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

[Rodrigo Penalva]

That burgundy is fantastic!

just realized I answered the wrong post.

 

[Rodrigo Penalva]

Hello there,

I was monitoring the forum for a while now.
I have a few pairs from TLB, 1 alan boot pair in light brown, 1 mto boot pair in burgundy and the last one that i got today is a mto double monks with a special leather.

First pair from the classic line (KEVIN in ALAN last):



MTO Pair (ALAN last) :


Tony took my request since it wasn't possible to do what i wanted on the MTO "maker"
I also dyed the cap myself on this pair.


And the last pair i got today who is a MTO from the artista line (GOYA LAST) :


I have to say Toni is a nice person. Easy to reach, for now It will probably be harder to reach him as the brand grow.

Since i also have two pairs of Carminas (one double monk and a pair of boots in cordovan) feel free to ask if you have any related question).

Hi Rekla,

Thanks for your post. I’m wanting to buy the TLB artista Goya last Double Monks, but I don’t want to fail on the sizing. I have a pair of 8.5UK forest last balmoral boots that don’t fit because they are too small, specially around the instep, which doesn’t close. Toni has recommended me to buy the 8.5 in TLB but I’m afraid they‘ll again fall short, most other spanish brands I size a 43, aka 9uk. How do you think both makers compare size wise? Thanks again!

 

[jayteee]

Report on newly arrived TLB Artista Burgundy Adelaides (Model 107):

--- The finishing is superb and better than other shoe brands at that price. That includes the smooth outsole, the narrow waist, the buffed leather and rubber on the heel, the burnishing, the edge work, etc.
--- They fit amazingly and comfortably with no V gap in the laces.
--- The Picasso last looks to be a near clone to Carmina's rain last, but with a narrower waist.
--- TLB has a loose, floppy tongue compared to the stiffer tongues of other premium brands in the same price range. Not necessarily a negative, but thought it worth mentioning.
--- The burgundy (burdeos) color is stunning and will complement even a charcoal gray suit.
--- The absence of brogueing on the heel of the 107 makes it more elegant than other adelaides.
--- Appears to be a 2-3 centimeter patch of scuffed leather or crazing on the side of the vamp of one shoe. It was polished over. Would prefer it wasn't there, but it's relatively minor and invisible from eye level.
--- One toe is slightly crooked where it's attached to the outsole. Again, it's scarcely noticeable: I had to hold shoes up to a mirror to spot the flaw.
--- The laces are flat and synthetic material and don't hold a knot as well as round, cotton laces.
--- Overall, I'm pleased with the purchase and, assuming the shoes are durable and maintain their good looks, would buy from TLB again.

 

[LThomsen]

Show us some pictures.
How do these tlb shoes compare to other brands below $1000?
I recently saw a video on elegant oxfords which reported that the mto tlb shoes reviewed had better attention to detail and finishing than EG

 

[j ingevaldsson]

Report on newly arrived TLB Artista Burgundy Adelaides (Model 107):

--- The finishing is superb and better than other shoe brands at that price. That includes the smooth outsole, the narrow waist, the buffed leather and rubber on the heel, the burnishing, the edge work, etc.
--- They fit amazingly and comfortably with no V gap in the laces.
--- The Picasso last looks to be a near clone to Carmina's rain last, but with a narrower waist.
--- TLB has a loose, floppy tongue compared to the stiffer tongues of other premium brands in the same price range. Not necessarily a negative, but thought it worth mentioning.
--- The burgundy (burdeos) color is stunning and will complement even a charcoal gray suit.
--- The absence of brogueing on the heel of the 107 makes it more elegant than other adelaides.
--- Appears to be a 2-3 centimeter patch of scuffed leather or crazing on the side of the vamp of one shoe. It was polished over. Would prefer it wasn't there, but it's relatively minor and invisible from eye level.
--- One toe is slightly crooked where it's attached to the outsole. Again, it's scarcely noticeable: I had to hold shoes up to a mirror to spot the flaw.
--- The laces are flat and synthetic material and don't hold a knot as well as round, cotton laces.
--- Overall, I'm pleased with the purchase and, assuming the shoes are durable and maintain their good looks, would buy from TLB again.

Glad to hear you are pleased with your Artista pair! One note regarding the laces, they are made of cotton but then waxed.
As stated above, pics please!

 

[jayteee]

Glad to hear you are pleased with your Artista pair! One note regarding the laces, they are made of cotton but then waxed.
As stated above, pics please!

Thanks for the correction on the laces. Mine kept coming undone, so it must be the fresh wax.

 

[jayteee]

Show us some pictures.
How do these tlb shoes compare to other brands below $1000?
I recently saw a video on elegant oxfords which reported that the mto tlb shoes reviewed had better attention to detail and finishing than EG

I can only speak for the Vass and C&J benchgrade that I own (and Carminas). My initial comparisons:

---TLB finishing is superior to both of the other makers and the shoes are a better value, assuming you paid full price for Vass and C&J. They cost $405 with free shipping.
--- Vass seems a little sturdier with soles I assume will wear longer. That's a tribute to their hand-welted construction and JR soles. TLB is a more "Italianate."
--- TLB's soles are one-third thinner than Vass'. So you'll need to repair sooner, regardless of the outsole leather quality. Carmina's outsoles are thicker than TLB's AND Vass'. That's a sign of quality in my book.
--- C&J soles wore out quickly, like those of some other British makers, so I think TLB's will be better. TLB was much sleeker and stylish when held beside my classic C&J cap toe Oxford.
--- TLB's leather comes with tradeoffs: The vegano leather is more natural and creased more initially than Vass' boxcalf and museum calf did. But in both cases we're only talking about a couple hours' wear, so it's too soon to tell. On the other hand, the vegano absorbed Saphir products better than the museum and box calf did.
--- I tried the TLB burgundy adelaides with a charcoal suit and burgundy tie and they were stunning together. I thought the color would be too loud for charcoal. The burnishing/factory polishing on the TLBs helped, because the burgundy's redness was dampened a bit so they paired better with dark grays.
--- The advice to take your "normal size" with TLB rang true. The same UK 10.5 worked equally well in Carmina and TLB. Like I said before, the TLB Picasso is clearly indebted to Carmina's rain last.
--- Weighing everything I would argue TLB and Carmina are EQUAL value. Carmina's soles are almost twice as thick as TLB's, without sacrificing sleekness. And they give you "free" shoe trees. In my opinion, that is worth the extra $70 you pay for Carmina. So I would make a decision based on looks and style and not on "value."

 

[Betelgeuse]

Thanks for the correction on the laces. Mine kept coming undone, so it must be the fresh wax.

Great shoes. If your laces come undone try another method to lace them. I use this one or the Berluti (I think) knot and they never come undone.

 

[nevaeh]

Thanks for the correction on the laces. Mine kept coming undone, so it must be the fresh wax.

Beautiful shoes! About your laces coming undone, you should do two things to fix this issue: First, tie your laces so that that the knot sits perpendicular to the tongue. Your knot should form a T, not an I as it does right now, for the "I" is an inherently weak knot. You should be able to fix this by changing the order in which you pass through your loops.

Second, as @Betelgeuse mentioned, try a Berluti or Parisian knot. Kirby Allison has videos on these.

Your laces will be more secure with these two steps. I doubt it's an issue with TLB's laces, as the general experience with them, including mine, has always been good.

 

[gld edmond]

Report on newly arrived TLB Artista Burgundy Adelaides (Model 107):

--- The finishing is superb and better than other shoe brands at that price. That includes the smooth outsole, the narrow waist, the buffed leather and rubber on the heel, the burnishing, the edge work, etc.
--- They fit amazingly and comfortably with no V gap in the laces.
--- The Picasso last looks to be a near clone to Carmina's rain last, but with a narrower waist.
--- TLB has a loose, floppy tongue compared to the stiffer tongues of other premium brands in the same price range. Not necessarily a negative, but thought it worth mentioning.
--- The burgundy (burdeos) color is stunning and will complement even a charcoal gray suit.
--- The absence of brogueing on the heel of the 107 makes it more elegant than other adelaides.
--- Appears to be a 2-3 centimeter patch of scuffed leather or crazing on the side of the vamp of one shoe. It was polished over. Would prefer it wasn't there, but it's relatively minor and invisible from eye level.
--- One toe is slightly crooked where it's attached to the outsole. Again, it's scarcely noticeable: I had to hold shoes up to a mirror to spot the flaw.
--- The laces are flat and synthetic material and don't hold a knot as well as round, cotton laces.
--- Overall, I'm pleased with the purchase and, assuming the shoes are durable and maintain their good looks, would buy from TLB again.

Love those shoes, I am considering the same exact model. You mentioned Rain, is the heel any tighter? Do you take the same size in both? Thanks!

 

[Patrick1053]

Love those shoes, I am considering the same exact model. You mentioned Rain, is the heel any tighter? Do you take the same size in both? Thanks!

TLB Artista heels (including Picasso) are definitely tighter then Carmina Rain. Rain is not the best fit for my foot, but I would definitely go with the same size. TLB Artista has a slimmer heel and waist, but I would not change size for that.

 

[jayteee]

Love those shoes, I am considering the same exact model. You mentioned Rain, is the heel any tighter? Do you take the same size in both? Thanks!

Exact same size in Rain and nearly the same fit. UK 10.5 in both cases. The only difference I could feel is the Carmina Rain pinches my pinky toe slightly (without discomfort) and the TLB is roomier in that place. The TLB heel is structurally narrower inside and outside the shoes, but they fit almost identically to the Carmina once I slipped the foot in. Not contradicting the previous poster, but just describing my experience. (My heels are narrow so probably couldn't feel the difference in width)

 

[Patrick1053]

Exact same size in Rain and nearly the same fit. UK 10.5 in both cases. The only difference I could feel is the Carmina Rain pinches my pinky toe slightly (without discomfort) and the TLB is roomier in that place. The TLB heel is structurally narrower inside and outside the shoes, but they fit almost identically to the Carmina once I slipped the foot in. Not contradicting the previous poster, but just describing my experience. (My heels are narrow so probably couldn't feel the difference in width)

I agree physically and visually TLB Heel and Waist are narrower, but the fit is not altered too much. Definitely, not to the point of changing sizes.

 

[te0o]

Do you usually wear your normal size on TLB shoes compared to shoes from UK shoemakers (e.g. Edward Green)? Talking about the Picasso last here, but any info would be useful.

I was advised by Toni from TLB to go half a size lower compared to EG but have been reading quite a lot of conflicting opinions on this, including from people who haven't had the need to size down.

 

[lowland4me]

Do you usually wear your normal size on TLB shoes compared to shoes from UK shoemakers (e.g. Edward Green)? Talking about the Picasso last here, but any info would be useful.

I was advised by Toni from TLB to go half a size lower compared to EG but have been reading quite a lot of conflicting opinions on this, including from people who haven't had the need to size down.

All that I have to offer from my limited experience with TLB is that I would go with whatever size that Toni suggestion. I was in a major Decision making cross roads when I ordered my 107’s on the Picasso last. Toni looked at the measurements for my feet and made his recommendation. His recommendation was spot on. Just my two cents worth, go with what Toni says would be my advice. I don’t know whether I just helped you there, or made it worse. Take it for what it’s worth.