Allen Edmonds Appreciation Thread 2019 - News, Pictures, Clothing, Accessories, etc.

[AEfaninTampa]

Wow, that’s a deep V you got going on there. Not sure that’s an SF approved look.

As for the shoes, what are those and what happened to them?

Surprisingly, the V is not that deep. Again, probably the camera angle.

The shoes are a pair of Cronmok 1.0’s that I got off of eBay awhile back. Somehow I managed to tear the leather. It was so bad, I could stick my finger through it (I know, shoes belong on your feet, not your hands...).

I’m not sure how it happened, but I’m glad my cobbler was able to “fix” it! The Montana leather - whatever that is - is buttery soft, and I really like them. I hope I’ll get several more wears out of them.

Calling @ae_ashley - bring back the Cronmok in this leather as a webgem!

 

[audog]

It’s not about younger customers, most AE customers I know are not particularly old. It’s about brand expansion. AE was already one of the biggest “premium” dress shoe makers, but that market is only so large. If you want to sell a high-margin, premium sneaker, sandal, flip-flop, etc., you need a credible luxury brand to do so. This also means you need to keep the core product (expensive dress shoes, boots, and such) and it requires an miUSA footprint (just as Church’s, Loake, must maintain a miUK business) for brand credibility. Caleres bought AE because it’s a viable, well known, “luxury” brand. Same reason Prada bought Church’s.

Does this kind of expansion work? Yes, because I’d much rather buy AE’s trainer than ever give my money to Nike. When I get a new pair for the gym (which is the only time I wear sneakers), I’ll probably get them from AE.

Frankly, I’m actually surprised that Caleres seems to be much better at running AE than I’d thought they would be. They’ve certainly not **** things up at AE the way Prada has been over at Church’s.

Now, if they’d just give us back the MTO option, they could sell me a bunch of new stuff.

Of course, your assessment of why market a sneaker is correct, and I agree that brand expansion is the reason for bringing out more and more sneaker/sandal type of product. My opinion is that doing so will actually serve to weaken the brand long term, or transform it into an "expensive" sneaker company in the eyes of a significant number of consumers. Caleres is running AE well and seems to be aggressive at market expansion efforts. I, for one, just don't like to see AE sneakers and such, as in my mind, AE is a GYW shoe/boot company not an athletic shoe company or a sandal company (and yes I did buy a pair of flip-flops on closeout from AE a few years ago). I will probably not get trainers from AE or Church's.

 

[audog]

Must be some sneaker for $275.

It's a sneaker, not an AE shoe. A branded AE shoe, but not an AE.

 

[madhat]

Of course, your assessment of why market a sneaker is correct, and I agree that brand expansion is the reason for bringing out more and more sneaker/sandal type of product. My opinion is that doing so will actually serve to weaken the brand long term, or transform it into an "expensive" sneaker company in the eyes of a significant number of consumers. Caleres is running AE well and seems to be aggressive at market expansion efforts. I, for one, just don't like to see AE sneakers and such, as in my mind, AE is a GYW shoe/boot company not an athletic shoe company or a sandal company (and yes I did buy a pair of flip-flops on closeout from AE a few years ago). I will probably not get trainers from AE or Church's.

Carmina has GYW sneakers, and have even been doing MTOs in shell to rather attractive results. Probably not the profit margins of standard stuff though.

 

[madhat]

It's a sneaker, not an AE shoe. A branded AE shoe, but not an AE.

I wonder if there was similar push back when they first started selling boat shoes?

 

[AEShoeMan]

Happy Tuesday fellas! MacNeils for me today -- stay cool out there!

 

[matwa]

Leeds 2.0 today

 

[madhat]

75 days since last wear. You can TRY to take my shell card away...

 

[darkclassic]

Let's keep this Strand train rolling....

 

[audog]

I wonder if there was similar push back when they first started selling boat shoes?

I believe so

 

[savvysartorial]

Not sure what you mean by "modern spade dress shoes" but I'll assume it's a compliment and say "Thanks!"

I live in the US, but I bought them from Antonio Meccariello (https://www.meccarielloshoes.it/)

Yes, a compliment! Spade shoes are pretty cool, as posted below.

Thanks, gentlemen! I'd never heard of spade soled shoes, and was interested to read that the spade-shaped sole tradition has been preserved in modern times by the Italian shoemakers (he mentions Bestetti, but Meccariello is another great Italian shoemaker). And now, looking at them, it's clear that the soles of these actually are spade-shaped, and they also have a very narrow waist, just like the shoes he shows from the 20s and 30s (in fact, the waist on these is even narrower than the ones he talks about from the 20s and 30s; the soles are only about 2 inches wide right in front of the heel). You can see the influence very clearly in the pics of these shoes on the Meccariello site:

Good looking shoes! Not sure I could pull those off, but they're very European.

75 days since last wear. You can TRY to take my shell card away...
View attachment 1207727

Those are spectacular! Brown edging on them? I do wish I was able to post shoes on here more often!! Keep the faith!

 

[munchau]

MD Chukka.

 

[madhat]

Yes, a compliment! Spade shoes are pretty cool, as posted below.



Good looking shoes! Not sure I could pull those off, but they're very European.



Those are spectacular! Brown edging on them? I do wish I was able to post shoes on here more often!! Keep the faith!

Thanks! Yup; navy and green both shipped with brown edges this year. I know something will pop up...a friend was pretty unceremoniously let go Friday as well

 

[robster35]

Do any of u D width guys go to an EE width on the 65 last?? Ive got a few pair that i purchased TTS. Im 10.5D and thats what a local cobbler said i should go with in the 65 but the more i wear them they just dont feel right. Pinky toe squished. Feel a bit long,etc. Recently i got a deal on some Strands off ebay but was sent a 10 EE instead of 10.5D. I put them on and they felt great but figuring they would end up stretching too wide i sold them. Now im feeling stupid as that was probably the right size for me. I see guys in reviews who normally wear a D width stating they were a EE or even EEE in the 5 Last. Just curious if any of u guys who are D width drop the length and go up to EE or even EEE ?

 

[madhat]

Do any of u D width guys go to an EE width on the 65 last?? Ive got a few pair that i purchased TTS. Im 10.5D and thats what a local cobbler said i should go with in the 65 but the more i wear them they just dont feel right. Pinky toe squished. Feel a bit long,etc. Recently i got a deal on some Strands off ebay but was sent a 10 EE instead of 10.5D. I put them on and they felt great but figuring they would end up stretching too wide i sold them. Now im feeling stupid as that was probably the right size for me. I see guys in reviews who normally wear a D width stating they were a EE or even EEE in the 5 Last. Just curious if any of u guys who are D width drop the length and go up to EE or even EEE ?

That seems a bit severe; I'm 11.5EE and wear 11EEE. Many people go down half a length and up a width, so 10E for you. Have you tried that? I also wonder if you're actually not a 10.5D, and were just not as accurately measured?