• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

zag73

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2015
Messages
1,367
Reaction score
917
In today's episode of Carmina Quality Control: Keep or Return

I give you my latest non-sale, non-closeout, non-mto, (unbeknownst to me) direct from Spain offering. I know we all have different levels of what we will accept but the pictures do not fully capture the fact that someone must have been drunk when stitching the captoe and/or lasting the upper because the right shoe is really off.

It appears these were a floor model because somebody removed what I assume was a label from the bottom of both shoes. And, the box is generic with no model numbers which have always been on the other boxes I have received. So far, I am 1 for 4 with Carmina with the 1 purchased in-store being near perfect and 3 bought via the website (2 shipped from the NYC store and the most recent from Spain) having serious QC issues and returned as a result. So what say you all, are these keepers or returns?

View attachment 1639256
View attachment 1639257

View attachment 1639258 View attachment 1639259
After the ridiculous number of qc issues I had last year, I decided to give Carmina another go. Looks like the qc issues persist ??‍♂️
these don’t look too bad. But perhaps the photo doesn’t show the magnitude.
 

jischwar

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2012
Messages
7,180
Reaction score
17,365
In today's episode of Carmina Quality Control: Keep or Return

I give you my latest non-sale, non-closeout, non-mto, (unbeknownst to me) direct from Spain offering. I know we all have different levels of what we will accept but the pictures do not fully capture the fact that someone must have been drunk when stitching the captoe and/or lasting the upper because the right shoe is really off.

It appears these were a floor model because somebody removed what I assume was a label from the bottom of both shoes. And, the box is generic with no model numbers which have always been on the other boxes I have received. So far, I am 1 for 4 with Carmina with the 1 purchased in-store being near perfect and 3 bought via the website (2 shipped from the NYC store and the most recent from Spain) having serious QC issues and returned as a result. So what say you all, are these keepers or returns?

View attachment 1639256
View attachment 1639257

View attachment 1639258 View attachment 1639259
For the sole, it's just the label and I doubt any bugs are going to care when you step on them. No one sees it and it'll scuff up the first time you wear them out.

For the cap toe stitch, it does look slightly off and maybe the pictures don't do it justice but it isn't very noticeable to me. Ultimately you have to decide if it'll bother you every time you look down.
 

NYCTechNerd

Timed Out
Timed Out
Joined
Oct 16, 2020
Messages
1,200
Reaction score
2,386
After the ridiculous number of qc issues I had last year, I decided to give Carmina another go. Looks like the qc issues persist ??‍♂️ these don’t look too bad. But perhaps the photo doesn’t show the magnitude.
For the cap toe stitch, it does look slightly off and maybe the pictures don't do it justice but it isn't very noticeable to me. Ultimately you have to decide if it'll bother you every time you look down.

The stitching is rather bad and yes I tried but could not fully capture it in pictures. As my wife often says: no normal person will notice, it's only you and those other crazy people on that forum that notice stuff like that.
 

jischwar

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2012
Messages
7,180
Reaction score
17,365
The stitching is rather bad and yes I tried but could not fully capture it in pictures. As my wife often says: no normal person will notice, it's only you and those other crazy people on that forum that notice stuff like that.
Ain't that the truth. But again, you are the one that'll be wearing them, so if you constantly notice and it turns you off from picking them for the day then probably makes sense to return
 

zag73

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2015
Messages
1,367
Reaction score
917
In today's episode of Carmina Quality Control: Keep or Return

I give you my latest non-sale, non-closeout, non-mto, (unbeknownst to me) direct from Spain offering. I know we all have different levels of what we will accept but the pictures do not fully capture the fact that someone must have been drunk when stitching the captoe and/or lasting the upper because the right shoe is really off.

It appears these were a floor model because somebody removed what I assume was a label from the bottom of both shoes. And, the box is generic with no model numbers which have always been on the other boxes I have received. So far, I am 1 for 4 with Carmina with the 1 purchased in-store being near perfect and 3 bought via the website (2 shipped from the NYC store and the most recent from Spain) having serious QC issues and returned as a result. So what say you all, are these keepers or returns?

View attachment 1639256
View attachment 1639257

View attachment 1639258 View attachment 1639259
Clear in the second picture….the stitching completely missed the captoe on the left.?
 

Patrick1053

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2020
Messages
1,440
Reaction score
2,210
The stitching is rather bad and yes I tried but could not fully capture it in pictures. As my wife often says: no normal person will notice, it's only you and those other crazy people on that forum that notice stuff like that.
If they are not MTO then it should be fairly easy to just return.
 

zaiten

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2020
Messages
45
Reaction score
41
We can’t ignore that there is a QC issue and even Carmina acknowledge that.
but the good thing is that they are doing there best to resolve it.
Ioana just emailed me photos of the remake of my balmoral shell and they look amazing, and in 25 days as promised.

3609E870-F15E-41FA-BBD4-8DB81EB896BF.jpeg
DFDFBC84-EBFD-4D7F-86CC-2EBE8F68EF63.jpeg
37762D31-BCE3-420F-8014-0236D25A18B1.jpeg
 
Last edited:

zag73

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2015
Messages
1,367
Reaction score
917

zaiten

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2020
Messages
45
Reaction score
41
Ioana deserves a medal for all the issues she deals with!
Indeed, I don’t want to say how I irritate her with my my questions and follow-ups and she was cooperative and supportive all the way.
Carmina is lucky to have her as CS rep.to cover up for the latest QC issues.
 

zag73

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2015
Messages
1,367
Reaction score
917
Indeed, I don’t want to say how I irritate her with my my questions and follow-ups and she was cooperative and supportive all the way.
Carmina is lucky to have her as CS rep.to cover up for the latest QC issues.
Definitely!
 

killer121

Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2020
Messages
14
Reaction score
4
Just wonder, would you guys try to return a custom shoe that end up coming with a different monk strap buckle?
 

dukenukem4ever

Distinguished Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2019
Messages
1,180
Reaction score
871
In today's episode of Carmina Quality Control: Keep or Return

I give you my latest non-sale, non-closeout, non-mto, (unbeknownst to me) direct from Spain offering. I know we all have different levels of what we will accept but the pictures do not fully capture the fact that someone must have been drunk when stitching the captoe and/or lasting the upper because the right shoe is really off.

It appears these were a floor model because somebody removed what I assume was a label from the bottom of both shoes. And, the box is generic with no model numbers which have always been on the other boxes I have received. So far, I am 1 for 4 with Carmina with the 1 purchased in-store being near perfect and 3 bought via the website (2 shipped from the NYC store and the most recent from Spain) having serious QC issues and returned as a result. So what say you all, are these keepers or returns?

View attachment 1639256
View attachment 1639257

View attachment 1639258 View attachment 1639259
Looks okay to me.
 

H. E. Pennypacker

Distinguished Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2020
Messages
1,441
Reaction score
3,617
In today's episode of Carmina Quality Control: Keep or Return

I give you my latest non-sale, non-closeout, non-mto, (unbeknownst to me) direct from Spain offering. I know we all have different levels of what we will accept but the pictures do not fully capture the fact that someone must have been drunk when stitching the captoe and/or lasting the upper because the right shoe is really off.

It appears these were a floor model because somebody removed what I assume was a label from the bottom of both shoes. And, the box is generic with no model numbers which have always been on the other boxes I have received. So far, I am 1 for 4 with Carmina with the 1 purchased in-store being near perfect and 3 bought via the website (2 shipped from the NYC store and the most recent from Spain) having serious QC issues and returned as a result. So what say you all, are these keepers or returns?

View attachment 1639256
View attachment 1639257

View attachment 1639258 View attachment 1639259
I would keep them. I have some cap toes that are slightly misaligned, but they’re firmly in the casual spectrum. I draw the line when eyelets are misaligned.
 

stuffedsuperdud

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2019
Messages
789
Reaction score
2,032
Just wonder, would you guys try to return a custom shoe that end up coming with a different monk strap buckle?

I wouldn't bother probably; it's not particularly visible and if yours is like mine, there doesn't seem to be a good way to detach the buckle without doing a bit of minor surgery to the shoe (and you risk them taking a shortcut, like cutting the elastic band, switching the buckles, and sewing the elastic back together). What's the color of the shoe and what buckles did they use?
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 36.4%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 59 39.1%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 16 10.6%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 26 17.2%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 26 17.2%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,151
Messages
10,578,800
Members
223,881
Latest member
Aitchdra
Top