The Shell Cordovan, non-Alden Shoe and Boot Thread

[stook1]

My first pair of Carminas... a few years old now.

 

[Leaves]

Löf & Tung Francisco in 3 x Colors of Horween Shell. RTW.

 

[cop1211]

Where would one order Vass in Cordovan, I’ve bought a few pairs of leather Vass from Mehra.
Please don’t say contact Vass direct, I’ve tried multiple ways, and never get a response.

 

[Leaves]

Where would one order Vass in Cordovan, I’ve bought a few pairs of leather Vass from Mehra.
Please don’t say contact Vass direct, I’ve tried multiple ways, and never get a response.

Why not Mehra?

 

[jischwar]

Where would one order Vass in Cordovan, I’ve bought a few pairs of leather Vass from Mehra.
Please don’t say contact Vass direct, I’ve tried multiple ways, and never get a response.

They only offer shoes in cordovan, no boots but reach out to Mehra

 

[Patrick1053]

Where would one order Vass in Cordovan, I’ve bought a few pairs of leather Vass from Mehra.
Please don’t say contact Vass direct, I’ve tried multiple ways, and never get a response.

I don't think Mehra offers cordovan as an option from Vass. I'm not sure why. I'd ask him again, but whatever you do, don't order from Ascot shoes. They are crooks.

 

[broiler]

Where would one order Vass in Cordovan, I’ve bought a few pairs of leather Vass from Mehra.
Please don’t say contact Vass direct, I’ve tried multiple ways, and never get a response.

I was looking for Vass shell boots last year and the two online storefronts I found were Mehra and Ascot Shoes and I reached out to both (as well as Vass directly but never heard back despite multiple emails). I believe Ascot is the official UK storefront for Vass but both appeared to have direct communication with Vass. Mehra was very helpful over the phone and we discussed what I wanted and how ordering worked. Two weeks later, they were upfront and told me Vass hadn't responded to their request, and they believed Vass wasn't doing shell cordovan custom orders at the moment.

Ascot previously offered MTO Vass make-ups of both bluchers and chukkas in brown shell but they're not offering these anymore and the discussion with them went the same way.

I'd still suggest reaching out to both Mehra and Ascot to confirm what Vass can do ATM.

If that doesn't work, I'd suggest reaching out to Rozsnyai which is what I ended up doing. They were very responsive over email and they can do any style that Vass can do. They let you specify every detail of a custom order for what amounts to about the same or slightly less than a custom order from Carmina. I don't own any Vass but I understand the quality is comparable with the main visible difference being that Rozsnyai uses a thicker thread in their goyser stitch making it look chunkier. I originally preferred the Vass goyser style but the Rozsnyai has grown on me.

 

[broiler]

I don't think Mehra offers cordovan as an option from Vass. I'm not sure why. I'd ask him again, but whatever you do, don't order from Ascot shoes. They are crooks.

Interested in your experience with Ascot. I will say I got a questionable vibe from them. They had an MTO web posting for Vass shell chukkas that said they were taking orders for GBP 799. I emailed them to order a pair of these and they never responded. The next day they quietly increased the online price to GBP 999. I reached out to them 2 weeks later to inquire about these and they said they weren't offering them anymore but would I be interested in a different chukka make up for GBP 699 (they attached some pics). To me it looked like a Meermin chukka (definitely wasn't Carmina) and I asked what maker this was from. They responded it was "one of their Spanish partners."

Don't know if my experience is typical but if so, that would be a red flag to me.

 

[Patrick1053]

Interested in your experience with Ascot. I will say I got a questionable vibe from them. They had an MTO web posting for Vass shell chukkas that said they were taking orders for GBP 799. I emailed them to order a pair of these and they never responded. The next day they increased the online price to GBP 999. I reached out to them 2 weeks later to inquire about these and they said they weren't offering them anymore but would I be interested in a different chukka make up for GBP 699 (they attached some pics). To me it looked like a Meermin chukka (definitely wasn't Carmina) and I asked what maker this was from. They responded it was "one of their Spanish partners."

Don't know if my experience is typical but if so, that would be a red flag to me.

They way overprice everything they sell. They are not an honest retailer like Mehra. He is excellent, and I've MTO ed multiply pairs of shoes from him, at a very reasonable price. Let me give you an example. These to shoes are the same (literally) but look at the mark-up ASScot put on them.

I also, have a negative experience with them cause I paid $800 for a pair of Vass black cap toes, because they said they "use high grades of leather" and "adjust the last to get a bespoke like fit for me" They also told me that they would remake them if they did not fit. I thought that was cool, and I was willing to pay the mark up for what seemed to me to be a "fit guarantee" The first pair arrived, and was way to big. After, about 30 emails arguing with them, they finally agreed to remake them as was promised. The second pair didn't fit either. They stopped replying at that point, and too much time had passed for me to dispute the charge.

 

[wesleeatl]

They way overprice everything they sell. They are not an honest retailer like Mehra. He is excellent, and I've MTO ed multiply pairs of shoes from him, at a very reasonable price. Let me give you an example. These to shoes are the same (literally) but look at the mark-up ASScot put on them.

I also, have a negative experience with them cause I paid $800 for a pair of Vass black cap toes, because they said they "use high grades of leather" and "adjust the last to get a bespoke like fit for me" They also told me that they would remake them if they did not fit. I thought that was cool, and I was willing to pay the mark up for what seemed to me to be a "fit guarantee" The first pair arrived, and was way to big. After, about 30 emails arguing with them, they finally agreed to remake them as was promised. The second pair didn't fit either. They stopped replying at that point, and too much time had passed for me to dispute the charge.

unrelated to shell footwear, but I had a few pairs of trousers on order from an affiliate vendor. After 10 months of going back and forth about the status, they just stopped replying. I reached out to my credit card company and opened a case to dispute. Pasted all email correspondence, as well as the copy from company website about how long it takes for trousers to be made, and they immediately refunded my money (it was not a small amount).

 

[broiler]

They way overprice everything they sell. They are not an honest retailer like Mehra. He is excellent, and I've MTO ed multiply pairs of shoes from him, at a very reasonable price. Let me give you an example. These to shoes are the same (literally) but look at the mark-up ASScot put on them.

I also, have a negative experience with them cause I paid $800 for a pair of Vass black cap toes, because they said they "use high grades of leather" and "adjust the last to get a bespoke like fit for me" They also told me that they would remake them if they did not fit. I thought that was cool, and I was willing to pay the mark up for what seemed to me to be a "fit guarantee" The first pair arrived, and was way to big. After, about 30 emails arguing with them, they finally agreed to remake them as was promised. The second pair didn't fit either. They stopped replying at that point, and too much time had passed for me to dispute the charge.

That's terrible and sorry you had to go through that. OK Ascot is on my blacklist. I got a good vibe from Mehra and glad to hear the experience with them was positive.

Sizing online can be tricky and I'm still not sure how to crack that.

With Rozsnyai they recommended I do a trial pair for what worked out to about $120 shipped (they do a test make-up with cheap materials before crafting the custom order so you can try on and confirm the fit and sizing). In hindsight I should have done that but was impatient and wanted them to start the order. Based on my foot measurements they didn't seem to believe I was actually a U.S. 8.5D or 8E (they seemed to think I should be EEE or US 10 in standard lasts for the width to be correct). I told them I was brannock 8.5D, had years comfortably wearing Alden, Carmina and C&J in 8.5D (occasionally 8E), UK 7.5 and EU 41.5.

When I received the boots, they were slightly long but comfortable. It felt like US 9D (I had ordered size EU 41.5). When I mentioned to them, of their own accord they sent me a new pair of slightly thicker cork insoles (Rozsnyai uses removable insoles) which made the fit a little better. Had I done the trial pair, I would have asked for a half size smaller but I'm happy with the fit and give high marks to Rozsnyai for their customer experience.

 

[SRV]

Where would one order Vass in Cordovan, I’ve bought a few pairs of leather Vass from Mehra.
Please don’t say contact Vass direct, I’ve tried multiple ways, and never get a response.

I got a response from Reka @ Vass Sales ([email protected]) few months back when I enquired. They had limited supplies of Color 8 and Dark Brown Horween but only enough for shoes and not enough for a pair of boots.

 

[stook1]

On deck to be cleaned up tonight. Haven't worn this pair in a long while and I have not the slightest idea how I managed to get them so beat up last time I wore them.

 

[Leaves]

Where would one order Vass in Cordovan, I’ve bought a few pairs of leather Vass from Mehra.
Please don’t say contact Vass direct, I’ve tried multiple ways, and never get a response.

Did you look at Bonafè? In many regards the are quite similar. Hand welted, small production, family operated etc. And they are experts in Shell Cordovan as well.

 

[Patrick1053]

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