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Antonio Meccariello Shoes

WhyUEarly

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Aeris black captoes with some Manhattan dirt and grime
IMG_20191205_094050.jpg
 

shirtingfantasy

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Aeris black captoes with some Manhattan dirt and grime
View attachment 1293231

Argentum and Aurum leather quality is visibly better. But given Aeris is only the entry level and has quality similar to CJ handgrade, there is very little one can complain about...

The newer Aeris products (using new, thicker special tannage leather from Nuova Osba) is very good. Here are additional photos I took when I visited my friend earlier this week:

3AF6C05D-73EF-4EEE-89C5-6A3DB2D34655.jpeg BC0E641A-B866-4B06-9EC6-B683473D8B23.jpeg 2B587F4D-EB48-4DD9-B8D7-70CADB4457D1.jpeg 078AF50F-3A25-4763-8470-CA361BB119A4.jpeg D90479FE-BE6A-4457-82F7-9A8465A32747.jpeg 2DFBAD18-7D71-4B0F-95D4-866E1F8A16CE.jpeg 166518CD-9ED5-4C3C-83C5-14D1EBC4FF5F.jpeg 7FDD42E0-C9D1-43A1-86DA-E516F2B2860E.jpeg
 
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dauster

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Argentum and Aurum leather quality is visibly better. But given Aeris is only the entry level and has quality similar to CJ handgrade, there is very little one can complain about...

The newer Aeris products (using new, thicker special tannage leather from Nuova Osba) is very good. Here are additional photos I took when I visited my friend earlier this week:

View attachment 1293248 View attachment 1293249 View attachment 1293250 View attachment 1293251 View attachment 1293252 View attachment 1293253 View attachment 1293254 View attachment 1293255
They look beautiful. Did you have any problems breaking them in?
 

WhyUEarly

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hey, how did you get these? Are they trial shoes for bespoke? I have been checking the Aeris RTW section regularly and I never seen those as you wear them.

They were an old pair from Yeossal. In hindsight I wish I went straight to Argentum welt. Break in was no fun on my big toe.

Aeries is GW?
Yep Aeris is GYW.
 

unprocessed

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I have one pair of the new Aeris with upgraded leather and a few Argentum shoes. No doubt the Argentums are easier to break in and and have better leather, but the Aeris is still a good option if you really like his RTW options. My pair of Aeris wasn’t a pleasant break in, but there has been significant improvement after about 3-4 wears.
 

WhyUEarly

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I have one pair of the new Aeris with upgraded leather and a few Argentum shoes. No doubt the Argentums are easier to break in and and have better leather, but the Aeris is still a good option if you really like his RTW options. My pair of Aeris wasn’t a pleasant break in, but there has been significant improvement after about 3-4 wears.
Agreed that the Aeris is still very good value. I think it's easily better than CJ Handgrade. And call me crazy, but I fee like Aeris is better made than John Lobb Paris.

I haven't tried the new upgraded Aeris, but my point is that for 100 euros more, assuming your size is available on the webshop, I would easily choose the Argentum shoes over the Aeris
 

clee1982

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personally would pick Argentum as well, it's my token appreciation for Antonio to even try something beyond GW
 

BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes

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Agreed that the Aeris is still very good value. I think it's easily better than CJ Handgrade. And call me crazy, but I fee like Aeris is better made than John Lobb Paris.

I haven't tried the new upgraded Aeris, but my point is that for 100 euros more, assuming your size is available on the webshop, I would easily choose the Argentum shoes over the Aeris

I definitely would not agree with your assertion concerning the Aeris better than the JLP. I know you could not mean the Bespoke operation, so I'm guessing you meant the RTW JLP. Which even those utilize the best leather available.

Having said, the Argentum lines could potentially compete with JLP. Considering the price difference, Argentum is the must purchase. I would concur, for the money, you would be hard pressed to find a better value than the Aeris line. For a mere +100€, Argentum is arguably the best value you will find across any shoe brand.
 

WilYa

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I definitely would not agree with your assertion concerning the Aeris better than the JLP. I know you could not mean the Bespoke operation, so I'm guessing you meant the RTW JLP. Which even those utilize the best leather available.

Having said, the Argentum lines could potentially compete with JLP. Considering the price difference, Argentum is the must purchase. I would concur, for the money, you would be hard pressed to find a better value than the Aeris line. For a mere +100€, Argentum is arguably the best value you will find across any shoe brand.
IMO JLP RTW used to be good but the quality and finishes went downhill with the new branding, especially the less expensive classic line, I don't think it is any better than Aeris or even Carmina
 

BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes

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IMO JLP RTW used to be good but the quality and finishes went downhill with the new branding, especially the less expensive classic line, I don't think it is any better than Aeris or even Carmina

Well it could be, I have not purchased RTW shoes from them in about 6 or 7 years. So, I base my opinion on my shoes, not the recent product.

Having said that, I'd prefer the JLP (the shoe I own) over the Aeris. I would not take the JLP over the Argentum shoe however. Once, we enter the Argentum HW or higher, it is a no contest affair.

I still stand by the opinion that across all his lines (barring personal fit), AM are the best value out there. Moreover, incremental increases in price and lineup models yield a better product with visible and tangible differences. Looking at you C&J benchgrade vs handgrade for your lack of warranted price differences. ?
 

cliffordcaucus

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Well it could be, I have not purchased RTW shoes from them in about 6 or 7 years. So, I base my opinion on my shoes, not the recent product.

Having said that, I'd prefer the JLP (the shoe I own) over the Aeris. I would not take the JLP over the Argentum shoe however. Once, we enter the Argentum HW or higher, it is a no contest affair.

I still stand by the opinion that across all his lines (barring personal fit), AM are the best value out there. Moreover, incremental increases in price and lineup models yield a better product with visible and tangible differences. Looking at you C&J benchgrade vs handgrade for your lack of warranted price differences. ?

We can all agree Antonio offers an amazing price for his product. I think frequent memebers like @BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes can attest to how rare it is to find a shoe maker at Antonio’s level offering RTW of different constructions, MTO, MTM, and bespoke while being very accessible to email and web-shop. So comparisons with JLP aside, objectively AM is hard to beat unless you’ve had the lucky timing of placing an order with an upcoming shoe maker who is offering amazing prices to build his/her clientele list.

Personally, I placed an MTO order with AM about a month ago for a pair of Libritor with baby vegetable calf (leather pictured below). I’ve read some about vegetable tanned versus chrome tanned leathers so I’m quite excited to share pictures as they crease and age. My motivation for placing the order was to have another pair of shoes with AM’s outsole as they are the toughest of any pair I own to date. Though admittedly, if you’ve read my prior posts, you’d expect and be correct that I asked that a toe tap plus vibram half rubber sole be added.

4E584DCF-66D8-4930-8D62-11C05C048EB6.jpeg
 

unprocessed

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My only problem with AM is I wish they would use natural lightings for their photos. While the photos try to do justice to make them look as great as they do in real life, the colors just aren’t accurate.
 

BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes

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We can all agree Antonio offers an amazing price for his product. I think frequent memebers like @BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes can attest to how rare it is to find a shoe maker at Antonio’s level offering RTW of different constructions, MTO, MTM, and bespoke while being very accessible to email and web-shop. So comparisons with JLP aside, objectively AM is hard to beat unless you’ve had the lucky timing of placing an order with an upcoming shoe maker who is offering amazing prices to build his/her clientele list.

Personally, I placed an MTO order with AM about a month ago for a pair of Libritor with baby vegetable calf (leather pictured below). I’ve read some about vegetable tanned versus chrome tanned leathers so I’m quite excited to share pictures as they crease and age. My motivation for placing the order was to have another pair of shoes with AM’s outsole as they are the toughest of any pair I own to date. Though admittedly, if you’ve read my prior posts, you’d expect and be correct that I asked that a toe tap plus vibram half rubber sole be added.

View attachment 1293428



Accessibility to an artisan like AM at a competitive value is his best attribute. You sort of get a taste of a bespoke shoe (appearance and -- in certain lines -- construction) at a quarter of the price.
The shoe @cliffordcaucus presents here fabulously demonstrates a similarity to his bespoke offerings. Unfortunately, AM does have a negative. A knack for depleting bank accounts. ;)


My only problem with AM is I wish they would use natural lightings for their photos. While the photos try to do justice to make them look as great as they do in real life, the colors just aren’t accurate.

I would agree with this. This is where other makers (EG, JLP, C&J, Carmina,etc etc) shine.
This forum, instagram, facebook, blah blah,is where the shoes "in the wild" showcased from members that really sell AM's shoes.
 

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