Shell Cordovan : Why are there no sleek shoes?

[SpooPoker]

So I am about 1 year in on my first pair of new shells being broken in. I love the patina, the color, the durability, everything about them. Except they are "clunkier" than my other shoes. Ive searched high and low, but can't find a sleek looking shoe made from shell.

Can anyone give a reason why? Or point me to something I have missed? I don't think that shell is a material that would not work well with a sleeker last, so I am really a bit confused by this.

Below, some examples :

SHELL SHOES:






SLEEKER LASTS :

 

[dfagdfsh]

instead of making this thread, you should be buying bespoke or MTO.

 

[SpooPoker]



instead of making this thread, you should be buying bespoke or MTO.

I don't need bespoke shoes... MTO perhaps if thats what it would come down to - but there certainly must be a reason to why there are none (that I am aware of) that fit the bill for RTW.

Especially Carmina - whose Simpson last is like bespoke for me - and uses a lot of shell...

 

[Grenadier]

Alfred Sargent, Vass, and Crockett & Jones all do cordovan on sleek lasts.

 

[david123]

Carmina makes shell in the Simpson last. Seems like the ideal solution, no?

 

[burningbright]

The primary reason you don't see tons of shell lasted over sleeker models is probably two-fold, but one more so than the other.

The first (and primary) reason is that it's just a ***** to work with. It's tougher and thicker than calf, difficult to stretch without tearing or cracking and therefore has a higher success rate being shaped over the bulkier American lasts that a company like Alden uses. And even then you still occasionally find seams busting around the heels and whatnot, due to the strain the leather is under from being stretched.

The second is that shell is more of an American fascination that our European brothers don't really share. We love its heritage of being a utilitarian leather that is ideally suited to taking a beating in cold, wet climates and requires next to no maintenance while most Europeans tend to look at it as being plastic-like, inelegant and bourgeois. So you won't find it much on anything that is sleek and Euro-looking for that reason either; though some of the above mentioned Euro shoe-makers are now starting to offer shell cordo make-ups on sleek lasts.

 

[luk-cha]

i think if you look, you will find some Vass U lasted Shell on the VPT, also i have seen G&G and EG shell on here too.

i think you will find that most makers that make sleeker shoes generally dont like to work with shell as they cant pull it a tight over the last

 

[Blackhood]

Shell is a leather that takes a beating then asks for more. Sleek shoes are for a clean, delicate look.

You can't get sleek shell for the same reason I can't get Steel Toe-Cap Monkstraps.

 

[fritzl]



The second is that shell is more of an American fascination that our European brothers don't really share. We love its heritage of being a utilitarian leather that is ideally suited to taking a beating in cold, wet climates and requires next to no maintenance while most Europeans tend to look at it as being plastic-like, inelegant and bourgeois. So you won't find it much on anything that is sleek and Euro-looking for that reason either; though some of the above mentioned Euro shoe-makers are now starting to offer shell cordo make-ups on sleek lasts.

strange, despite of alden, i have never seen the plastic finish on the usual suspects.

 

[coffeecupman]

Shell is a leather that takes a beating then asks for more. Sleek shoes are for a clean, delicate look.
You can't get sleek shell for the same reason I can't get Steel Toe-Cap Monkstraps.

So much for my steel toe hopes...

ccm

 

[SpooPoker]



Carmina makes shell in the Simpson last. Seems like the ideal solution, no?

Actually, that does.

 

[Pliny]

shell


+ von Rothbart's Vass wholecuts



but in answer to your question:

Creasing - shell beef rolls mitigate against sleekness IMO. Shell just works better for more rustic styles.

 

[SpooPoker]

^ Thank you.. and damn those whole cuts are pretty.

 

[fritzl]



+ von Rothbart's Vass wholecuts

what happened to him?

but in answer to your question:
Creasing - shell beef rolls mitigate against sleekness IMO. Shell just works better for more rustic styles.

imo, trees with mediocre fit and some alden fan boy groupthink are no reason for non reasonable creasing/crippling.

 

[NotoriousMarquis]

Yeah I was going to suggest carmina oxfords or wholecuts when I saw someone beat me to it. I agree, though, shell longwings aren't exactly the most delicate shoes. Maybe bogie, but certainly not 007. I've been looking to get shell shoes recently, but I'm not sure what direction to take.