Reacting to Rose Anvil’s Common Projects TAKE DOWN Video 

I recommend Bedo's Leatherworks channel for the most indepth shoe anatomy anyone can perform.

Now it’s time for Rose Anvil to make a reaction video to your reaction video. Until then, I pray for his misfortune.

Pro trick : watch series on Flixzone. I've been using it for watching lots of of movies lately.

@Wesley Alvin Yea, have been using flixzone for years myself =)

Totally.

He's got a great channel. Great for looking at quality of shoes.

Everyday gentleman if you like him, I’d also recommend fellow RU-vidrs Bedos Leatherworkks and The Elegant Oxford. They are also very good.

If "the quality of the product" means using veg tanned leather, then I guess. Common Projects released veg tan models before and they ended up being -60 % off. I had a pair but didn't like them. The retail price was exactly the same. Aesthetics and the design matters.

Strong User Sounds great,HMU when they’re 60% off again cause I’m not going to buy a $400 sneaker and half of it is for the name of it.

Completely agree

Appreciate that very much. Thanks for taking the time to chime in.

Absolutely agreed, I was about to say the same!

Yeah. I can see the embarrassment look on his face but overall he's cool.

Why would you get defensive over shoes?

Ahahahaha

Sweet! Thanks for chiming in, Casey!

Are you related to A.J. Applegate?

Good question. I personally don’t know. Would be interesting to find out.

I have recently purchased a pair from mr porter, which arrived with mini cracks / splits all throughout the shoe and the leather seemed thinner. The retailer was kind enough to send out a replacement but I experienced the exact same issue. While I know the shoe would crease naturally over time, when paying that much for a sneaker, they have to be perfect. I couldnt justify it, so returned straight away. I suspect the manufacturing processes that they use now cut more corners than they did when the shoe first released, to cut down on production costs. What a shame.

Agree. My point at the end of this video was that I really didn't understand the "gotcha" nature of some of the comments it inspired on my previous video.

Exactly. As I conclude at the end of this video, I don't quite understand how people got so righteous after seeing his video. Many luxury brands aren't worth the price you pay in terms of materials or construction--no surprise.

He Spoke Style This is my exactly my take away. Not sure why people are going crazy over it. We already know it is a mass produced sneaker that also has a markup because of the retailers. However, I would say these are several times better than what you can get for maybe $100.

Rancourt offers a full grain, Made in the USA sneaker at nearly half the price of the CP. I imagine they also be resoled by their craftsmen in the future.

@@izy3109 totally agree. I'm a sneakerhead that spends roughly $200 for shoes that are made of low quality leather and/ knitted. If you have the money to buy these and you're not eating ramen noodles after the fact who cares. Lol

@@AntonioSantos935 I see, but still I like the shape of the Common Project sneakers better and I am not American, I can get the CP Achilles for as low as 290€ in Europe and they are way better than the average 150€ sneaker (which have "leather" that is worse than that of the CPs), so I am fine with that.

LMAO true, he's also honest/humble. Saw him break down a belroy wallet and he was like "I honestly didn't think I'd like it, but it's a pretty great wallet, pretty impressed with the construction" and that's saying A LOT for mass produced wallet from an artisan maker.

According to this he doesn't know too much. If we aren't knowledgeable on a subject ourselves it is difficult to distinguish a teacher from a charlatan(and everything in between). www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/hf7t6b/debunking_rose_anvils_common_project_video_one/

Hahaha yes!!

That’s a name of a rapper tho, part of Jackboys gang

Barney Stinson company pattern pending

Yeah, I could tell at the end by the way he tried to stoke people just a little bit, but overall I think he's quite fair and very interesting to see his knowledge on display.

Yea but to be fair it’s a lot about clean minimalism and the look. The great construction is really just a bonus for people willing to spend over 400

Rose anvil is making a series on white sneakers starting next week

@@4M4D3USM0Z4RT looking forward to it

I appreciate that you seemed to have preconceptions about this video but you actually took the time to watch before commenting. So many others have not and it's very easy to spot them.

He Spoke Style Thanks,I watched that video before this one,so I knew how you might feel. Since I also like CP very much. But the way you acknowledged the fact that the video was honest and has a lot of interesting informations in it,makes me realize what a honest gentleman you are. So good job!

You're very welcome. I really enjoyed the Rose Anvil video myself. Very fair, informative, and entertaining!

Gucci's products are actually really well made and great qualities, if you swap that comparison to a brand like Vivienne westwood them you're correct

You're very welcome! I really enjoyed his video.

That'd be sweet!

Rose Anvil did say in a previous video that to one day makr a limited quantity high end shoe was his dream.

Nice. I appreciate that, Pontus. And I still recommend CP if people want them. I've had a great experience with them over the years.

That'd be a great follow up video for Rose Anvil, for sure!

FANtasy222 I have both those shoe brands, but do not own common projects. If he ever did such a video and they were both better than common projects, I’d feel like such a winner lmao

Axel arigato quality is garbage for the price. I had 3 pairs and after only a short amount of time the color start to chip off - the leather starts wrinkling heavily. In one pair the leather next to my ankle actually started tearing and ripped pretty far open

He just did the Koios very very similar to the common projects

Well said, my man. Appreciate the comment and support.

Thanks so much, Chris. Love that you thought it was going to be one thing and then actually watched before commenting. Respect. Many have not done that and they're easy to spot.

Haha, cheers. I thought this would be a neat way to share an experience together.

Oh my goodness, this made me laugh. So true.

@@clintony3000 Cheers.

I like his sexy voice.

Glad you enjoyed this! I like having the little screen next to my head. I'm thinking maybe I'll do a weekly variety show! Thoughts?

He Spoke Style doesn’t hurt to try, like a news show or podcast interview or just whatever you want to talk about, as it is easier to listen to than a strongly opinionated loud voice.

@@banditmc12 Word.

Like that hedge!

I don't know if chrome tan being $0.50-$5 cheaper per shoe makes a difference.

@@MooImaHippo I agree. People don't seem to understand what's the difference between chrome tan and veg tan. Also CPs were able to sell veg tanned models for exactly the same price.

@@stronguser5242 Not to mention a lot of different use cases. Why do people always think CP's are buttery soft? Chrome tan makes a difference here. You wouldn't get that same feeling with veg.

Thanks for that explanation. And your english is great!

They also show up in boots a lot. One of the selling points of the iron ranger is the big, wide metal shank.

That's awesome. Thanks so much for sharing and for chiming in for the first time! All great points and I think more than anything this has been a powerful vehicle to open up a discussion.

He works with leather so he definitely knows a lot about leather quality, but I think what happens here is that the kinds of leather that he would prefer to use usually take quite some time to break in. I own vibergs and Thurman boots and those are not shoes that you take right out the box and feel very comfortable, they take time to get to that point while sneakers we expect them to be comfortable right away so I feel that CP has to find a balance in between. They are definitely over priced. It's the same thing with Doc Martens. If they were to use thicker leathers and leathers insole, midsole , those wouldn't be as comfortable out of the box. I really believe that if those were constructed with heavy duty materials people would find then uncomfortable, even though with time they will get comfortable, and they would get a fame as being expensive uncomfortable sneakers. Us the consumer expect sneakers to be really comfortable when they are new.

I think you should also watch the video he made about the boots he compare them too. The reason being that, those boots are made specifically to be the highest quality boots you can make in terms of the using the best quality materials, completely hand made, and just a creative exercise for the makers of the boot. And the price is about 500 dollars. So his comparing of them has to do with the cost, because at that price you better be getting comparable quality. Which he just didn't see. I wouldn't take reddit, self claimed shoe maker's option. Do your own research, the guy who ripped the shoes apart, is not only a leather worker, he hand makes the products, so he know what quality is, or isn't. And he has made multiple videos explaining leather quality, grade, and purpose. Chrome tan is usually used in work boots, do to the durability and forgivingness of wear, when treated right. Which he briefly explains in the video. Softness doesn't come from the quality of the leather, top vs full grain, but rather on the tumbledness and treatment of the leather. Since genuine(the cheap throw away leather) can be tumbled to be extra soft, but still be a garage cut of leather. If you look up some of Tiffany beers video or tinker Hatfield, some pretty big names in shoe making. You can find more info on rubber used on the shoes soles. The rubber on the sole is softer (which is shown/alluded to in this video) so it'll actually wear out faster. The better quality the rubber, it usually means it will wear out fastet, usually what good quality rubber means is having better traction and sticking/gripping the ground better. Some shoe companies use car tire rubber, from Continental or Michelin, you would think they'd be very durable, but the purpose of such rubber is usually meant for better traction, durability is secondary. So the idea of the generic Italian rubber cup soles just being better is a bit ridiculous, and stems from people not knowing what it is meant to do. The rubber wears out quickly, and in the cut open part, you see the midsole is hollow. So its not more durable than any other shoe as you would think. There is also information on why that cup solenis used in a lot shoes, it has to do with cost of making last for shoes. It's very expensive making new ones, and then making one for every shoe size. So many companies just use the widely available one that its using, its not better than any other sole, it's just "Italian made". I don't want to say CP shoe is bad, it's a pretty good shoe, using better material than any other avenge shoe. However you just pointed out the shoes were much more affordable before they gained their popularity and raised their prices. So what the guy is saying and what everyone should take away from the video, it's that it is significantly overpriced. And shouldn't be viewed as the pinnacle of the white classy shoe, that everyone has made it out to be. And you should also know the video wasn't meant to be a takedown on the shoe, as he was mainly reacting to what was in side and didn't properly explain why they're as bad as he was suggesting, just do to him already having audience that should know what he's looking for based on his other videos and reviews. So if that's the only video you watched of his, you're missing a lot of the expected knowledge of shoe construction he's given in his other videos. It not your fault, or his fault, it was more of him not expecting this video to blow up like it did. I mean when he tried it, and trigger fans of a product, with the AJ1 SBB, thr sneakerheads pretty much did nothing to defend the shoe. They had said it was the "best quality" leather they had ever used for the shoe; only to be ripped open and see it was just decent leather, yet they said nothing. So crazy to see how this happened for the CP instead.

Honestly, if they were priced at 240 initially and now prices 400... c’mon that’s price gauging at it’s best. Yea sure the demand for these might justify the stark increase in price but to say the item (itself) is worth 400 dollars is completely false in itself as well.

@AK Milli looks just as good is based on your opinion though

Thanks, Marcus. I'm the first to admit that I don't know everything about everything. It was cool to get the perspective of a true professional.

No experience with either myself. Anyone else?

He Spoke Style similar design, much bigger name, but I haven’t worn and certainly have not cut any one up. Maybe the bigger name is a hint to something.

I've owned the Givenchy urban knots, achilles and koio. For some reason I prefer the feel of the Givenchy leather, feels more substantial and thicker than the CPs. The Koios leather feels like if It has a plastic coat on top.

Haha. No offense taken. Glad you liked the more unscripted approach.

Many thanks. Really appreciate that comment.

Very cool! I would love to--it's just finding the time!

Totally makes sense.

Boots have a heel block which needs to be supported by a shank. These shoes have a flat sole.

Really appreciate that feedback and support. I loved his video.

Many thanks! Really appreciate the comment and continued support.

Many thanks, Rafael. Really appreciate the comment.

Haven't heard of them before.

Feits are *super* nice but cost even more than CP. ...Crazy part is [i think] they made in China. ...I have 3 pair of CP [got em all on sale] and they are on point. ps- Common Projects website ain't been updated since F/W last year. Hopefully they still in business.

NOW we can get the party started!

Maybe the shoes you reviewed are actually better than common project quality, atleast the upper anways.

Sure thing! Appreciate the dialogue!

Agreed.

You got it! As always.

That would be a cool video for him to do and then compare at the micro level.

Thanks! Any specific video recommendations?

Thanks! It's by Everlane. It was really cool to discover his channel.

Thanks! It's fun to do. Any other videos you can think of off the top of your head you like to see this treatment of?

Really appreciate you chiming in, David!

The point of luxury goods is the status and prestige of ownership, not the products themselves

Exactly.

100% agreed , just recently got into sneakers and bought a whole bunch of different brands. decided to get common projects and has instantly become my most used shoe.. so what if its not made of the BEST materials , i wear them frequently because of the COMFORT and how easy they are to put on and take off, in the end thats what matters most. oh and the silhouette of a common project just looks RIGHT!

Really appreciate the comment and support, Scott. I'm glad to have found his channel. No experience with Grenson sneakers, but I have a couple pairs of boots. Really nice stuff.

Hahaha. It's a cool channel!

Appreciate that so much!

Shanks are for arch support for shoes with raised heels, that includes luxury footwear. It is irregular in a sneaker because 1 there's less heel lift and 2 that support is usually built into the sole

Thanks for the comment, Jed. And thanks for admitting your time of enlightenment.

You rock! Thanks, Emilio!

Thanks, as always, Theodore! Appreciate the support.

Totally!

Bwahahahaha.

It's great to have channels like Rose Anvil.

LOL

Many thanks, Tony!

That's a great question! I haven't tracked it at all.

Andrew Mudgett the reason the became popular is because like everything celebrities started endorsing them.

Exactly, Dirk. Thanks for the comment.

How much did that cost you?

Glad you enjoyed it!

I also recommend Dana Thomas's Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster: bit.ly/3cwFjWs

What are the insights from the chapter?🤔

I'll say!

Agree.

100% man! common projects fit like a glove straight out of the box , absolutely no break in period from what ive experienced ..

Preach, Henri.

Appreciate that very much. This was a weird first HSS video-I rarely do anything like this!

That is true.

Totally!

@@hespokestyle Hello Brian! I have just discoverd the brand Crown Northampton. Do you have any returns or info on them?

Thanks so much, Quincy. Really appreciate you taking the time to chime in.

Yes, others have mentioned that. We've been wondering whether a sneaker with that level of material would be as comfortable.

Haha! I mean, it did seem like he cut a little deeper there. Listen, I'm not the least bit offended by his video--I don't understand why people keep saying that. His channel is awesome and I really respect what he does.

Luxury and status are terms that often have some equivalency in modern times--right or wrong.

Gianvito Rossi, better quality leather wider toe box and half sizes available. Around $500 but always around on sale

There's nothing wrong with chrome tan, and chrome tan is not definitively worse than veg tan.

@@MooImaHippo Top grain is definitely worse than full grain though

@@michaelfrost3357 He didn't actually prove that it was one or the other though, he says he can't tell, then he cuts into them, but quite clearly cuts deeper into the CP leather (and leather also comes in different thickneses). They also specifically sell a full grain version, so it's not really surprising that there is non-full grain leather being used.

That's what I was thinking the more I thought about it.

Oh yeah!

farid mahnad It’s like buying Gucci Bit loafers. We all know you can get a higher quality shoe but they won’t be Gucci and if that’s something you care about then it’s worth it.

@@dereklap1159 Yes.

Thanks, Robert! Wilco!

Yeah, that's getting to a level of minutiae that I am not qualified to comment on in terms of leather quality. In certain instances--especially in the luxury category--beauty (and sometimes quality) is in the eye of the beholder.

Thanks for chiming in!

Nice! Thanks, Gregg. We threw it together really quickly.

Yeah, not that I know ANYTHING about basketball sneakers, but some of them seem to command HUGE premiums and it's not about quality there, is it?

Right but the basketball shoes cost about half the price of these

@@budgetsneakerhead3291 rose anvil cut apart a $1000 pair of basketball shoes

Thanks so much for chiming in, Stephen!

Thanks, man. Curious.... you weren't taken aback that his Koio vs. CP video was sponsored by Koio? If as style or fashion RU-vidr did that, commenters would smell a rat. Look up Ashley Weston's Koio comparison video... I won't do paid reviews on this channel.

@@hespokestyle Yeah that was somewhat surprising especially given the more objective nature of his channel. He does provide clarification as to how his sponsorship works in the pinned comment, as we're obviously not the only ones who suspected bias. From my limited experience (I don't own either shoe) his explanation seems convincing. I think an important difference between Ashley Weston's is that Rose Anvil's dissection of the shoe allows us to see it for ourselves, removing much of the bias (aside from what you pointed out that he seemed to cut the CP leather a bit deeper at 10:20). What's your take on his explanations? Do they seem reasonable to you?

Great perspective. Thanks so much for chiming in.

I feel this same way but personally have always liked the look of the koios and I was happy to see the leather was pretty similar. So i feel good knowing the quality of the two is similar.

Auto Chess he is mainly a work boot and other boot type channel, and he is a leather worker, so he is gonna have a slight high horse on his view. Wait till he tries to make his ultra high end sneakers and realises how expensive and time consuming it can be.

@@banditmc12 Yeah no kidding! A shoe for 400 with all that would be giving them away at no profit.

I agree. But I think the concern is you expect the leather to be better for the price. It’s a $200 sneaker at most, in fact that’s how much they sold for when they first came out.

I'd like to try those sneakers when he makes them!

Appreciate the comment very much. Thanks for the dialogue.