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Brooks Brothers cordovan shoes compared to Alden and Allen Edmonds

Tarmac

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I'm not an expert but those look like the Aldens and not AE. The price corresponds too, Aldens are $499 MSRP I belive while AE are something like $430.

BTW from handling them in the store, I find Alden cordovan to appear to be much nice than the AE. I don't know how well each ages though.
 

zjpj83

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Originally Posted by Tarmac
I'm not an expert but those look like the Aldens and not AE. The price corresponds too, Aldens are $499 MSRP I belive while AE are something like $430.

BTW from handling them in the store, I find Alden cordovan to appear to be much nice than the AE. I don't know how well each ages though.


Everyone gets his cordovan from the same place. If you mean the construction and styling of the Alden is nicer, that's a different question, and I agree. The cordovan itself, however, is the same.
 

Tarmac

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there must be different grades though? I doubt even Horween is completely immune to good ole "upsell" technique. Have you looked at AE and Alden side by side?
 

JLibourel

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Originally Posted by Tarmac
there must be different grades though? I doubt even Horween is completely immune to good ole "upsell" technique. Have you looked at AE and Alden side by side?

We have been through this business a number of times. Yes, there are different grades of shell, but this has to do with the number of holes in them and that kind of thing, which is of no moment to us, since neither Alden nor A-E going to make a shoe with a hole in the leather. The number 8 shell cordovan that Alden and A-E get from Horween Tannery is exactly the same stuff. It does appear that Alden puts an extra degree of finish on their shell cordovan shoes in comparison to A-E. They do indeed look glossier if that turns you on.
 

NoVaguy

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Originally Posted by Tarmac
there must be different grades though? I doubt even Horween is completely immune to good ole "upsell" technique. Have you looked at AE and Alden side by side?

Have you ever looked at multiple Alden's (AE's), each from different years, side by side?

Cordovan is extremely variable. Horween only sells one grade. Alden might be doing some post-treatment, but as far as I can tell, the cordovan looks identical except for the standard batch by batch differences.
 

Tarmac

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okay sorryyyyyyy
peepwall[1].gif
 

crazyquik

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I dont know about that particular shoe but the Alden and Brooks-by-Alden may be on different lasts, so you might want to compare both.

The tassel loafers, both by Alden, have some subtle differences.
 

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