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Church's Shoes

tonylumpkin

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Since the consensus around here seems to be that Church's went all to hell when Prada took over, I'd like to know when that was and whether the shoes made prior to the takeover are still worth buying when they come up. That assumes, of course, that they're in good condition.
 

FidelCashflow

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Originally Posted by tonylumpkin
Since the consensus around here seems to be that Church's went all to hell when Prada took over, I'd like to know when that was and whether the shoes made prior to the takeover are still worth buying when they come up. That assumes, of course, that they're in good condition.

They're just as good as many other English shoes, provided they're not bookbinder leather, just more expensive than similarly quality competitors.
 

GeorgePaul

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I've had extremely good luck with my Church shoes. I've owned at least 6 pairs over the years, and use two pairs of Church loafers on a regular basis. Haven't purchased anything in the last few years, though.
 

acidboy

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I haven't bought a pre-Prada Church's, but the pair I bought recently is imho very well made- and I bought them because a fellow shoe fran swears by their quality.
 

nioh

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I've got some Custom Grades from the pre-Prada period, which have held up very well.
 

SoCal2NYC

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I've bought 2 pairs of Church's in the past 5 months and enjoy them.
 

lee_44106

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The consensus is not that they are "bad" shoes, but that they (post-Prada Churches shoes) are not good values.

The bookbinder leather is corrected grain, to some this is a major no-no, but others are convinced that the ones Churches uses are pretty good. For comparison purposes, the Churches Custom Grade is about the same as the C&J benchgrade, for about $200 more.
 

tonylumpkin

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Originally Posted by lee_44106
The consensus is not that they are "bad" shoes, but that they (post-Prada Churches shoes) are not good values.

The bookbinder leather is corrected grain, to some this is a major no-no, but others are convinced that the ones Churches uses are pretty good. For comparison purposes, the Churches Custom Grade is about the same as the C&J benchgrade, for about $200 more.


So the quality is still there, the bang for the buck is what Prada took away?

That is the distinction I didn't pick up on. Thanks.
 

ColeFieldHouse

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Originally Posted by satorstyle
I think Peal & Co craft Brooks Brothers shoes.
Peal is just a brand name. In recent years, C&J and later Sargent have manufactured Peals for Brooks.
 

RJman

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Originally Posted by satorstyle
I think Peal & Co craft Brooks Brothers shoes.
Peal & Co. was a bespoke shoemaker which went out of business in the early 1960s. Through Brooks Brothers, it sold ready to wear under the "Peal" name made by Edward Green. When Peal went out of business, Brooks Brothers bought the rights to the name. There is conflicting information about whether Brooks also bought Peal's lasts, since another bespoke maker, Foster & Son, says that it did so.

In any case, by the late 1980s or early 1990s, Brooks Brothers stopped using Edward Green to make Peal brand shoes and began using Crockett & Jones, and has used Alfred Sargent and C&J to make Peal shoes since then.

Brooks has for a long time sold a line of shoes called "Brooks English" which are made in England but not branded Peal. At least some of these shoes were made by Church's.
 

lasbar

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Rjamn ,you're a doctor es Shoelogy...I can picture you on Masterminds with shoes as a specialist subject...

I'm still waiting for my dark green Delos...
 

RJman

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Originally Posted by lasbar
I'm still waiting for my dark green Delos...
Where has le paysan ruse got to? I think I had something promised for November!! Let's go to Saumur and hunt him down...
devil.gif
 

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