Portugese and Spanish shoes

Most of the "brands" coming from there have been covered. There are a lot of little no-brand or never-heard-of shoes coming from there.

The reason a lot of companies outsource to Spain and Portugal is because of the large number of migrant workers who come to there for work from the former colonies. Most factories pay wages that are technically illegal.

Is there any sort of access to Carmina stateside? I was excited to see SkyValet before I realized that this was a necropost.

Hello to all. I am also from Spain, and I think that you can't compare spanish shoes with Portuguese shoes. Here there are known brands with years of tradition, and now I am seeing many portuguese shoes being sold door by door fror €100. That can't be good.

Speaking about brands, Carmina is the one with most tradition and made by the same people. Others have passed through many hands (the companies like Yanko and others). So, if you want good shoes, good cordovan, quality and variety, Carmina Albadalejo is your brand.

I have a Collection of over 50 shoes and 6 or 7 Carmina Pairs si I can compare. The Cordovans are really good looking, the designs are grear, althogh they are a bit less resisitant that the Aldens because their cordovan is thinner (they reduce it a bit). Nevertheless, the look is astonishing and easy to shine, not like the Crockett & Jones Cordovan. The construction is in pair with Aldens and Handgrades og C&J at least.

On common leather, the price says a lot. The problem is that they made many models and the quality is irregular depending on the shoe. Price is a good indicator.

Hope this helps. I have reviewed in my blog 2 different pairs of them, and I am willing to do more. Sorry the reviews are in Spanish, but the pictures are good. If there is a lot of interest, I could translate some. Today I eill review some Savile C&J handgrade.

Regards.

Originally Posted by blahgspot

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The construction uses a proprietary welting which is based on the Goodyear method, and some of them have crepe rubber soles. While many "purists" are put off by this, you must realize that in Spain, it is normal for an average person, even a businessman, to walk several miles a day. Even going to lunch could entail a 1-hr round trip walk. As such, rubber soles tend to hold up better on dirty and bustling streets, as well as providing security in the rain from slick conditions (unlike other countries, especially the USA, it is not an option to use your car for a dozen efficient trips each day).

Most businessmen I see in Spain don't seem to do that much of walking. I don't have the impression that most Spanish businessmen walk more than, let's say, their Swedish or German colleagues. They often drive to lunch (many restaurants have guys who park your car so that you don't have to bother about that) and drive back a bit drunk (maybe less now than a few years ago, but still...).

The streets may be dirtier than the Swedish and German ones, but certainly not more rainy (unless you happen to live on the north coast, maybe). I am living in Madrid and most of my shoes are leather sole ones (with topys, but that is just gready me who want to preserve the soles to save money). If I were living in Sweden (especially, if living in Gothenburg), I would probably have a higher proportion of rubber soles in my rotation.

Earlier in this (old) thread I favoured Carmina. I have now four pairs of Carmina, including a pair of suede rubber sole derbies which I am wearing today (it is a rainy day). I am still very happy with Carmina. Actually, they are basically the only Spanish shoes I buy (I am a great fan of Santoni).

Originally Posted by blahgspot

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While many "purists" are put off by this, you must realize that in Spain, it is normal for an average person, even a businessman, to walk several miles a day. Even going to lunch could entail a 1-hr round trip walk. As such, rubber soles tend to hold up better on dirty and bustling streets, as well as providing security in the rain from slick conditions (unlike other countries, especially the USA, it is not an option to use your car for a dozen efficient trips each day).

I´ve lived in Spain for more than a decade and I´ve yet to see this. The average business person walks 1-2 blocks to the subway, bus or car with his leather-soled shoes (probably not Goodyear welt). It´s the average non exec (e.g., IT geek, blue collar worker) who wears rubber soles today. As far as "dirty" streets go, they´re unfortunately a lot worse in any U.S. city I´ve lived in (SF, NY..) than Madrid.

Originally Posted by pinchi22

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I´ve lived in Spain for more than a decade and I´ve yet to see this. The average business person walks 1-2 blocks to the subway, bus or car with his leather-soled shoes (probably not Goodyear welt). It´s the average non exec (e.g., IT geek, blue collar worker) who wears rubber soles today. As far as "dirty" streets go, they´re unfortunately a lot worse in any U.S. city I´ve lived in (SF, NY..) than Madrid.

That is probably true. In Madrid, people don't walk much, becasuse the metro or subway is amzingly good. You can go anywhere with it.

Also, there is a lot of tradition on using the car, but local governments are fighting slowly against it.

In my personal case, I walk about half an hour everyday, because it takes 15m to get to the office. I have a great collection of shoes, but I had to put metal in top of the sole to avoid going too much to the cobbler. A pity.

Here it does not rain a lot, but when it does, is pretty heavy. The proble many times is that you can't anticipate it aand find yourself with good shoes in the rain. I usually try to be careful on that matter.

I have some shoes for the rain, but most of them are not well prepared. I only have 2 pairs with rubber sole (of more that 50).

Originally Posted by epa

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Most businessmen I see in Spain don't seem to do that much of walking. I don't have the impression that most Spanish businessmen walk more than, let's say, their Swedish or German colleagues. They often drive to lunch (many restaurants have guys who park your car so that you don't have to bother about that) and drive back a bit drunk (maybe less now than a few years ago, but still...).

The streets may be dirtier than the Swedish and German ones, but certainly not more rainy (unless you happen to live on the north coast, maybe). I am living in Madrid and most of my shoes are leather sole ones (with topys, but that is just gready me who want to preserve the soles to save money). If I were living in Sweden (especially, if living in Gothenburg), I would probably have a higher proportion of rubber soles in my rotation.

Earlier in this (old) thread I favoured Carmina. I have now four pairs of Carmina, including a pair of suede rubber sole derbies which I am wearing today (it is a rainy day). I am still very happy with Carmina. Actually, they are basically the only Spanish shoes I buy (I am a great fan of Santoni).

And honestly, generalizing is not good. You are saying that spanish people drive drunk (which is not true) and that the streets are dirty.

The streets in Madrid have benn VERY clean for the last 10 years or so, much much cleaner than, for example New York. I found really surprising that there all the bean bags are in the street, for example, and they smell. In Madrid, that does not happen. The street does not smell, not as in many countries where i have travelled.

Spanish people have always been an easy target for critics, many times for ignorance. The image was improving a lot (you only have to see sports) until this governmet tried to destroy everything. But presenting us, as the WSJ did as dancers, poor and always about siesta and fiesta is very ignorant. Our companies are all over the world are doing great. Telefónica, Santander, Zara... And we are a small country. Also, everybody likes to spend their vacations here...

I for one love Spain and the Spanish people and the diverse culture that Spain has to offer. Spain is a thriving country and an important part of Europe, Viva Espana!!!

Originally Posted by economiayocio

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And honestly, generalizing is not good. You are saying that spanish people drive drunk (which is not true) and that the streets are dirty.

The streets in Madrid have benn VERY clean for the last 10 years or so, much much cleaner than, for example New York. I found really surprising that there all the bean bags are in the street, for example, and they smell. In Madrid, that does not happen. The street does not smell, not as in many countries where i have travelled.

Spanish people have always been an easy target for critics, many times for ignorance. The image was improving a lot (you only have to see sports) until this governmet tried to destroy everything. But presenting us, as the WSJ did as dancers, poor and always about siesta and fiesta is very ignorant. Our companies are all over the world are doing great. Telefónica, Santander, Zara... And we are a small country. Also, everybody likes to spend their vacations here...

I can only tell from personal experience, and my experience (after more than 16 years in Spain, and quite a few years in other countries) is that here, a lot of people drive after drinking quite a lot. When I came here in the early 90s, people didn't seem to care at all about this issue. I fully agree that is has improved lately (actually, under the new government...). Still, I see a lot of business people (and other people) taking the car after a lunch or dinner starting with a beer, followed by wine, followed by a whisky with coke (coca-cola). And recently the ex prime minister Aznar (or Anzar, as Bush called him) said that nobody should tell him not to drink wine before driving...

In Madrid, whether streets are clean or not, depends a lot on where in Madrid you are. Some areas are kept after quite well. I live right in the center and when I walk out on a Saturday or Sunday morning, it looks like a battlefield, but then they come and clean up quite urgently and it looks nice again.

I cannot agree that the problems are to be blamed on the current government. The problems that we are facing today are to a large extent due to the erroneous politics (including real estate) of the former government. Politics that were not changed by the new government. So both are to be blamed, IMO.

I agree that some Spanish companies are doing great, and I am glad for that. And I think that there are many good things about the country. Otherwise I would not have stayed here.

But this is maybe not the right forum to discuss these things. And sorry if I upset you when saying what I said about drunk driving. But it was really one of these things that caught my attention when I arrived here (coming from a country where drunk driving was taken VERY seriously). But I agree that it is much better nowadays. I am also happy that people don't smoke in the office any longer. Another law by this new government that I actualy liked...

By the way, the prime minister is Zapatero, which means "shoemaker"...

Nobody in Spain wears Mezlan?

Carmina are the only decent Spanish or Portugese shoes I have seen. Carmina are very nice shoes, but as far as I know they are not available anywhere outside of Spain or Paris.

Originally Posted by Siggy

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Carmina are the only decent Spanish or Portugese shoes I have seen. Carmina are very nice shoes, but as far as I know they are not available anywhere outside of Spain or Paris.

One more reason for going to Spain on vacation...

Originally Posted by epa

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One more reason for going to Spain on vacation...

That must be one of the greatest jokes ever. If I remember anything useful my mother told me was that Spanish shoes were crappier than Portuguese shoes. Granted that was many years ago and she was biased but I have not seen any sight of any good Spanish shoes since.

It is true that sadly Portuguese shoes have not gotten better.

But that is what happens when your market is "a" Europe with high taxes on non-European goods and your strength is a very low paid worker (in western Euro terms) , and then **** happens -like WTO agreements with China etc.

In any case if you can, choose Portuguese shoes as they are at least made in a country with much nicer people that Spain, where the noise levels are non-compatible with civilised conversation- and I don't mean in the shoe factories

PS-Never, ever buy shoes by Zara and or Massimo Dutti (Zara's "black label", which of course has an Italian name)

Stay away

It looks to me as if you might have inherited some of you mother's biases.

Do not buy Spanish shoes because the country is noisier than Portugal...? get some ear plugs and through some real facts.