shoepassion is amazing, sometimes they go as low as usd 255+ for their good year welted collection. No complains at all, am incredibly happy with my purchase.
I totally get the addictive nature of shoes, I have high heels I no longer wear (except for very special occasions) which are still so beautiful to look at. I've seen shoes that made me want to cry they're so gorgeous. Thank you for the informative video, many of these brand also make women's sizes oxfords and derbys so I'll be investigating (and saving up) for my next purchase of wearable art
Shoes- A Man's Passion indeed. I hope all is well Hugo. May this crazy situation be over soon. Capital of Croatia, Zagreb is still recuperating from a horrible earthquake. A 15 year old girl sadly lost her life. In this time of isolation it makes me and I'm sure many more gentlemen happy to have a true, aldo virtual friend- Hugo.
Thank you so much Krunoslav for your kind and encouraging words. We do our best here to continue delivering content for our friends and loyal followers around the planet. Be safe please, Hugo
I've bought two pairs of Meermin: happy with them - yes they need to be broken in! In my price bracket , they fit well (in fact I bought the first pair on ebay second hand). I am getting a passion (Shoe Passion) for shoes and would love a pair of whole cuts in burgundy...I'll have to save up for them. In the mean time, I always have Sartorial Talks to keep me informed and enthused :-) Thanks Tony
I just got a pair of suede loafers. Surprisingly comfortable fit on my slightly wide feet for such a slender looking last. They're quite well made, but with a strange downward bend at the very front of the soles, not something I worry abut, though. Out of the box the suede looked quite shabby, but looks very nice after a brushing, pigmented Renovateur spray and Super invulner. A good buy, but more for design than manufacturing and presentation, imo. I will probably get more from them, their Chelsea boots look very nice. I don't think I've ever felt a need for wearing in suede shoes. Not these either.
One Italian company that is worth a mention is Harris. They are based in Florence, and they are very creative, they use a variety of leathers, making beautiful shoes.
Talking about Cobbler Union, they just announced their Honorary Investor program. It basically a program in which if you purchased for a total of $1000, you Will get unlimited discount of 25%
ok... then i need 2 more pairs... :O i am happy with my black cap toe oxfords city lasts.... but i really didnt like the quality of my 371 lasts brown ox brogue captoe... saw it too late ... bad stitching!
Nice list. I love and own Velasca and Carlos Santos shoes - great quality shoes for acceptable prices. I was considering a pair of Meermin boots but I was appalled when I found out they make their shoes in China. I'm sure they're nice quality and adequately priced, but Spain - and some other european countries - have a great shoe-making heritage, so.. why is this?... Just to cut some 50 € in each pair? It's a shame the company outsources their labour to a country outside Europe. I expect this from cheap mass produced shoes, not from a luxury shoe company asking 200 - 400 € for a pair of shoes. I will be ordering from Velasca again.
Very good observation! I agree 100%. One of the things that has ruined so many excellent small businesses and brands across the Western world is the hateful greed that led many businessmen to outsource their products. The usual excuse of "to be more competitive" is a lie; it is all about bigger profits. As a European, I will always support products made in Europe, particularly if they are made by small companies. Regards.
Hi Hugo, we met during the short visit you made in Stockholm for Götrich. I was the young guy in the green suit! These videos are really inspiring and help during these difficult times for our small businesses. I retail Carlos Santos. They are amazing people and make fantastic shoes for the price. I am a little hesitant to recommend buying directly through them as the prices are lower through retailers and you directly support them this way too! The factory was really high end and the people working are passionate. The "problem" is that they could be so much more. They focus a lot on distributing shoes to physical shops with only a few good handful online. I would like to think myself as one of them! The selections are endless. As for the rest of the list, fantastic as always. Interesting to see you re-added Velasca, I think you first mentioned them in your 2015 guide. CNES I have seen first hand too, they make some good shoes for the price. Testing times for the industry and everyone. All the best to you and Sonya and your beautiful kids. Be safe and I hope to meet you again this year. /Kostas
Thanks Hugo, for introducing me to Septième Largeur! When I saw their Louis-Charles Double monks, it was love at first sight for me and I just knew I had to get a pair! It has been my best purchase for this year now!
Merci, Hugo! I discovered Cobbler Union from your earlier videos, and have a pair of their Miguel whole cuts, in navy. I also own a pair of J.M. Weston whole cuts in black. (I don't know how many Westons I own; probably my favorite shoes!). The Cobbler Unions are simply amazing at the price point and should be on any serious shoe lovers list. Just over the price point you chose for this video is Carmina, which has multiple lasts and a very nice made to order program. It's a great time to be a guy who loves shoes!
Thank you Mark. I also adore JM Weston and of course Carmina (which is slightly above the price bracket we are addressing in this video). Cheers ! Hugo
Dear Mr Hugo, I glad you mentioned Carlos Santos shoes, I have some in my collection and they really are fantastic, very comfortable, the other brands that you have mentioned I was not aware of if so, thank you for that. Unfortunately this is not the best time to order shoes because of the Pandemic, I'm situated in London (Kensington) and I don't receive any post, already for more than a week. Let's just hope to go back to our normal life soon and who knows, with a new pair of shoes! Congratulations for your channel and thank you for the hard work. Kind regards, António Borda D’água
Thanks and hope you are safe and well also, BTW your name came up yesterday by Kirby Allison on a live stream during a demo of the goodyear welting process. He had nice things to say about you.
That's right, Bally has been around forever and is crafting good shoes. Unfortunately I find them overpriced (around $1000) in comparison to many younger brands of comparable quality. Cheers, Hugo
Hopefully I'll get my first pair of Meermin shoes the next months. I fell in love with the wholecut in espresso and copper. Thanks a lot for the great Content, I've alerady seen the first episode. Specially for the more "low budget" or younger people (I'm not that young but in the same financial situation) selection I'm really thankful. Please keep on Hugo. Take care. Reste en bonne santé à bientôt René
@@DiscussionsSartoriales One more thing. I was surprised to not see TLB Mallorca on this list, since everyone seems to be fawning over them. Have you had a chance to look at this brand?
Another excellent excellent video Hugo! I’ve been watching your videos from the videos from the beginning with when you first started your videos with the best shoe brands videos! You truly are the epitome of class I’ve got to say, I like how you take us from country to country very unique in how you explain us their own approach which I can appreciate👌🏼 This video was geared for every income level which I can truly appreciate, by the way your video on the gram weight of wool fabrics was just about my favorite as well, look forward to seeing another one soon, by the way glad your doing well with your wife as well 🌞👨🏻💻👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Hugo, I have started watching your blogs only recently, but already, I have become a BIG FAN of yours. Not only are you very knowledgeable in ALL THINGS STYLISH (SHOES, suits, watches etc etc), you present your progs in such a humble, pleasant way that that they become really ADDICTIVE. Way to go, brother.
Thank you sir. Stay tuned on Parisian Gentleman and Instagram (parisian_gentleman) tomorrow as we are launching a fantastic collaboration with TLB Mallorca (the great Spanish shoemaker). Cheers, Hugo
Hi from Singapore. Love your channel and a Carmina fan for years. Found the CNES brand by accident 3 months back whilst shopping for Safir products. The distributor for Safir in SG brings in the CNES brand as well - Straits Establishment. They do have a local website cnes.co and I think ships internationally. Design is very elegant, I bought the Ringo model which is a semi-brogue Oxford cap toe. Beautiful workmanship with a very narrow waist. I do think it's a great bargain and glad you're highlighting Asian brands
One of my first times watching your channel I chuckled at a warning about 'shoe addiction' - knowing how very true those words were. 😊 These updates always keep me excited about the new pair I will order. And lately, I am developing the same dread of wearing my new shoes... Ay Ay Ay! 😂 Hugo please, what is your take on TAFT shoes? They're from Spain and I ordered a pair of loafers already, but I'd love to hear your insight on them. Thank you for always distributing such amazing and insightful content. Blessings out to you, Sonia and the family! 🙏🏽💜
Good video. Thank you. Would you consider broadening your horizons a bit -- step beyond Europe and the US (with apologies to Cnes). India has some great shoemakers, so does Brazil. Live dangerously, if you will.
Thanks for your inspiration and contribution to my satorial journey. When it comes to prenunciation of the swedish name "Skoaktiebolaget", you actually need to part the word in three. Sko(means Shoe) Aktie (means stock/equity) Bolaget (means company) Looking forward to your next video
Hey Hugo, I appreciate your work and found the testimony you shared truly inspiring. May God continue to bless you and your family. I wear a size 16M US and have been relegated to only Allen Edmonds for quality shoe options. AE only offers the most conservative styles is my size and I have most of them so I am effectively out of options. I would love to have a pair of high quality monk straps but have not been able to find any in my size. I would do a reasonable bespoke pair as well but fear that might be out of reach for me. Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!
What part of a Meermin shoe makes it so hard to break in? Do they undersize the last, and don't tension the leather, so that your actual foot stretches the material to its final form?
Thank you , i bought a pair of cobbler union few months ago as you advised and believe me i was just thinking of luf & tung few weeks ago but needed somebody i trust to advice me hope you and your wife are in good health 🌹. Best regards from egypt
I work at a second hand store and part of my job is to quickly assess quality in shoes in order to set a fair price. I've become quite good at guessing retail price, I'm almost always right within a 30 dollar range. If a pair of meermins appeared and I couldn't see the tag my guess would be 300 dollars. They blow almost any shoe in their price range out of the water, and they are superior in every way to alot off shoes more expensive. Now, with a good value brand an actual 300 dollar shoe will beat the meermins no doubt. My meermin pair hasn't creased very gracefully and the heels have suffered some minor water damage due to them being cheaper leatherboard. but for the prize they are incredible.
Great video Hugo. I am an Allen Edmonds guy but I have had him eye on Cobbler Union for a while. Thanks for giving us some options and I love the tip on 24 hours for break in. You and your wife stay safe in these crazy times.
Oh yeah, i also got one pair of Ducal’s of Firenze (not Doucals). I saw this brand on the parisian gentlemen blog of yours. The quality is also outstanding. Lucky for me these shoes were also in a big sale so i was able to buy them for 150 euros.
If you are interested in Ducal shoes for between 100 and 150 euros i can bring you in contact with the seller. This guy has bought the entire stock of Meyer Shoes in Amsterdam which is bankrupted a few years ago. DM me if you are interested.
Good one as always Hugo! One comment for anyone who may read this is to exercise some caution when ordering dress shoes from Asia. Asian brands tend to make shoes for people with flatter feet. Although beautiful, I would hesitate to buy a pair without trying them on first or exchanging a few emails regarding the fit.
You are perfectly right Rory. Asiatic feet don't have an arch like we do, but fortunately most brands are producing shoes for Occident and shoes for Far East. Meermin, for example, sells the vast majority of its production to European. But your advice is extremely wise and welcome. Cheers my friend, Hugo
I own 8 pairs of Meermins ( I really need to put up some videos) I wore them all the time when I had a job wear I was able to sit more. Stopped when my job changed ( started wearing sneakers again) to standing up on concrete all day. My feet strated to hurt went back to wearing them my feet feel so much better.
I would give a shout out to another French shoe company, Paraboot. Their iconic shoes are on the casual side, but they also have a dressier line. Very well made and in the price bracket you discuss here. To be honest some models, like the Michael, are an acquired taste...definitely cannot be described as sleek but I own two pairs :-)
The Michael is an iconic outdoor model for sure. I thought their dressier line was slightly above this price bracket. Otherwise Paraboot is a safe bet for sure. Cheers, Hugo
Hello Hugo & Sonya, i'm Andy from Jakarta, Indonesia. We craft dress shoes also, traditionally handcrafted. All are MTO and bespoke. We would love to send you a pair of our shoes. Thank you so much in advance
Thank you for the tip about Cobbler Union. Purchased some fantastic cap toe, museum calf oxfords that were perfect out of the box. Also purchased a made-to-measure gray suede belt that is perfection. TY!
Sounds very good and logical to me, thank you for that observation.BTW, have bought any of their shoes? I have not done it yet, but I am impressed by the very good reviews they got from great experts like Hugo. Regards.
@@arslongavitabrevis5136 I have a pair of cnes black oxfords Winston model, they are one or the cheaper ones but very good quality for the price. Also you need to talk to them about sizing as they have their own sizes I’m a size 44 in Euro but cnes 46. Regards
You are the reason why I started to look into quality shoes, and yes, I started with Meermin for the incredible quality/price ration and recently purchased my first Carmina pair (black cap toe oxfords). Amazingly good. Thank you mr. Jacomet!
Thank you Hugo for introducing CNES. I bought their cap toe last week. Great customer service. I ordered the wrong size because their size is slightly different and they arranged for return and sent me a new 1. Surprisingly there's no break in period for me. No hot spots for me at all. Thank you CNES for the great service and beautiful shoe.
Hugo, do you read a teleprompter? I appreciate your talent to speak so casually and yet so confidently as to almost never stutter or take time to think your words, great stuff!
No German, I don't use any teleprompter. I just have the list of the brands on a small piece of paper in front of me, and the rest is improvisation. Cheers! Hugo
I remember a few months back. You warned us in a video, in no uncertain terms, that developing an interest in shoes can very easily lead to an obsession. Well, since then I've bought six pairs of decent to high quality dress shoes and am presently waiting for my first made to order pair of patina'd monkstraps. I kind of wish that you had warned us with a little bit more force about how addictive this is, because now I'm hooked - even though I'm enjoying every day of it.
The problem with shoes like these is that they have to fit more like a glove than any other shoe you ever owned, and one for all occasions is just inappropriate and can be rude. You can't wear a black shoe everywhere, a brown shoe everywhere, a burgundy/cordovan/blue/etc shoe everywhere. There's also break in times, and fittings/testing whether you own/have paid for the shoe or not. I have no choice but to buy almost every last pair online, as a result I have more than 6 but my favourite and most versatile shoe is the oxford full wing tip brogue w/ medallion in black. It was an everyday shoe back in the 40s - 60s, was worn at home with all kinds of dress and all kinds of office dress code. I've had them since 2019 and they're never being replaced. I have a similar model with the long wing feature and the storm welt, refinished in cordovan and it's even more casual. This way you can save money but at the same time it takes a lot of pairs of shoes in order to find your brand, size, fit, etc. to get a glove-like fit. There's no sneaker that can fit you like a glove, the Nike Presto and Adidas Ultraboost are rubbish shoes. With the Adidas I lose balance, but with anything that's an Allen Edmonds or better is just the way to go if you wanna look good in jeans, chinos, or slick slacks.
I have purchased a pair of Belgian loafers from CNES and they are excellent, the price was around $280 with delivery to the UK and I shall certainly be buying more pairs in the future, good quality at a good price, highly recommended.
There's a CNES retail store in Singapore. I've visited the store myself. They also provide high quality shoe repair services. For example JR soles, toe caps.
Hello Hugo, I’m from US but my Origins relying in Brasil.........a shoe maker country... Today I’m very close to a Brand named Adolpho Turrion that is doing a successful looking for the Internet and tailoring business.......Today’s owner is Marco Antonio Jordão ........please look at this brand ...............
Sko is shoe in Swedish. Aktiebolaget is limited company. Pronounced something like “scoo act-e-a boo-lag-et” all in one word. And if it helps, I find French equally difficult to pronounce. 😅
I never post comments on your videos but this time I felt I had to. As a high school student from Finland it's been difficult for me to find affordable shoes I can test in real life since there are only a few places in Finland which sell high quality shoes (and they're usually way too expensive). I thank you on your recommendation of the Swedish brand Skoaktiebolaget (oh and I have no idea neither on how to pronounce the name even though I've studied the Swedish language) because they really do seem like a good deal and I've never even heard of them before. Next time I'll go to Stockholm I'll definitely visit them! I truly find the content on your channel to be fascinating as well as educational at the same time which is something not many content creators can achieve. Thank you.
@@SARTORIALTALKS Yes Indeed it is. It's an online nick name that has stayed with me for years but in real life people usually just call me by my first name. Thanks for answering!
Hello, sir, thank you for this valuable information. I wonder if you know an italian brand called Scarosso. Do they make good quality shoes? Kind regards.
What a 'goldmine' of information, thank you 🙏🏼 Hugo, you are a very visual 'storyteller' and an exceptional one (I was mesmerized from start to end) 😊👌🏼 Thanks for info on my Swedish brothers 👍🏼 Cheers from Denmark 🇩🇰
Dear Hugo, How are you? Just received a pair of RINGO PUNCHED CAP-TOE OXFORDS, patina brown with, triumph metal toe taps from CNES and I must say that they look fantastic unfortunately I can only wear them at home for the moment! The purchase went really well and the communication with the sales department was fantastic and in less than a week I received the shoes, I must say that they are very professional. Thank you once again. Kind regards, António Borda D’água
Thank you so much Antonio for your "real life" feedback. It's extremely valuable for all of us. Let's hope we'll all be able to walk outside sooner than later, but staying at home is the most sensible thing to do right now. Be safe my friend, Hugo
A lot of shoes or shoe parts are made in India. Do you have any comments to make about this? In addition, there are some Indian brands...Dapper Shoes is one such brand. The other is Bridlen... which I am told is designed in Japan and made in India.
Hey Sarvin, I don't know those two brands but as we are due to go to India soon (as soon as this virus crisis is over), we'll check them for sure ! Stay safe. Hugo
@@sarvinwarden8419 We will Sarvin. Follow our social media platform so that you can be updated on our different travels. (Instagram : parisian_gentleman). Cheers, Hugo
the problem with "cheap" leather shoes is that they don't last for long and feel cheap from the beginning. if you pay 150-250 usd for shoes (shoepassion, loake, carlos santos, herring etc.), then the leather is inferior and/or the work that went into it even though they may look similar to other shoes in the beginning. so after 2-3 years of wearing them 1-2 times a week you wonder why your shoes look worse and worse and throw them away eventually. if you pay 50%-100% more, i.e. 400-600 usd (cheaney, c&j) then your shoes will last 3-5 times as long easily and get better and better over time.
Hugo, do you know of Grant Stone? US company making GYW shoes and boots in Xiamen China to standards that rival/beat all on this list and at this price point. My Grant Stone boots are finished to a degree that beats out my Alden Indy boots, for example.
I didn't know about them, but it looks like a very interesting company with nice shoes (at least what I can see on the internet). I'll take a closer look for sure. Cheers, Hugo
Being a Dane I can helt a little with the pronounciation og Skoaktiebolaget. It is composed of three words: Sko-aktie-bolaget. Sko is fairly easy, aktie is pronounced like aksje (the Norwegian spelling, by the way) and bolaget is a little like lager beer, but ending with a t in-sted of an r. Hope this makes sense. Skoaktiebolaget translates to The Shoe Company. Thanks for a great video and a lot of other great videos. Very inspirational.
Thank you Denis ! If you want to have access to more videos, please check our Patreon page : www.patreon.com/sartorialtalks Cheers and please stay safe ! Hugo
Meermin indeed offers attractive prices for the specs (closed channel stitching for example) but the quality is not up to the mark. Poor joining of top lift rubber/leather pieces. Imperfect lasting on the toe of one side of a pair. To their credit they accepted feedback and say it’s been passed on to their QA department... hopefully they can ensure better finishing. Cheap(er) should not mean sloppy workmanship.
theres always gotta be a few haters huh? not sure how you can knock Sonya and Hugo. This content is amazing and I hope people can help to keep them going.
M. Hugo, thank you and I hope you and Sonia are both well and will be back home in France soon. I recently purchased 2 pairs of Loake shoes - a pair of Dowling and a pair of Cornwall - also bought 2 new suits a Hackett single breasted and double vented, single pocket and double front pocket navy blue suit made in London along with a Brooks Brother grey pin strip made from Italian Vitale Barberis Canonico cloth. Why so much detail? They are all still in my wardrobe after 3 weeks unworn due to this virus which means I cannot visit current customers and new, or go to events and speak. You sense the frustration!? But there are people so terribly worse and you and Sonia I know are in Atalanta - Lets us pray and hope that we get through this together, please God, I think of my family in Italy, both in Bologna and Naples. One of my hopes and aspirations is on your closing point Hugo, that we raise our standards in many facets of our life including the way we dress and that being 'too cool for school' and casual in dress is no longer good enough.
I heard about Carlos Santos from one of your previous programs. Now I own 3 pairs from them. Superb! One note, their shoes run a 1/2 measure larger than usual US sizing. ie I usually wear a 9.5 but a 9.0 fits better.
Some brands are to be expected like Meermin and Skoaktiebolaget, but I'm surprised with the Vietnamese CNES brand since I live in Southeast Asia. Curiously I was expecting a Japanese brand like Union Royal or Scotch Grain, but they're not in the list.
Dear Rio, I know (and like) Union Royal but they are in a different price bracket (a little bit higher than the one we address here). I don't know Scotch Grain but will take a look. Many thanks ! Hugo
Ordered 2 pairs of Mermin. They are not hard to break in. They are very hard to break in after wearing them for days and days. They are so uncomfortable, still after long time and very uncomfortable.
I try not to buy anyhing that is manufactured in China. Its a challenge these days, but nothing that i earlier bought Ben Sherman, Paul Smith , Fred Perry ,Wolsey etc, has been up to standard since they moved production to Asia....
Funny you mentioned Allen Edmonds...I bought 2 pairs, both used, off of eBay, just $58. One of those pairs is just over 20 years old according to the numbers stamped on the inside, and people are shocked when they find out they're not brand new, haha. I also recently bought an older pair of Johnston and Murphy Crown Aristocrafts, and they're from back when they were still making stuff in the USA. Those were just $45. Meermin is a very attractive option as well...they also auction off their factory seconds on eBay, and those can end up starting at like $50-60, so that's definitely a steal! Thanks for the great videos! Stay healthy, and God Bless!
Hi Hugo, I have Carlos Santos shoes for years. They are very well produced, elegant and very comfortable. Portugal is one of the best footwear manufacturers in the world and I would like them to have more visibility and recognition. If you have the chance, look at Luís Onofre's shoes - just perfect!
Great content as always Hugo, thanks for all the recommendations, I know it's hard to look in every country but if you can take a look to Mexico, here we have a huge industry of leather tannery and shoe making in Guanajuato
I just got a pair of Velasca Chelsea boots, and I love them. Worth every penny. The quality of the stitching, details, and leather is top notch! Definitely a great bank for your buck!
