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Stylish Dinosaur
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2004
- Messages
- 19,716
- Reaction score
- 106
Ok, so yesterday I went to Bal Harbour Shops (for those unfamiliar with South Florida the shops are located on Collins Ave and 125th in Bal Harbour, South Florida between Aventura and North Miami Beach) to continue my search for a pair of driving shoes that fit my true size 6 ½ feet. Sergio Rossi: I was the only person in the store when I walked in and two ladies working attended very well me. Right off the bat they told me that their shoes run extremely large and a 6 ½ is really a size 5 ½ or 5. Unfortunately, the smallest size they had was a 5 1/2 and it was just ever so big, so I would imagine that a 5 would fit. They did not have a 5 in stock and after checking the computer they said that the only store that had that size was Hawaii, but that they cannot transfer shoes from Hawaii (huh? but they can transfer shoes from other stores???). The shoes seemed to be well made, as far as driving shoes go. They ranged from $275-290 and there were two distinct models: one had large (nickel sized) rubber plates throughout with one large (quarter sized) rubber plate in the curvature of the heel, the second had the same patter but attached to a solid piece of visible rubber. Tod's: I know I was told that they do not last and are not worth the money I decided to check them out anyways. Well, the store was packed and I was unable to get an attendant to assist me, so I left the store and wondered to Zegna to check out sportswear. After my time in Zegna I went back to Tod's and the store was empty and I was quickly assisted. They did not have my size, but stated right off the bat that the shoes will not last, especially for heavy wear and they are designed to use whilst driving. They are $325, and you can tell they won't last, so I rather buy something with more longevity. Plus, I could swear that the gentleman who was attending to me said something about me as the salesgirl he mentioned it to laughed whilst she looked directly in my direction (no one else was in the store mind you). Hermes: No driving shoes at Hermes, but the rest of the shoes are made by Lobb, so still worth a look.
Louis Vuitton: I stopped in to look at the Lombok Loafer, which at $475 might be way too much to spend on driving shoes, but alas, if I cannot find anything else, I will purchase a pair. LV was extremely busy, and no one asked me if I required assistance, and since I did not, it worked out perfectly, as I really did not want to be bothered anyhow. Gucci: Well, I was finally going to look at the horsebit driver ($295), after staring at it on the web for a week. In Gucci there were only two sales people on the floor with 5 people waiting for assistance. I was right about to walk out when the security guard (whom they have dressed in a black suit {it had working button holes}) asked me if I required assistance, I replied yes and he told me to wait by the shoes while he looked for someone to help me. Well after a good five minutes of waiting, started to head back towards the door when the guard asked me if I have been assisted, I mentioned that I had not and he told me he would get someone, I told he I would return and headed over to Ferragamo. After I finished with Ferragamo I came back to Gucci, and I notice that the guard quickly went to speak with one of the salesmen as I was quickly attended to. Gucci's (made by Sergio Rossi), seem to run one size larger than the Rossi shoes and it would seem that I am 6 or 6 ½ in Gucci shoes. Unfortunately they did not have anything smaller than a 7, and that did not transfer shoes even though the salesman told me that the Manhattan store stocked both sizes, and I could have them shipped directly to my house (how can they not transfer within their own stores a $300 pair of shoes?). (There is no way I am going to have the shoes delivered to me, try them on and if they do not fit, drive all the way back to Bal Harbour to return them {I HATE returning merchandise}) So I left Gucci rather disappointed, not at least because they did not have my size, but also because the shoes have a stylized heel with the leather curving towards the lower rear part of the heel and it does not look like it will last a long time. Gucci left me:
Ferragamo: Finally, a decent shopping experience. I was quickly attended to, they did not have my size exactly, but the shoes fit. Ferragamo (in my experience) runs true to size and the smallest driving shoe they carry (two styles, with either a bit with the Omega symbols interlocking at either end or one similar to LV's Lombok Loafer, but with a movable monk strap) is in a "˜D' width, size 7. The model with the monk strap fit quite well with pad inserts, but did not have the color I wanted or o the other model with the bit that I rather purchase. The salesman will transfer copies of both shoes for me to try on and they should arrive in about a week. The shoes ran about $300 (or maybe $275? $320, I can't recall), so at least they cost less than the LV's. The nice thing about the Ferragamo shoes is that they use large chunks of rubber, and a solid piece of rubber curving from the bottom of the heel into a almost the top of the rear part of the shoe. Why is so hard to find a pair of driving shoes anyways? Jon.
