G&G--cordovan or calf

[Xiaogou]

I plan to attend the G&G trunkshow in Chicago on the 17th of April. I plan to order the Rothschild shoe on the TG73 last. In you opinion will the shoe look better in black calf or cordovan #8?

I am worried about how cordovan will look and wear as I haven't had it before. I have seen some awful looking cordovan (probably low quality).

Here is the Mitchell model on the TG73 last. I love the last shape.

 

[DocHolliday]

Have you seen and handled worn cordovan in person? I have not heard of bad-quality shell, though I guess it could exist somewhere. Most of the shell seen in the U.S. is from Horween and is of good quality, so if that's what you're referring to, it may be a case of not liking the material's natural properties.

Unless I was sure I liked shell, I would not pay top dollar for a pair of shoes in it.

 

[Xiaogou]

^ A coworker has some old bostonian cordovan (according to him) and it looks awful (plastic). Someone else in the same department wears a beautiful pair of cordovan #8. The material just looks better on the later pair.

I haven't had cordovan before, but if it matters, I placed an order for a pair of Alden longwings and shorwings in cordovan #8 as I thought it looked better than black on those particular shoes.

 

[voxsartoria]

While not quite as sleek as those G&Gs, here are three pairs of my Vass in oxford form just so that you can what Horween cordo in a town shoe rather than a country shoe or long wing looks like after a wearing:

The first two are Horween's burgundy...the #8 variation of this is exclusive to Alden, afaik, and I doubt G&G would be able to get #8.


- B

 

[itsraylamb]

Originally Posted by Xiaogou

I plan to attend the G&G trunkshow in Chicago on the 17th of April. I plan to order the Rothschild shoe on the TG73 last. In you opinion will the shoe look better in black calf or cordovan #8?

I am worried about how cordovan will look and wear as I haven't had it before. I have seen some awful looking cordovan (probably low quality).

Here is the Mitchell model on the TG73 last. I love the last shape.

I have the Mitchell in Vintage Maple. Love them. I plan to be at the event on the 17th. I hope that it goes well for G&G.

 

[Xiaogou]

Thanks for posting the pics and for the clarification, Vox. Maybe i will just have to make the decision on color and not material. Your shoes look great.

 

[voxsartoria]

Oh, my G&G Rothschilds in black calf for comparison:

- B

 

[Xiaogou]

I also like the Hughes on the TG73 last of course.

 

[Xiaogou]

Vox--are there any shoes that you don't have?!!! j/k

Those shoes are awesome. I am so glad that G&G is coming to Chicago...

 

[DocHolliday]

I have a pair of town shoes in shell as well, but mine are a good bit more rippled than Vox's. I'm guessing they've seen more wear, or at least more wear than Vox's first two. I think I have a pic but I'll have to rustle it up.

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by Xiaogou

Thanks for posting the pics and for the clarification, Vox. Maybe i will just have to make the decision on color and not material. Your shoes look great.

Thank you. I don't recommend ignoring that cordovan and calf look quite different. They do.

The F last in Vass is plenty shapely and sleek, but it's still Vass and it has a solid look that is friendly to cordovan.

A G&G is a bit more delicate looking. If you want to execute a cordovan version of such a delicate shoe, you should be sure that you have a sense of what how that will look and that you will adore that look. So, I'm with the Doc on that.

Just sayin.

- B

 

[southbound35]

Originally Posted by Xiaogou

I plan to attend the G&G trunkshow in Chicago on the 17th of April. I plan to order the Rothschild shoe on the TG73 last. In you opinion will the shoe look better in black calf or cordovan #8?

Originally Posted by Xiaogou

I haven't had cordovan before, but if it matters, I placed an order for a pair of Alden longwings and shorwings in cordovan #8 as I thought it looked better than black on those particular shoes.

If I'm understanding you correctly, buying the Rothschild in cordovan in addition to the Alden shortwings on order would leave you with two relatively similar (one obviously more sleek than the other) cordovan shortwings. If my thought process is sound and you intend to keep the Aldens, I would go with black calf. This is, of course, said without the knowledge of what other shoes you might already have.

 

[voxsartoria]

Here my Alden NST derbies in black Horween shell...theses are about sixteen or so years old and have gotten plenty of wear:

Alden's aren't the sleekest shoe, but these are on the Aberdeen last, their sleekest.


- B

 

[DocHolliday]

Here's my pair of Grenson Masterpieces for Paul Stuart:

They haven't seen all that much wear in these shots, but you can see how there's more rippling than on Vox's. And that's with a captoe.

 

[voxsartoria]

Those Grensons are sweet, Doctor.


- B