Who makes Gianfranco Ferre mainline shoes?

[PocketCircle]

and what do you think of the quality?

i would like to learn about mainline shoes not gf ferre, ferre milano or ferre studio.

thanks

 

[rach2jlc]

For a long time they were made by Vicini, IIRC, but since Ferre passed away I'm not sure if they switched makers.

What I've seen have been mostly typical "designer" quality... often fashion-forward shapes but pretty fun. About in line with the other major designers (Gucci, Valentino, Prada, etc.) , meaning a mid-range $300 shoe at a $500-700 price point. Probably blake-stitched or glued, unless at a much higher price point or a special offering.

Worth it if you really like the style, but don't expect "hidden gem" quality. I would buy them only on sale or for a "fun" shoe that wouldn't be a staple or worn that often.

 

[PocketCircle]

Originally Posted by rach2jlc

For a long time they were made by Vicini, IIRC, but since Ferre passed away I'm not sure if they switched makers.

What I've seen have been mostly typical "designer" quality... often fashion-forward shapes but pretty fun. About in line with the other major designers (Gucci, Valentino, Prada, etc.) , meaning a mid-range $300 shoe at a $500-700 price point. Probably blake-stitched or glued, unless at a much higher price point or a special offering.

Worth it if you really like the style, but don't expect "hidden gem" quality. I would buy them only on sale or for a "fun" shoe that wouldn't be a staple or worn that often.

Who makes the GF Ferre and Ferre Milano shoes then? Apparently they are made by different producers.

 

[rach2jlc]

Originally Posted by PocketCircle

Who makes the GF Ferre and Ferre Milano shoes then? Apparently they are made by different producers.
I don't know who makes the other shoes. The entire brand is owned by Ittierre SpA and so I'd assume that the diffusion lines (especially GF Ferre) are made in their facilities. While I like a lot of the mainline, the diffusions have always left me less than impressed, especially the GF Ferre line, which tries to be trendy and sporty but usually comes across garish and behind the times. So, I don't know much about the non-mainline stuff.

 

[PocketCircle]

Thanks for the info. Strangely my fav jeans are of GF Ferre brand. They have some good jeans but the rest doesn't appeal to me.

 

[rach2jlc]

Originally Posted by PocketCircle

Thanks for the info. Strangely my fav jeans are of GF Ferre brand. They have some good jeans but the rest doesn't appeal to me.
You are welcome. I definitely should have been less categorical in my assessment of the Ferre diffusions; from time to time I've seen some items that I've really liked from shirts to pants even to some simple sneakers. BUT, overall, for the price and overall presentation of the collections (not to mention the often shoddy quality), I don't really recommend them much.