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

[Berto1]

Yes, Sineu, a.k.a. the almond shaped bastard child of Rain and Forest.

How do you compare Forest and Sineu?

perhaps Forest is too roomy at toe box area

 

[stook1]

That's a great score from Ebay. Wonder why they were returned

Yes, these were actually @serbarristan from the gmto. Of course, I didn't know that when I bought them and Carmina apparently didn't realize what they were either. I figured they were either armagnac or possibly bourbon when I bought them. Carmina thought they were bourbon. Story here: https://www.styleforum.net/threads/...ice-sizing-etc.241469/page-2191#post-10255247

 

[jischwar]

Yes, these were actually @serbarristan from the gmto. Of course, I didn't know that when I bought them and Carmina apparently didn't realize what they were either. I figured they were either armagnac or possibly bourbon when I bought them. Carmina thought they were bourbon. Story here: https://www.styleforum.net/threads/...ice-sizing-etc.241469/page-2191#post-10255247

Ah, thanks. I remember now

 

[bootyboy]

How do you compare Forest and Sineu?

perhaps Forest is too roomy at toe box area

Unfortunately, I don't have any experience in forest. Quick snapshot from Carmina's last comparison tool.

 

[JoeRogan]

@JoeRogan I am very interested to see how your Llubi U-tips turn out. I have been trying to identify which is the best Carmina last for U-tips to achieve a very casual look, and I think that Llubi might be it (although I am curious about the new "New York" last). I basically want something that is going to look like an Indy Boot but in Bourbon or Armagnac shell (without having to stay on an Alden rare shell waiting list until I can pay for the boots with my social security). I am selling the pair I have on Soller b/c they are just a little too formal (although partly my fault, as I should have gotten them with a Storm Welt). In any event, when you receive yours, please post pictures!

yeah I’ll post pics when they arrive, I was considering Soller as well because it fits me very well but was a bit worried the U stitch might be too pointy

 

[serbarristan]

Calways have arrived! Love how they turned out.

 

[oskrusa]

Finally wearing the color 4 longwings that I picked up off of Carmina's ebay page. What a find! Really enjoying them.

View attachment 1425273

That's a great find.
You now have to scores on color 4 from Carmina, right?

 

[stook1]

That's a great find.
You now have to scores on color 4 from Carmina, right?

As luck would have it, yes. My order was for a pair of boots.

 

[Gareth Q. Nguyen]

Hi guys,

How's your online shopping experience Carnima? I love Carmina shoes and I have bought a pair every month since I came to know about the brand in February. But I have to say that my shopping experience with Carmina is extremely unpleasant and frustrating. I tried to sympathize with the company during this time of the pandemic, but the excuse is getting irrelevant.

Firstly, the name of the recipient is mixed up with the name in the billing address for my first 2 orders. So I had to travel to DHL's office to pick my orders up myself after the names are corrected. Obviously, I was not happy as I already gave feedback on the first order, and then I ran into the exact same issue again.

Then, I bought a pair of loafers as a birthday gift for my girlfriend. When I made the purchase, the website says the shoes will be shipped in 30 days. After 12 days after the supposed shipping date, no one of Carmina reached out to me and I had to contact them. They said my order is being manufactured and ask for my understanding as it was the consequence of the Covid-19 event. However, if it's the case, first off, they should have notified me about the delay. Secondly, all of Carmina's advertising, website pop-up, email campaigns are saying that their online operation and production are running as usual. At the end, I was compensated with a 10% voucher and was late for giving my girlfriend her birthday present.

Recently, I bought another pair of loafers for myself. Again, the website said it is available for immediate shipping. I waited for another 12 days then when I reached out to Carmina, they told me that there's an error in their inventory management and my order is actually unavailable so they will start manufacturing my order. I calmed myself and told them that I need to receive my order in 2 weeks as I am leaving my city for a while and won't be able to receive my shoes. The agent told me she will check with the production department and get back to me. And now, she's no longer responsive even though I've been sending her emails over the last 2 days.

I'm trying to reach out to Carmina in every channel that I can, even messaged their managers on Linkedin. Carmina shoes are awesome but their online service is just ridiculous. So if you guys ever had poor shopping experience with the brand, do speak up so Carmina could see their own problems and start taking online shopping seriously.

 

[Guccinski L.V.]

If I lived in Asia I would have placed my orders with Asian manufacturers for prompt shipping and low prices on pretty fine looking shoes. There are so many bespoke and RTW shoemakers in China, Indonesia and Vietnam nowadays....I would not shop across continents and oceans and expect prompt service during WW pandemic.

 

[Gareth Q. Nguyen]

If I lived in Asia I would have placed my orders with Asian manufacturers for prompt shipping and low prices on pretty fine looking shoes. There are so many bespoke and RTW shoemakers in China, Indonesia and Vietnam nowadays....I would not shop across continents and oceans and expect prompt service during WW pandemic.

I'm in Perth, Australia actually.

I've tried the shoes from CNES and Fugashin from Vietnam and the quality is not as it seems on photos, and if you go for premium lines, they are not much cheaper compared to international brands. Also, these brands are more domestic so they don't ship their products oversea. Bespoken shoes in China look beautiful but for the same price, I would turn to Japan.

Also, I think businesses have been abusing the pandemic for an excuse for poor customer service. I asked for nothing but transparency. If they are going to delay shipment, they have to inform their customers. Covid-19 can slow down shipments but cannot infect email servers right? I run a business myself and during times like this, we take extra care of our customers.

 

[harlequin782]

I'm in Perth, Australia actually.

I've tried the shoes from CNES and Fugashin from Vietnam and the quality is not as it seems on photos, and if you go for premium lines, they are not much cheaper compared to international brands. Also, these brands are more domestic so they don't ship their products oversea. Bespoken shoes in China look beautiful but for the same price, I would turn to Japan.

Also, I think businesses have been abusing the pandemic for an excuse for poor customer service. I asked for nothing but transparency. If they are going to delay shipment, they have to inform their customers. Covid-19 can slow down shipments but cannot infect email servers right? I run a business myself and during times like this, we take extra care of our customers.

Careful complaining too much about Carmina's nightmarish customer service...a few Carmina fans tend to gloss over the company's atrocious, unresponsive customer service, and its poor service in general. Its highly possible that you'll get accused of caring too much about your "mah communication" for expecting a basic minimum level of correspondence and customer service from the company with which you just spent hundreds or thousands of dollars. While their inept customer service would be alot more understandable if they hadnt already taken "mah money", since they have, I can say that my experience with Carmina's shipping and customer service has been awful so far. Youre talking in terms of a few weeks. Im going on 4 months waiting for my order and most of the time when I email them, Im told they will check with so and so, and get back to me, and I never hear from them again until I followup with another inquiry. At which time I receive a pacifying reassurance that I will receive a notification once my order has shipped. To be clear, Im not concerned about receiving a shipping notification, my question to them was when my shoes will be delivered whether I receive a shipping notification or not. (since they werent delivered in the 30 business days timeframe they quote on the order page, or even a 60 business day timeframe). I still have not received an answer to the actual question I asked them.

 

[Betelgeuse]

Green suede string loafers.

'Sup @DL120

 

[VaNeT]

'Sup @DL120

Did same yesterday with my Calways

 

[siddeh]

Careful complaining too much about Carmina's nightmarish customer service...a few Carmina fans tend to gloss over the company's atrocious, unresponsive customer service, and its poor service in general. Its highly possible that you'll get accused of caring too much about your "mah communication" for expecting a basic minimum level of correspondence and customer service from the company with which you just spent hundreds or thousands of dollars. While their inept customer service would be alot more understandable if they hadnt already taken "mah money", since they have, I can say that my experience with Carmina's shipping and customer service has been awful so far. Youre talking in terms of a few weeks. Im going on 4 months waiting for my order and most of the time when I email them, Im told they will check with so and so, and get back to me, and I never hear from them again until I followup with another inquiry. At which time I receive a pacifying reassurance that I will receive a notification once my order has shipped. To be clear, Im not concerned about receiving a shipping notification, my question to them was when my shoes will be delivered whether I receive a shipping notification or not. (since they werent delivered in the 30 business days timeframe they quote on the order page, or even a 60 business day timeframe). I still have not received an answer to the actual question I asked them.

You guys aren't wrong; their customer service leaves a lot to be desired.

Meermin lost my business forever that way.

If Carmina didn't make such banging shoes, I wouldn't keep ******* with them.