The Shell Cordovan, non-Alden Shoe and Boot Thread

[Watchman1]

Brown 😎

 

[jischwar]

CJ Harvards. What does Horween call this shade?

Brown 🤣

 

[Watchman1]

CJ Harvards. What does Horween call this shade?

I estimate these to be a decade old (or more). Are they branded Ralph Lauren or CJ?

These are basically old cigar. Horween began the process of creating dark cognac around 10 yrs ago now.

Dark cognac has more olive undertones, whereas this iteration has more reddish/orange.

I like both shades for different reasons, but I give slight preference to the older shade.

Cheers!

 

[Watchman1]

Burnham in whiskey cordovan? Wow, bet they're stunning. I know @TtownMD has a pair of burnham in crocodile (or gator?), and they're spectacular

 

[Watchman1]

@flylikeneagle looks like they called it "Dark Whiskey". Nevertheless, they are amazing indeed.

I believe G&G stopped working with shell cordovan altogether. Or, they only work with black and #8 nowadays.

A pity because the above pair are wonderful

 

[jischwar]

I estimate these to be a decade old (or more). Are they branded Ralph Lauren or CJ?

These are basically old cigar. Horween began the process of creating dark cognac around 10 yrs ago now.

Dark cognac has more olive undertones, whereas this iteration has more reddish/orange.

I like both shades for different reasons, but I give slight preference to the older shade.

Cheers!

As I understand it, the "Cigar" along with "Ravello" are exclusive to Alden

 

[Watchman1]

Yes, “exclusive” is rebranded for various makers referred to by different names.

Semantics my man

 

[jischwar]

Yes, “exclusive” is rebranded for various makers referred to by different names.

Semantics my man

Don't know of any other brands that have exclusive colors. What other names does Ravello go by if your statement holds true?

 

[Crizzlelovesyou]

As I understand it, the "Cigar" along with "Ravello" are exclusive to Alden

The dye color is exclusive, but Horween does not enforce any naming policies. So C&J can still call their dark cognac cigar, or AE and Whites can call it just brown, or GS can call it Maduro, but its all Dark Cognac. Naming isnt enforced. There's no Whiskey shell for a few years now either, but bourbon is still being labeled as Whiskey by Alden and C&J because thats the closest thing Horween produces today.

Only Alden can have exclusive colors too, any other maker that requests exclusive rights to a color will be denied. But it gets convoluted because use of the name isn't allowed to be exclusive or at least isn't enforced in any way.

Yes, “exclusive” is rebranded for various makers referred to by different names.

Semantics my man

 

[barutanseijin]

I estimate these to be a decade old (or more). Are they branded Ralph Lauren or CJ?

These are basically old cigar. Horween began the process of creating dark cognac around 10 yrs ago now.

Dark cognac has more olive undertones, whereas this iteration has more reddish/orange.

I like both shades for different reasons, but I give slight preference to the older shade.

Cheers!

They’re CJ.

 

[Watchman1]

I saw identical hides designated for different makers while at Horween

 

[Watchman1]

I can tell you what was exclusive and hush, hush. How Alden gets that shiny glaze on their shells. Definitely proprietary to Alden. But, I’m certain Alden does that entire treatment in house and not connected to Horween

 

[Watchman1]

The dye color is exclusive, but Horween does not enforce any naming policies. So C&J can still call their dark cognac cigar, or AE and Whites can call it just brown, or GS can call it Maduro, but its all Dark Cognac. Naming isnt enforced. There's no Whiskey shell for a few years now either, but bourbon is still being labeled as Whiskey by Alden and C&J because thats the closest thing Horween produces today.

Only Alden can have exclusive colors too, any other maker that requests exclusive rights to a color will be denied. But it gets convoluted because use of the name isn't allowed to be exclusive or at least isn't enforced in any way.

My question for you is why does Carmina offer shades like “Saddle” and “natural” which are far more similar to old whiskey than bourbon?

 

[Crizzlelovesyou]

My question for you is why does Carmina offer shades like “Saddle” and “natural” which are far more similar to old whiskey than bourbon?

Natural is just undyed and saddle is a color they've had for a long time and is just a different dye. Horween names colors not based on what they look like as a final product, but on the dye name. In many cases when a dye color is discontinued the name is changed. Brandy is gone as well. People often hype a color based on the dye, but you can usually get something pretty gosh darn close even when the color is discontinued.

 

[Watchman1]

Natural is just undyed and saddle is a color they've had for a long time and is just a different dye. Horween names colors not based on what they look like as a final product, but on the dye name. In many cases when a dye color is discontinued the name is changed. Brandy is gone as well. People often hype a color based on the dye, but you can usually get something pretty gosh darn close even when the color is discontinued.

I am aware of everything you say here. Skip refers to the lighter shades as “clear”.

I think what I’m driving at is a principle more so, as in why does Carmina have lighter shades like natural and saddle which are nearly identical to old Alden whiskey?

And yet, Alden chooses to just use bourbon in place of old whiskey? BTW Carmina offers bourbon on top of those other shades too.

Moreover, it seems to me Carmina’s “Amaretto” is almost identical to old Alden Ravello…

I’ve been beating around the bush here…I think Alden is a cantankerous old man in the shoemaking world who is set in his ways…

They make amazing shoes but boy are they old fashioned in the way they do things…