Carmina Shoes - Definitive Thread (reviews, advice, sizing, etc...) - official thread.

[stook1]

As @Carmina customer service has been discussed lately...

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I was walking down Madison yesterday (towards Alden) and thought I would stop to see the new Carmina store and was presented with this sign. The frustrating and customer service related issue was that it was after 1pm, I was looking in through the door, the sales associate asked me to get out of the way so he could unlock the door, he then went in, did not say anything, relocked the door, and disappeared into the back. After 10 minutes I gave up and walked away. A part of me wanted to stay and explain that "Out to Lunch" has a much different meaning than "Out for Lunch" but I did not have more time to waste (on Carmina).

There could be so many answers but here are my questions:
- Why would Carmina only have one sales associate at their new Madison and 53rd flagship store?
- If possibly the other person was out sick, why not have someone from the original store cover lunch because it is not even half a mile away which by NYC standards is nothing?
- When I walked to the 45th street store there were two people inside, 1 helping a customer and the other one behind the desk working on a computer so they could have covered 53rd if needed.
- And the biggest injustice, and why I wanted to stop by the newer and larger Madison Ave store, is because 45th still barely stocks anything on the Detroit last.

Knowing how little most companies pay sales associates, I do not understand how they cannot always have more than one especially when they are spending a fortune on two stores in Manhattan less than nine blocks (aka less than a half mile) from each other. WTF, Carmina?

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I'm just glad that the sign had a smiley face. That's the kind of customer service that I can appreciate.

As an aside, my imaginary dissertation correlated penmanship to attractiveness. Based upon this analysis, I can tell you with a high degree of confidence that the sales person that crafted the sign is gorgeous and you will be missing out if you don't go back there to purchase Carmina shoes.

 

[NYCTechNerd]

I'm just glad that the sign had a smiley face. That's the kind of customer service that I can appreciate.

As an aside, my imaginary dissertation correlated penmanship to attractiveness. Based upon my this analysis, I can tell you with a high degree of confidence that the sales person that crafted the sign is gorgeous and you will be missing out if you don't go back there to purchase Carmina shoes.

He was well dressed in the trendy/fashion sort of way but that is not appealing to me and I am not sure my wife would be happy if I started flirting with younger men no matter how good looking they might be.

 

[pewpewpewpew]

My suggestion is to just enjoy your boots. It's really not an issue. If it makes you feel any better I have literally the exact same follicle kind of mark on an even newer pair of Aldens that I am wearing today. It's just the nature of the material sometimes.

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Thank you, I appreciate the sanity check!

 

[stook1]

He was well dressed in the trendy/fashion sort of way but that is not appealing to me and I am not sure my wife would be happy if I started flirting with younger men no matter how good looking they might be.

 

[flylikeneagle]

The spots and the small hole are hair follicles. It's fairly common and isn't normally an issue, especially on the toe cap where it's not subject to flexing.

+1, I have similar pores on several shell boots from C&J, Bonafe, Alden etc. Wouldn't worry about this.

 

[miamidoc]

+1, I have similar pores on several shell boots from C&J, Bonafe, Alden etc. Wouldn't worry about this.

Same. My only suggestion would be a light coat of Saphir color 8 pigmented Cordovan creme and let it soak in for a day then brush the living hell out of them for a half hour. Will help even things out.

 

[Patrick1053]

To me, the hole looks like it could be a knick from wearing them. If there was a small nail that you bumped against or something like that. The light spots are probably watermarks


I think everyone is too afraid to take a picture, because they might notice a defect.

Looks like you got the help you need. Nice name by the way.

 

[Blastwice]

The hole was not there before I started brushing. Of course, there is always a chance I missed it but I doubt it. The pair is new enough where I would be conscious of bumping them into anything. The hole is very clean, which to me speaks to a tear rather than a hole from hitting it against something.


Thanks for the answer - is there something I can do about it? I assume it was filled out with something which my brushing removed. From my understanding brushing is the most important part of maintaining cordovan but I am not interested in hair follicle brogue.

Rub some polish in the hole, brush, and fuggetaboutit. As per the other posters, those are hair follicles.

 

[serbarristan]

from Monday but still a picture

 

[gr8man]

BF pickup- Armagnac Shell Chukka View attachment 1521275 View attachment 1521276 View attachment 1521277

Beautiful!!! I am in market to get this color shell, but on plain toe derby, and I wonder how they will age, Do you mind to share recent pics of these chukka, I love to see how they changed in color, thanks in advance!

 

[jet-stream]

More Russian calf, from today:

 

[miamidoc]

While we’re at it on Russian Calf...

 

[yengli]

Did some inquiry about the recent cordovan GMTO, it only possible to change the sole and nothing else. Would have loved a Calway with a shaft of hatch grain and normal cordovan vamp. Guess they wont do an april MTO event either this year.

 

[yengli]

Does anyone maybe have a MTO-code, they aren't using?

 

[Crizzlelovesyou]

Did some inquiry about the recent cordovan GMTO, it only possible to change the sole and nothing else. Would have loved a Calway with a shaft of hatch grain and normal cordovan vamp. Guess they wont do an april MTO event either this year.

Carmina told me they're still doing a spring MTO weekend when I dm'd them on instagram during the loafer event. I imagine they'll just push it back a bit to not overlap this event.