Made in Spain Footwear, including TLB Mallorca, Cobbler Union, Yanko, Norman Vilalta, etc

[Peitron]

Anybody experiencing gapping issues in any of the artista lasts? Which one is more prone to gapping?

I'm a noob, but I have flat feet and overpronate, with a slightly wide foot. So if sizing is off, I'll not only have heel slippage but also some gapping on the inward face of the shoe.

I have two pairs of Artista, in 9.5F, slightly long, so I had to request lasted insoles from Toni to improve fitting by half a size. Also have a pair of MTO TLBs from the main collection in the Alan last, in 9F.

I have gapping in all, but it is much less on the Alan lasted shoes, which mind you are half a size smaller and have a wider heel. With the Artistas, I feel the gapping was greater in the Goya last than in the Picasso, I know they are suppose to fit similar but I've always felt the Goyas to be roomier.

I feel that the Alan last is very close to perfect for me. Toni did tell me to request a "main insole" when I placed the order, don't know what it means, but the shoe fit is so nice that I will soon order Chukkas in Alan.

Here's a pic of the three.

I'm still breaking in all three pairs, in rotation, so it will take a while, but my impression is that they do tend to improve and reduce the gapping with each use.

 

[Peitron]

Anyone with low insteps and flat feet that have both Carmina Forest and TLBs? I find the Forest 9.5 E to fit similar to the TLB Alan 9 F last, despite that all over the forums people suggest to take the same size in both. Thanks I'm advance.

 

[papado]

Anyone with low insteps and flat feet that have both Carmina Forest and TLBs? I find the Forest 9.5 E to fit similar to the TLB Alan 9 F last, despite that all over the forums people suggest to take the same size in both. Thanks I'm advance.

I was going to ask whether people found TLB to run a little large because I've ended up with a 9F of the 135 on the velazquez last while I'm normally a uk10 in most brands. My foot is a little flatter and has a lower instep than average.

 

[Peitron]

I was going to ask whether people found TLB to run a little large because I've ended up with a 9F of the 135 on the velazquez last while I'm normally a uk10 in most brands. My foot is a little flatter and has a lower instep than average.

I feel that Artistas do run longer. My two pairs in 9.5F are visible longer than my Carmina Forest Captoes in 9.5E. The Goya in particular has much more volume than the Picasso. I've had to use 3/4 inserts and tounge pads to secure the fit, while in the Picasso 9.5F with additional leather soles is enough. I then got Alan last in 9F and the fit improved, but my instep is so low I can always boost it with gel heel cups or thin insoles.

 

[Patrick1053]

Anyone with low insteps and flat feet that have both Carmina Forest and TLBs? I find the Forest 9.5 E to fit similar to the TLB Alan 9 F last, despite that all over the forums people suggest to take the same size in both. Thanks I'm advance.

I have low insteps and flat feet. I am usually in between Uk 9.5 and UK 10. TLB 9.5F fits me very well. If the instep was any higher I'd need a tongue pad. The pair in Carmina forest I have are boots, so it's not exactly apples to apples. I have some shoes on Carmina Inca and Rain in 9.5 and the instep seems lower than TLB.

 

[Peitron]

I have low insteps and flat feet. I am usually in between Uk 9.5 and UK 10. TLB 9.5F fits me very well. If the instep was any higher I'd need a tongue pad. The pair in Carmina forest I have are boots, so it's not exactly apples to apples. I have some shoes on Carmina Inca and Rain in 9.5 and the instep seems lower than TLB.

Thanks for that! Very useful.

I think I could go down to 9 in Forest, but since the shoe is already so short I'd be afraid to be too deep into the toe box.

Alan in 9UK is a tad longer than Forest 9.5UK and fits me very well, the wider heel acomodates my overpronation and the forefront does not squeeze my toes at all. How similar a fit would the Carmina Rain be to the TLB Alan last?

Thanks again!

 

[Mirage-]

I found the heel of artista much slimmer than common lasts from meermin (eg Hiro) or yanko. This allowed me to size up from 9 to 9.5, which was much better for my toes since the 9 was slightly touching my big toe nail from the top, and the heel is still fairly precise that I have no slippage on (tassel) loafers. The only slight problem is now the shoe is a bit long, my toes ends at the apron. But I guess that's not a big problem as long as it's not so long that it creases twice.

 

[shoewarma]

Anyone have experience with the Sommelier last for loafers? I'm particularly interested in these:
https://www.tlbmallorca.com/products/721

For reference, I'm a 8.5 US/7.5 UK for most shoes, and have a C&J Cavendish in a 7.5 UK that fits large, so I put an insole and tongue pad for a tighter fit.

 

[noverbeck]

I'm interested in getting an Artista loafer on the Goya last from TLB.

I see the forefoot compared to the Rain last, do you think that's true? How does the length compare? I wear a 6.5 UK in the Rain but find there to be a little too much length ahead of my toes as well as a too high an instep. I also have a 6.5 UK in the Forest last but find the instep too much resulting in heel slip. Length feels a little better on the Forest.

 

[hysteria]

I feel that Artistas do run longer. My two pairs in 9.5F are visible longer than my Carmina Forest Captoes in 9.5E. The Goya in particular has much more volume than the Picasso. I've had to use 3/4 inserts and tounge pads to secure the fit, while in the Picasso 9.5F with additional leather soles is enough. I then got Alan last in 9F and the fit improved, but my instep is so low I can always boost it with gel heel cups or thin insoles.

Do you suspect that going down a half size for Goya obviated the need for insoles or tongue pads without making it too short?
The issue I run into with the Picasso is that the pinky toe experiences a little bit of presure and probably would benefit from a slightly wider toebox. I suspect this will be less of an issue with the Goya, but my instep is also low and the Picasso instep is a tad high for me as it is. Any higher, and I'd have to start using tongue pads or insoles. I've never found tongue pads comfortable.

 

[Viatu]

I too agree that Goyas run large. I also think you should reach out to Toni by emailing TLB and discussing your fit concerns with him. I did so and my experience has been great.

 

[Peitron]

Do you suspect that going down a half size for Goya obviated the need for insoles or tongue pads without making it too short?
The issue I run into with the Picasso is that the pinky toe experiences a little bit of presure and probably would benefit from a slightly wider toebox. I suspect this will be less of an issue with the Goya, but my instep is also low and the Picasso instep is a tad high for me as it is. Any higher, and I'd have to start using tongue pads or insoles. I've never found tongue pads comfortable.

My Artista Goya oxford in 9.5 requieres both a full leather insole and a tounge pad to improve the fit. My Artista Picasso Oxford in 9.5 only requieres an insole.

My Alan lasted oxford in 9 is almost a perfect fit. A tounge pad or insole would make it a bit tight. I only use a gel heel cap for added comfort, which is something I've always done with my shoes.The main line also has wider heels, which helps a ton with my overpronation and practically eliminates gapping.

Mind you that I don't have toe box issues in any of the three pairs, but the Goya does feel roomier.

The difference in length between the 9.5 Artistas and the 9 main line is almost unperceivable. Perhaps a few mm at most. The difference in volume seems more noticeable, while not extreme.

With that info, according to Toni, I should size half down in Artista to 9F and request that they construct the shoe with the wider main sole.

Hope that helps.

 

[Peitron]

I'm interested in getting an Artista loafer on the Goya last from TLB.

I see the forefoot compared to the Rain last, do you think that's true? How does the length compare? I wear a 6.5 UK in the Rain but find there to be a little too much length ahead of my toes as well as a too high an instep. I also have a 6.5 UK in the Forest last but find the instep too much resulting in heel slip. Length feels a little better on the Forest.

I have a 9.5 in Forest captoe oxford and feel it's the perfect length. The Artistas in 9.5 are longer. The Alan main line in 9 is a tad longer than Forest, but I feel it has a lower instep and less volume, and fits better for me. I use a 3/4 leather/gel insole with Forest 9.5, while I don't need any adjustments in Alan 9.

I suspect I would require 9 in Rain, which I plan to try on soon to figure out if it works for me.

 

[GrahamM]

Just wanted to share my experience with TLB Mallorca....a great experience!

I saw that TLB Mallorca some time back made a saddle derby shoe for Yeossal, a Singaporean outfitter, and Yeossal had none in my size. This shoe is not in the current offering from TLB. I reached out to Toni to ask if they could make me one and he agreed! I visited a trunk show in London to assess sizing and asked Toni if the shoe could be made on a different last to that which it had been for Yeossal and he agreed. The flexibility of Toni and TLB is amazing.

Shoes arrived and couldn't be happier (apologies for crappy photos)

Graham

 

[hysteria]

I'm a noob, but I have flat feet and overpronate, with a slightly wide foot. So if sizing is off, I'll not only have heel slippage but also some gapping on the inward face of the shoe.

I have two pairs of Artista, in 9.5F, slightly long, so I had to request lasted insoles from Toni to improve fitting by half a size. Also have a pair of MTO TLBs from the main collection in the Alan last, in 9F.

I have gapping in all, but it is much less on the Alan lasted shoes, which mind you are half a size smaller and have a wider heel. With the Artistas, I feel the gapping was greater in the Goya last than in the Picasso, I know they are suppose to fit similar but I've always felt the Goyas to be roomier.

I feel that the Alan last is very close to perfect for me. Toni did tell me to request a "main insole" when I placed the order, don't know what it means, but the shoe fit is so nice that I will soon order Chukkas in Alan.

Here's a pic of the three.

I'm still breaking in all three pairs, in rotation, so it will take a while, but my impression is that they do tend to improve and reduce the gapping with each use.

What does it mean to have lasted insoles?