This is my third pair of 910, yes, it’s so funny, and it’s also the second pair of Horween shell cordovan on the same model.
This pair of shoes has a great significance, that is, I have completely determined what shell cordovan is suitable for. Its application scope is really not too wide, and Alden’s choices are correct.
Let us check it out.
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In the renaissance of classic menswear and dress shoes, Spanish shoemakers rose at an astonishing speed and grabbed a lot of market share from its English peers. There are so many shoe factories in Almansa and Mallorca in Spain, and you may think there are so many shoemakers or brands there, the fact is maybe there are, however only few of them gained global reputation and can stand by its own, not the private label production orders. The several coming to my mind simultaneously are Carmina, TLB Mallorca, Meermin and Yanko.
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Carmina was the first Spanish brand I came across. It was also the first Spanish dress shoe brand emerging in the classic menswear revival movement. It can be said that the emergence of so many Spanish brands today is due to the shadow of Carmina.
I also introduced the Albaladejo Pujas family, the imperial presence of the Spanish shoe industry. Carmina is one of the brands of this family and should be the most important one.
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Carmina is the first Spanish shoe factory to challenge British shoe brands, although before it, there were brands like Yanko, which once dominated Spain. After the renaissance of classic men’s clothing, most audiences and online discussions to the Spanish shoemaker is Carmina.
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I introduced two methods to remove creases on leather dress shoes, one is high-temperature blow and the other water emersion. Today’s method is a modified version of water immersion, that is, the wet wipe method. Today I take my own shoes to try the effect.
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The most well established Spanish shoemaker brand, who is also the best shell cordovan shoemaker in Europe.
Lasts and models are almost limitless and its custom system is highly praised.
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I was very into shell cordovan long time ago as if Goodyear shoes can accompany you for a long time, shell cordovan shoes can last your entire life if not your descendant’s’.
After I owned several pairs, shell cordovan lost its glamour. It is not because the durability disappeared, but I don’t care durability that much and even Goodyear shoes can meet even exceed my expectation.
On the other hand, breaking in of shell cordovan shoes is even bitter than calf shoes. Shell cordovan is not appraised for its close pores and bad breathability.
Till today, I have three pairs of shell cordovan shoes, and they are made of different shell cordovan leathers by different shoemaker, and serviced for various years, and they are all in colour 8, sometimes called cordovan colour. It is a great idea to see how shell cordovan ages.
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Carmina has been the most important player at the middle range price point for years. It is Carmina who started the contest with English shoemakers and I guess the target was Crockett & Jones telling from the price. At a lower position, Carmina offered closed channel construction and Jon Rendenbach leather sole which were regarded impossible or profitless at that time.
Today, Carmina cannot simply win with value, and I am afraid Carmina does not want to. So Carmina chose another path to deliver value to followers which is its best MTO system.
By any means, my personal experience with Carmina is the shoes are very well made and the leather quality is fantastic.
I own two pairs of Carmina, both model 910, its most sought after and received model.
Let us have a check.
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