Australian Members

Originally Posted by whistler

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I've heard Pediwear and Plal mentioned a few times on this forum. I'll have to check them out.
+1
- may I suggest you go into Josephs (why are they so unhappy in there) 0r who ever now stocks Church's & get your size then order from Plal.
- I got them all delivered within 3 days of ordering!
- please don't buy those Florsheims.. They are FUGLY

One week after getting them




A few months later & still HAPPY FEET

Superb collection!!!! I am definitely inspired...

Nice collection PG. Once you buy a pair of quality English or Italian shoes, made from top quality leather, you will wonder how you ever survived in the distant colony of Australia, where plasticy 4th-rate clodhoppers extort premium mark-ups...

JH Cutler stock EG, and I believe Henry Bucks also stock C&J - so there are options available if you don't want to purchase online. Having said that, I shudder to think what you would pay for these shoes in those boutiques - perhaps its not as bad as I imagine but if the prices for Churches in Josephs are anything to go by (bearing in mind the models they sell are usually polished binder and only 1/2 leather lined), I'd say you'll be paying a high premium.

Phat Guido: do you have any experience in these stores looking for quality handmade shoes?

I know that some people argue that it's unethical to order from overseas stockists rather than buying from Australian stores, or that if we don't buy from Australian stores they will cease to stock good clothes and our situation will become even more dire. The latter argument does have some merit.

However, notwithstanding that, I really don't wish to pay $1000 for second rate shoes (such as corrected-grain Churchs) when I can purchase the exact same shoes for about 40% of the price from an internet vendor in the UK or Malaysia. I know that the Australian stockist needs to mark up the price so as to make a profit and so as to compensate for the cost of maintaining an inventory, but the prices of such shoes in Australia really are ridiculous, even bearing in mind that we are a small market.

I would rather risk the cost of returning a shoe to somewhere such as Pediwe@r or P.L@l than pay unreasonably high prices for inferior shoes here. If that means that those merchants cease to stock low-grade Churchs, then so be it...

Originally Posted by Prince of Paisley

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JH Cutler stock EG, and I believe Henry Bucks also stock C&J
Phat Guido: do you have any experience in these stores looking for quality handmade shoes?
- I used to be a client of Cutler, just never the same when the split happened - to be fair I much prefer the style & service of Karl to John.. Each to their own.
- HB.. I would only buy socks or hankies from - the service is shite, which is general in Australia.. Though you then have gems such as Ethan @ Herringbone

Originally Posted by Journeyman

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I know that some people argue that it's unethical to order from overseas stockists rather than buying from Australian stores, or that if we don't buy from Australian stores they will cease to stock good clothes and our situation will become even more dire. The latter argument does have some merit.
- I the price I could live with if the service was there as I am one to try & give support where & when possible, but the likes of Joseph & Henry Bucks have a lot to learn on the other hand I would never had even walked back into let alone purchase anything from Herringbone if the service was not by Ethan.

Originally Posted by Journeyman

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I know that some people argue that it's unethical to order from overseas stockists rather than buying from Australian stores, or that if we don't buy from Australian stores they will cease to stock good clothes and our situation will become even more dire. The latter argument does have some merit.

I don't entirely agree. If we persist in buying either the inferior stuff the majority of vendors here offer, or pay the ridiculous mark-ups for half-decent apparel, what kind of signal does that send to the local importers? It says that we are willing to pay top dollar for stuff that should cost half as much or less and that we are all content with looking like daggy colonials in our thongs and square-toed shoes! If that's the message we send then why would these shops suddenly start offering better quality goods at more reasonable prices when no one seems to be interested?

This forum is evidence there is a market for quality clothes in Australia. And the market would probably grow once word spreads beyond the few enlightened souls on this forum.

There is room I think for an Australian Plal or Pediwear in Australia. Without heammorraging money on the exhorbitant rents charged for a shop in the Strand, the business could keep a decent inventory of actual stock. Of course the necessary relationships with the manufacturers would have to be built, and this is more difficult to do than setting up a web shop.

If some entrepreneurial retail visionary out there wants to go this idea it I'd be buying my shoes there as well, support the Aussie and all that. But until then, it defeats the purpose of encouraging the local retailers to embrace better quality products.

..

The service in most shops in Australia is rubbish. Maybe its an outgrowth of our supposed Australian egalitarianism that we get all chippy when we have to serve other people.

Employing uni students and backpackers as retail assistants may also have something to do with it!

Originally Posted by Prince of Paisley

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I don't entirely agree. If we persist in buying either the inferior stuff the majority of vendors here offer, or pay the ridiculous mark-ups for half-decent apparel, what kind of signal does that send to the local importers? It says that we are willing to pay top dollar for stuff that should cost half as much or less and that we are all content with looking like daggy colonials in our thongs and square-toed shoes!

If that's the message we send then why would these shops suddenly start offering better quality goods at more reasonable prices when no one seems to be interested?

This forum is evidence there is a market for quality clothes in Australia. And the market would probably grow once word spreads beyond the few enlightened souls on this forum.



+1

Originally Posted by merkur

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I too had **** service at Joseph's; you're talking about the one in Strand Arcade, no?

+1 on Josephs at the strand. The guy there is a moron and knows little or nothing about the Loakes he carries. The middle aged guy at DJs on the other hand is not bad nor is that mob in Melbourne that carries a selected range of Loakes.

McLouds I presume mean. I don't believe that McClouds stock Loake 1880's but should.

Originally Posted by misterjase

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McLouds I presume mean. I don't believe that McClouds stock Loake 1880's but should.

McClouds has a small range of Loake, and they do have some from the 1880 line.

I have bought a few shoes in Melbourne over the years but rarely use them. They are not very good and are quite expensive.

To travel around the world, Australians sometimes have to go to Singapore. When considering some of the prices here, I would suggest going to the shoemaker in Ho Chi Minh City. He is called Tran Quoc Lan. The off the shelf shoes are quite good and he will custom make shoes as well. They will be about 80 to 100 AUD per pair. The construction is excellent but the quality of the leather is not good but not the best. It take some time to get shoes made. Using Tiger airways, you can get to Saigon pretty cheaply.

You cannot underestimate the effect of a good pair of shoes.

Hey guys,

Anyone know of anywhere in Perth to get even semi-decent shoes? I'm living in the UK at the moment but returning in June and shudder at the thought of shoe shopping in Perth (especially given my large wide feet - 13G fit...). I recently bought a pair of Tricker's Black Regents (Plain cap toe Oxfords) from the Jermyn St Store and some Allen Edmonds Burgundy Penny Loafers (heresy buying them in the UK I know but the fit was great) and just can't go back to Florsheim et al. I guess I should do one big shoe trying on day in London and note which brands fit me well and then order online... or even just stock up before I come back.

*sigh*

Originally Posted by Prince of Paisley

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The service in most shops in Australia is rubbish. Maybe its an outgrowth of our supposed Australian egalitarianism that we get all chippy when we have to serve other people.

Employing uni students and backpackers as retail assistants may also have something to do with it!

+1 So many stores here employ children (or what appear to be children) and what does a child know about good customer service? It's a disgrace all over the country I'm afraid.