The Styleforum x Archibald Sneaker GMTO

[stephenaf2003]

Grey Suede on Blue and Beige Suede on Gum - absolutely red hot...!!! I am already reaching for my credit card!

 

[ptfly]

@stephenaf2003
Wow. Just wow.
Several I wish I had ordered. Bravo for doubling down on burgundy and green.
I have one more coming in March I think it is.
Let me be the first to ask @ArchibaldRoh what the target date is for any SF orders starting today? And what is the secret you mentioned for SF owners?

 

[tropics]

Sand Calf
View attachment 1550553

those sand calf are insane.
they would be an insta kop if the laces were a nicer match.

 

[stephenaf2003]

@stephenaf2003
Wow. Just wow.
Several I wish I had ordered. Bravo for doubling down on burgundy and green.
I have one more coming in March I think it is.
Let me be the first to ask @ArchibaldRoh what the target date is for any SF orders starting today? And what is the secret you mentioned for SF owners?

Yeah, there’s a big difference between the CXL green and the Anticato green. The #8 CXL and Anticato bordeaux are very close, but I got both in each case because....CXL.

 

[stephenaf2003]

those sand calf are insane.
they would be an insta kop if the laces were a nicer match.

Well, there are other colored laces available from different vendors.

 

[ThePetros]

Yeah, there’s a big difference between the CXL green and the Anticato green. The #8 CXL and Anticato bordeaux are very close, but I got both in each case because....CXL.

Right about now, I bet the Archibald team is super happy this meme was a thing.

 

[randomthing234]

Anyone got pics of the new white leather with white sole? Previously bought the SF01 V1 in white and not sure if worth it to get the V2

 

[tropics]

Well, there are other colored laces available from different vendors.

ain't nobody got time for that.

 

[tropics]

seriously though, these sneakers are really great, archibald has done some fab work on them and i love my SF-01 white. but the most obvious thing that strikes me now is the bad lace matching on non-standard colours. feels like stumbling at the last hurdle of an otherwise really well-run race.
i think maybe orlando said they would look into it and hopefully they can figure out a nice solution.

 

[ArchibaldRoh]

@stephenaf2003
Wow. Just wow.
Several I wish I had ordered. Bravo for doubling down on burgundy and green.
I have one more coming in March I think it is.
Let me be the first to ask @ArchibaldRoh what the target date is for any SF orders starting today? And what is the secret you mentioned for SF owners?

I need to check this out but here is the current situation. As you might have realised we have done zero marketing since the saga turned bad with the French border closing... so all product launches, announcements, forgotten cart emails, everything has stopped all whilst these shoes are delivered. Just because even with email updates and forum posts a lot of people

So we have a couple of problems with this next step, first we have a small batch order that can now be submitted given we have had a good response to the v2. We have the product in place so no delays and we can simply proceed

Like I mentioned there were about 13 pairs we spotted as not good enough, turns out 5 of them were all a case of us thinking there was too dark anticatoing on the green but it seems most customers contacted thus far about those have been ok about it - also we have really bad lighting out here so we had to go outside to realise (so down to 8). The other isue was a mix up in 3 pairs between CXL Navy and CXL Ink... It seems the European supplier mislabelled the CXL skins and Adriano had never previously worked with them so Ink became Navy as it looks blue and CXL Navy became Ink (as it's less blue, more of a blue-grey). Aside from that, we had the common random issues reported post delivery (i think 1 or 2) so I am estimating the error rate back at 13/520.

We have once again improved production communication now and will not only be refining the offering in both handwelted and sneakers (it was very disorganized with a lot of room for error) but also worked on a system assuming that production will be blind for the foreseeable future - almost expecting the worst.

The missing pallet has not been found and it seems both the freight forwarders and hauliers are now avoiding emails about the necessary insurance claims!

Next steps...

1. I ordered a new set of undyed cotton laces from Italy last Tuesday after we got a chance to finally see the White/White full veg tan pair... these will arrive with us on Wednesday (or so they claim) so we are holding back the already packed shipments including a White/White pair so I can include these laces in an envelope. Hopefully it is a better colour.

2. Once those go out on Wednesday it will mean most, if not all deliveries have been dispatched. We will have very few extras left but they will be used for size exchanges and to help anyone whose pairs happened to be in the circa 13 above.

3. Anything from the next batch that can be delivered will be and then subsequently the remaining will be submitted to be made. I think a fair estimate would be Mid-March but I will announce one in the coming days. This will be for an interim batch of sneakers.

4.The pages for the v2 will be updated. Unfortunately, our photoshoot batch was lost so we will have to work out a way of getting photos (might ask you guys for help!). We will refine the offering so there will be much fewer available as standards and the rest of course via MTO.

5. Rose Anvil will be doing a new video on it... we are discussing something aggressive in the marketing as we need to catch up and get things going again.

6. April delivery batch will be prepared and submitted for orders.

Whilst all this is happening the other pairs including cordovan, ultralight, handwelted shellseas etc will all be launched and released...

 

[ArchibaldRoh]

seriously though, these sneakers are really great, archibald has done some fab work on them and i love my SF-01 white. but the most obvious thing that strikes me now is the bad lace matching on non-standard colours. feels like stumbling at the last hurdle of an otherwise really well-run race.
i think maybe orlando said they would look into it and hopefully they can figure out a nice solution.

Yes we are resetting all lace choices moving forward so we can study and make the right call

 

[XxLogo]

I need to check this out but here is the current situation. As you might have realised we have done zero marketing since the saga turned bad with the French border closing... so all product launches, announcements, forgotten cart emails, everything has stopped all whilst these shoes are delivered. Just because even with email updates and forum posts a lot of people

So we have a couple of problems with this next step, first we have a small batch order that can now be submitted given we have had a good response to the v2. We have the product in place so no delays and we can simply proceed

Like I mentioned there were about 13 pairs we spotted as not good enough, turns out 5 of them were all a case of us thinking there was too dark anticatoing on the green but it seems most customers contacted thus far about those have been ok about it - also we have really bad lighting out here so we had to go outside to realise (so down to 8). The other isue was a mix up in 3 pairs between CXL Navy and CXL Ink... It seems the European supplier mislabelled the CXL skins and Adriano had never previously worked with them so Ink became Navy as it looks blue and CXL Navy became Ink (as it's less blue, more of a blue-grey). Aside from that, we had the common random issues reported post delivery (i think 1 or 2) so I am estimating the error rate back at 13/520.

We have once again improved production communication now and will not only be refining the offering in both handwelted and sneakers (it was very disorganized with a lot of room for error) but also worked on a system assuming that production will be blind for the foreseeable future - almost expecting the worst.

The missing pallet has not been found and it seems both the freight forwarders and hauliers are now avoiding emails about the necessary insurance claims!

Next steps...

1. I ordered a new set of undyed cotton laces from Italy last Tuesday after we got a chance to finally see the White/White full veg tan pair... these will arrive with us on Wednesday (or so they claim) so we are holding back the already packed shipments including a White/White pair so I can include these laces in an envelope. Hopefully it is a better colour.

2. Once those go out on Wednesday it will mean most, if not all deliveries have been dispatched. We will have very few extras left but they will be used for size exchanges and to help anyone whose pairs happened to be in the circa 13 above.

3. Anything from the next batch that can be delivered will be and then subsequently the remaining will be submitted to be made. I think a fair estimate would be Mid-March but I will announce one in the coming days. This will be for an interim batch of sneakers.

4.The pages for the v2 will be updated. Unfortunately, our photoshoot batch was lost so we will have to work out a way of getting photos (might ask you guys for help!). We will refine the offering so there will be much fewer available as standards and the rest of course via MTO.

5. Rose Anvil will be doing a new video on it... we are discussing something aggressive in the marketing as we need to catch up and get things going again.

6. April delivery batch will be prepared and submitted for orders.

Whilst all this is happening the other pairs including cordovan, ultralight, handwelted shellseas etc will all be launched and released...

It seems this was all such a large operation and a lot went wrong. At least you delivered some great sneakers. Will more CXL colours be offered in MTO in the future, like dark brown or similar?

 

[ThePetros]

It seems this was all such a large operation and a lot went wrong. At least you delivered some great sneakers. Will more CXL colours be offered in MTO in the future, like dark brown or similar?

As someone who works in logistics, there are members in the supply chain that dotted every i and crossed every t (to use an English metaphor) with regards to post-Brexit supply chain that were severely screwed over come 1 January.

I think it’s admirable to still deliver much of the order within a reasonable time. It’s a shame with regards to those products that were lost, but that’s life.

 

[stephenaf2003]

Yes we are resetting all lace choices moving forward so we can study and make the right call

Just my two cents, but I’d be careful here to not get lost in the minutiae. All one needs to do is browse styfo shoe imagery, to discover that many members have let’s say “interesting” ideas, about color matching laces. I feel the conservative approach you all took to string choice, is the most prudent approach.

The only other smart way IMO, would be to source strings, and for a fee offer customers different color choice on strings. Anticipating what each customer will find appealing in string color doesn’t seem practical, which is why your conservative approach likely appeals most broadly.

 

[Cheshire symposium]

Just my two cents, but I’d be careful here to not get lost in the minutiae. All one needs to do is browse styfo shoe imagery, to discover that many members have let’s say “interesting” ideas, about color matching laces. I feel the conservative approach you all took to string choice, is the most prudent approach.

The only other smart way IMO, would be to source strings, and for a fee offer customers different color choice on strings. Anticipating what each customer will find appealing in string color doesn’t seem practical, which is why your conservative approach likely appeals most broadly.

Agreed - I might have 50-60 pairs of sneakers and shoes. In 12 months i might have 70! I would generally gravitate to the extreme bec I have all my bases covered. Whereas a more mainstream customer would probably benefit from something more conservative.