Lack of Shine in New AEs?

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexDandy 

After several years, I paid a visit to my local AE retailer looking to buy one more pair of Park Avenue. I was disappointed to notice that the new shoes seem to lack the shiny polished look I was used. Is this my wrong impression, or a sign of deteriorating quality? Do other members share my view? 

Are you unable to polish them to a nice shine or simply complaining that they were not shined to your satisfaction when you opened the box?

Took me 15 minutes of spit shining to get my new AEs to a good shine. Most of the shoes I've bought do not come shined like that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bourbonbasted 

A super-shine out of the box generally indicates corrected grain to me, so I'd be far more pleased with a natural looking shoe than a cheap pre-shined/burnished look...

Agreed. AE's cobbler's shine models come to mind. Cobbler's shine seemingly being synonymous with corrected grain. I'm guessing that the OP got one of those pairs and assumed that's how all AE's shoes are manufactured.

Patina and shine are two different things.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexDandy 

You are right and I apologize for the confusion. I meant that what I saw lacking in the new AEs is the rich deep polished colour I was used to see in my old AEs.

Long story short, I have no idea what the complaint is. It has been the exception for me to get highly polished shoes NIB from any company. To answer your question, no it is not indicative of lower quality.