, akin to using Cordovan leather to construct a pair of embroiled house slipper. Not the best choice IMHO.

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To be honest, I don't even understand the hatchgrain thing, which is why I haven't been on board with this MTO.

Definitely down for a chiseled last, though Ben seems adequate.

If I have not mistaken, hatch grain was made/printed to imitate the long lost Russian calf texture.

non bespoken wholecuts are generally... ugly and shapeless.. also the fact that most of the pictures are of new unworn pairs of shoes, divorced from the whole harmony of outfit, doesn't help. chisel or square toe lasts work best when worn together with sleek, sculpted suit, with well defined shoulder and waist. and probably hats as well.



chogall said:

You are talking from a top down perspective and your description is fairly generic to square, narrow rounded, chisel or even rounded lasts.

But a chisel last (as oppose to square) has a knock down effect towards the tip of the toe box, most visibly from the side profile.

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Of course there'll always be a wider vamp that tapers. It's always a matter of degree isn't it? 1 mm wider or 5 mm or 10 mm. I meant slightly wider than normal.

Here's a picture to illustrate what I mean:

On the New Rey, you can see that it widens and tapers. But the widening and tapering are all very moderate compared with C & J 348 last, you'll see that the 348 has a wider vamp and a narrower toe-box (which would also strike me as being more anatomical). The wider vamp also allows for a stronger chisel without hurting one's foot.



kashmir said:

non bespoken wholecuts are generally... ugly and shapeless.. also the fact that most of the pictures are of new unworn pairs of shoes, divorced from the whole harmony of outfit, doesn't help. chisel or square toe lasts work best when worn together with sleek, sculpted suit, with well defined shoulder and waist. and probably hats as well.

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There are probably RTW brands with nice whole cuts out there (not sure if any are in Meermin's price range but it's worth looking at Septieme Largeur) though it's true that the last is crucial on the wholecut because it's such a plain shoe and its shape, elegant or otherwise, is almost immediately apparent.

I have two pairs of black wholecuts in AMA that I bought as beater work shoes. They're good for the price and the job. But, comparatively speaking (it's always comparative) it isn't as elegant as when I slip on my Cleverly's or Girlings and those aren't even wholecuts.

UnnamedPlayer said:

Just to be clear, in your opinion the following shoes look like ****?

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I know this qn wasn't directed at me, but decided to answer it:

I've seen the Girling hatchgrains on whole-cut models on the TG 73 last, and bespoke. Polished (yes, they do take a mirror shine), they look smashing. The unpolished ones I didn't really like. Horses for courses but I think the unpolished hatch-grain is suitable for a more casual (and slightly rougher-looking) shoe style -- say derbies, Norwegian split-toe etc.

So I'm confused where we stand on the wholecut hatchgrain.

It's going to look like the picture posted in this thread?
If so, I'm in.



bboysdontcryy said:

Of course there'll always be a wider vamp that tapers. It's always a matter of degree isn't it? 1 mm wider or 5 mm or 10 mm. I meant slightly wider than normal.

Here's a picture to illustrate what I mean:

On the New Rey, you can see that it widens and tapers. But the widening and tapering are all very moderate compared with C & J 348 last, you'll see that the 348 has a wider vamp. The wider vamp also allows for a stronger chisel without hurting one's foot, and like I said, looks more proportionate as well.

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I meant the toe box chisel from the side profile, i.e., the tapering is not only top down but from the side profile view as well.

348 is not that chiseled, just a narrow square.



UnnamedPlayer said:

So I'm confused where we stand on the wholecut hatchgrain.

It's going to look like the picture posted in this thread?
If so, I'm in.

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I think TS is still up in the air about which last he intends to use for the wholecuts, though he indicated Olfe as a preference.

chogall said:

I meant the toe box chisel from the side profile, i.e., the tapering is not only top down but from the side profile view as well.

348 is not that chiseled, just a narrow square.

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Correct.

I know what you mean. Here's another example of wholecuts with wider vamps that taper (sidewards):