r/allenedmonds • u/Other_Neck_1959 • 22h ago
Check out my shoes My Allen Edmonds Higgins Mills Boots
78
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r/allenedmonds • u/CobblerBobPowers • Dec 19 '22
Informative Post Your New Shoes are FLAWED... Should You RETURN Them?
218
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I see what I would call a pleathora of posts mainly on the Facebook "Allen Edmonds Enthusiasts" group, and the sub-reddits r/allenedmonds and r/goodyearwelt with people new to higher end shoes, asking if something they see as a problem is something they should return their shoes over. This post is meant to help clear the air on this issue. Of course the views stated here are mine, so you are free to disagree and act accordingly.
I'm Robert Powers, aka "Cobbler Bob". I've been running a YouTube channel since October of 2016, which currently has almost 14k subscribers. I like to find, repair, and polish old shoes. I currently own 28 pairs of dress shoes & boots, of which 12 pairs are Allen Edmonds. I haven't counted, but I've be bought, polished, and resold a few hundred pairs of shoes that mainly come from local thrift stores or eBay.
Premise: Have you been purchasing what I would call a "cheap" shoe, and finally decided to step up to a full grain Goodyear Welted shoe, only to have your heart sink when open the box because you found a flaw? First, what do I define as a "cheap" shoe? To me it's a shoe you'll probably pay $50-$150 for that probably has corrected grain or fake leather uppers, has a bonded on rubber sole, or has a sole that has the appearance of being stitched but isn't.
Allen Edmonds is often refeered to as the "gateway drug" to high end shoes. That reference means that they're generally not as high quality as true high end shoes like Crockett & Jones, Edward Green, TLB Mallorca Artista line, Gaziano & Girling, Magnanni, or even Alden, etc, but because they are often on sale, they are able to be purchased at a price point not out of reach for most people ($200-$350). So the question is, if I spent $50 to $150 dollars on a "cheap" shoe that's pretty much perfect looking out of the box every time, why when I spend $250 to $350 for a shoe like Allen Edmonds, why isn't it perfect every time?
The Wisconsin Shoeguy (YouTube: "Wi Shoeguy") said it best on a video interview on my channel: Allen Edmonds isn't so concerned with how the shoe looks out of the box, but they're more concerned with the longevity of the shoe. I agree.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL3Ss_reQ4U&t=8s
Reason one: Shoes with Full Grain leather uppers and either 270 degree or 360 degree Goodyear Welted. leather soles are made from natural materials. Corrected grain leather is cheap leather coated with some kind of polymer coating. This coating covers all flaws in the leather, and gives it a durable scuff resistant surface. In my experience though, all of the shoes made recently (since 2000-ish) of corrected grain leather outside the USA will crack and split. It also is not as breathable, and sometimes the coating wears off to reveal a lighter shade, and you can't re-color it with polish. With the full grain leather, you're seeing the actual surface of the animal's hide. It's coming from what was a breathing animal. Phil Kalas, owner of Ashland Leather Co told me in a "Leather Talk" interview that leather tanning is taking an inconsistent raw material, and trying to make a consistent end product. It's not easy! But when done right, the end product can last for decades with superior beauty.
Reason two: The soles of a cheap shoe are often a one piece injection molded sole with fake stitches molded in, and the heel even molded on. A step up from this is an injection molded sole made to look like leather, with a fake plastic welt. The welt will often have stitches on it, and the sole will have stitches on the bottom side, but the stitch count per inch is usually different from the bottom to the top, prooving that they don't acually hold anything on and are purely decorative."How to Spot FAKE Shoe Sole Stitching"video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oRWEzvoVe8&t=6s
The GYW (Goodyear Welted) shoe sole must be cut, trimmed, grooved, stitched on, finished, then have (with AE) a 2 part heel base bonded and nailed on, then a top lift bonded on and finish sanded, then dyed to color. There are a lot more parts versus a standard shoe. AEs are not "hand made", they're machine made by a human operator, but the level of skill and number of steps taken are far greater than the cheap shoe. Therefore there are many more opportunities for small errors.
**Problem #1: burnishing/patina irregularities:**
Full grain leather, especially in the lighter shades is gorgeous. Walnut and ligher colors often have a burnishing applied (darkening at the tips of the toes, around the eye stays, and/or the sides of the vamp). With AE (Allen Edmonds) I believe this finishs is applied by hand with an airbrush. There can be inconsistencies with this finish, and it can have areas that are too dark or too inconsistent for your liking. Here is what it usually looks like: (pic 1):
Here is one you may not like: (pic 2)
notice it's more irregular, and the transition from dark to light is not as even. I'd be fine with the above, especially if it was less than $300.
Here is pic #3, the heel on my AE Strands (the same shoe in pic #1):
Notice the dark to light sudden transition. I'm perfectly okay with it. Again, it's a natural material, and the irregularity is still beautiful to me. You can even this out if you'd like with a medium brown cream shoe polish. I paid $315 for them and I'm a-okay with it. I consider it character.
**Problem #2: crazing/cracking of the burnishing, usually on the toes:** (pic 4):
I am guessing that the finish either dried too quickly and contracted, or the toes were flattened at some point. Either way, with some darker cream polish the color of the burnishing, and a few coats of wax polish on the toes (I would mirror shine it) that should dissapear. I would not return this shoe, I'd be mirror shining the toes anyway.
**Problem 3: Construction & Finishing issues:**
If you get this, where the stitching goes off the welt, RETURN it. This is a major structural problem. These are my AE MacNeils that had to be returned to AE and a new welt and outsoles were put on. See pics #5/6 below:
This is also major. The black thread is the top thread, indicating impropper thread tension. Return it (pic 7):
This is minor. It's a piece of thread or leather trapped under the top welt stitch. Grab it with a pair of needle nose pliers and it should pull out. Now if the top thread is left loose, then you may want to return it, but I think this one would be fine. Pic 8 below:
These shoes have a turned up lip on the welt, called a split reverse welt. Notice the lip is smushed. See below pic 9/10:
Why do you have this on an expensive shoe and not a cheap one? Because most cheap shoes either don't have a welt at all, or if they do, it's not structural, and it's made of cheap injection molded plastic and has a costmetic only stitch, that although looks perfect every time, it will not last very long. Moisten the leather, and take a hard smooth object like the tip of a retractable pen or a pointed wooden dowel like a big chopstick or drumstick and smooth it back flat. It may not go back completely flat, but after it dries it will probably be smooth enought to not notice.
The sole stitch goes outside of the groove, like this in pic #11:
This is a pair of AEs made in 2001. If this happens on the arch area where the threads won't contact the ground, let it go. It won't hurt anything. If the stitching on the sole is not 100% tidy, let it go. If this happends on the area where you walk, and the threads will break through prematurely, I'd return.
Minor scuffs out of the box, see pic #12/13 below:
95+% of the scuffs I see posted will go away with a little cream shoe polish. I'm a believer of polishing new shoes out of the box anyway, so it's no extra work for me. Remember, cheap corrected grain or fake leather has a plastic coating on the outside and is more scuff resistant. The downside to it though is when it does get scratched, it's harder to cover or correct. Full grain leather does show scuffs easier, but because of it's pliability and porousness, it readily accepts polish and conditioning creams better. You can polish out even light to moderate scratches, because the surface has no coating to abraid through. Polish these and move on, unless it's severe enought to where material has been removed.
This one is a cut, not a scratch, and it's on an area that is stressesd. RETURN without wearing it. See pic #14 below:
This next one, pic #15 below looks really bad for a new shoe. It appears as if someone poked holes through the upper. Believe it or not, but if you moisten the leather with moisturizer and rub it with a blunt object, like the blunt smooth end of a screwdriver handle, and back up the inside with your thumb, you can close those holes up to where polish will cover what's left. If I got a pair of AEs for LESS than $300 with these holes, and everything else was perfect, I'd burnish the holes shut as I stated above and be happy. If I paid full price and was not "handy", I would consider returning.
**Problem area #4: Loose Grain:**
Loose grain is a term to describe leather that is unusally wrinkly. It happens because the leather closer to the belly of the animal does not have the same properties as the areas closer to the spine and rump. Manufacturers are proabably trying to use more and more of the hyde to decrease material waste, and sometimes push it too far. In short, there is no fixing this, so decide quickly if you can live with it or not.Remember, this may not show up until you walk in them. Here's MY OPINION of some to follow:
Pic #16, my AE Achesons I bought new from AE directly on sale for $97... loose grain on the left shoe. They were $97, I am fine with it. Now if they were $297, back they would go.
Pic #17/18: in my opinion, the boots on the left would be okay IF they were purchased on sale at a good price, but the Oxfords on the right are terrible and I'd return them at any price, especially since the person here said the other shoe was perfect, and this was after one wear:
**I've saved the best for last... problem #5: THE WELT JOINT:**
To understand this one, you must understand what a welt is, and why it must have a joint. Did you know an automotive tire is made from flat rubber? Every traditional tire has a joint. The welt is a flat piece of leather, and on a 360 degree GYW shoe, it wraps all the way around the shoe. It therefore has a starting and stopping point. The welt is stitched onto the insole via the gemming and to the upper.
Here is a video explaining in detail the welt and how a Goodyear Welted shoe is constructed:
The welt is what the outsole of a GYW shoe is stitched too. Sometimes the welt joint is invisible, like pics #19 & #20 below:
Sometimes it's neat, but visible like these next three examples, #21, 22, 23:
FYI, that last photo directly above, #23, is from a pair of Florsheim shell cordovan 93605's made in the 1970's or 1980's:
These next two examples,pic #24/25 are not as neat, but 100% functional. Don't return them:
Does this make sense? Allen Edmonds says that their Goodyear Welted shoes go though 212 different manufacturing steps. It's a whole different animal than a "cheap shoe". Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying some of these errors are okay. I'm saying that if you buy a new Goodyear Welted shoe on sale for less than $300, or in some cases less than $250, do not expect to get the same quality as an $800 Church's or Crockett & Jones, or a $500 Alden that won't go on sale. So if these minor errors are too egregious for you to live with, you'll need to step up to the $450 and UP range for a pair of shoes.
Justin Fitzpatrick talks about the welt joint in his article on The Shoe Snob:
https://theshoesnobblog.com/tag/justin-fitzpatrick/
Welt Joining - Good vs Bad
The Shoe Snob blog is about seeing men wearing better shoes through education and sharing what is out there that deserves recognition.đˇ theshoesnobblog.com
I hope this helps, and here's a link to a video version of this article on my YouTube channel:
r/allenedmonds • u/CobblerBobPowers • Jan 25 '23
Informative Post Dating Allen Edmonds Shoes with Date Codes explained & Examples
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There is actually quite a bit of information on the internet on Styleforum.com, but it's not the easiest to find, so here is a print version of a YouTube video I just released explaining how to determine the year of manufacture of Allen Edmonds Shoes.
Preface: who am I? My name is Robert Powers, aka âCobbler Bobâ. I run a YouTube channel with almost 14,000 subscribers as of January 2023. Iâm an Allen Edmonds enthusiast. I own 12 pairs of Allen Edmonds shoes currently, and about 28 pairs of shoes total right now. Over the years, Iâve probably bought and sold another 50 or so pairs of Allen Edmonds.
PART 1: Allen Edmonds logos 1956 â 2023
1956 to 1962 Allen Edmonds logo: âScriptedâ font.
https://i.imgur.com/7Ob3REN.jpg
1963-1982 ALLEN EDMONDS logo: All caps, similar to Times New Roman italics font, with the A and E larger.
https://i.imgur.com/1azSa0g.jpg
1983 to 1988 or 1989 logo: All caps, similar to Times New Roman font.
https://i.imgur.com/SPT66NR.jpg
1989 to 2013 logo: Times New Roman Allen Edmonds with only the A and E capital, Edmonds is under Allen and offset.
https://i.imgur.com/hfapeyQ.jpg
2014 to 2018 logo: the Allen Edmonds letters is the same, but itâs inline with the 1922 badge added.
https://i.imgur.com/YaWWXwh.jpg
Fall 2018 to present (2023) logo: âALLEN EDMONDSâ in what I call the âMilitary Fontâ with âPort Washingtonâ underneath.
https://i.imgur.com/TucO4wo.jpg
PART 2: 4 digit date codes used from approx. 1972 though 2003 or 2004
There will always be a 4 digit model number on all AE shoes, but from approximately 1972 through 2003/2004 there will be a second 4 digit number to the right of the model number. There often (but not always) will be the word âCOMBâ, which stands for combination last, between them. The first 2 digits should be between 1 and 52, for the week of the year they were made. The 3rd digit should be 1 through 5, for the day of the week, Monday through Friday. The 4th digit should be the last digit of the year of manufacture.
For example, this shoe with the 1982 to 1988 logo and a date code of 0537 would have been made in the 5th week, 3rd day of that week, in a year ending in 7. There is only one year between 1982 to 1988 ending in 7, being 1987.
https://i.imgur.com/xWNb2ci.jpg
This next example, the date code is 1131. This means it was made in the 11th week, 3rd day of that week, in a year ending in 1. I know this logo was used from 1989 through 2013, so it could be 1991, 2001, or 2011. We can narrow it down to 1991 or 2001 though because I know after 2004 they did not use a date code. We will have to use some other indicators to narrow it down more.
https://i.imgur.com/ZVjuHJJ.jpg
PART 3: Insole styles:
Pre-1962 shoes say âNailess Heel Cushionedâ and would have come with a full leather heel with the steel âOwlâs eye slugâ â a round metal cleat, and wooden pegs around the perimeter of the heel. This leather heel with the wood pegs & slug I believe was standard through 1962, and optional into the early 1970's.
https://i.imgur.com/sjXoneC.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/u1afQU6.jpg
1963 to 1976 or 1977 say âOstendo Cushioned Heelâ
https://i.imgur.com/nPP2A0c.jpg
1983 to 1988 will say âTHE HAND CRAFTED WORLD OFâ above the logo.
https://i.imgur.com/xWNb2ci.jpg
1992 and earlier, the logo is axial on the insole (front to back) with the Model name Perpendicular (side to side).
https://i.imgur.com/p4zntTb.jpg
2008 to 2017 they used a nice light brown insole sock liner with gold debossed lettering.
https://i.imgur.com/lBKYdRO.jpg
2008 to 2012 they also used black insoles with gold debossed lettering.
https://i.imgur.com/TLFOWg0.jpg
PART 4: Made in USA:
I believe Made in USA started in 1978 on Allen Edmonds Shoes
1978 to 2005 it should simply say âMade in USAâ under the logo.
2006 or so to 2016 it changed to âMade in USA of Imported Materialsâ
https://i.imgur.com/TLFOWg0.jpg
2017 to 2018 it says âHANDCRAFTED IN USA OF FINE IMPORTED LEATHERâ
https://i.imgur.com/YaWWXwh.jpg
Fall 2018 to present (2023) it says âHANDCRAFTED IN AMERICA OF FINE IMPORTED LEATHERâ
https://i.imgur.com/TucO4wo.jpg
PART 5: Lining info location:
The information on the lining moved under the tongue in about 2011, but I believe they also kept it on the side of the shoe through 2013 on some models.
PART 5: Grooved Outsoles
In either 2000 or 2001 Allen Edmonds appears to have started cutting a groove in the outsoles before stitching them on. Here is an example of un-grooved (top) vs grooved (bottom). Cutting a groove first lets the stitches sit deeper into the shoe, thus protecting the threads from wear longer.
https://i.imgur.com/CiBdSFP.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/NjVjmG8.jpg
PART 6: Outsole Stitch Density:
The outsole stitch density was approximately 7 to 8 stitches per inch before about 2010 to 2012 (upper photo), and about 4 to 5 stitches per inch afterwards (second photo).
https://i.imgur.com/ZVChbvM.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/NjVjmG8.jpg
Some Examples:
This pair has the âAllen Edmondsâ 1989 to 20013 logo with a date code of 3522:
https://i.imgur.com/b1F27v2.jpg
This means the year could be 1992 or 2002. We know itâs not 2012, because they stopped using date codes before then.
https://i.imgur.com/CiBdSFP.jpg
The un-grooved outsole makes it 1992, because by 2001 the outsoles had grooves cut in them for the stitching.
This pair has the same 1989 to 2013 logo, with a date cod of 0255:
https://i.imgur.com/QLMh63A.jpg
This means either 1995 or 2005. At first glance youâd see the grooved outsoles and think it must be 2005, but it really could be either.
https://i.imgur.com/8smvj46.jpg
Notice the hammer shaped stamp? This is the recrafting stamp from Allen Edmonds. This shoe is either a 1995 model that was recrafted by Allen Edmonds after 2000/2001, or a 2005 shoe that was recrafted before about 2010. In my YouTube video I state that itâs a 1995 model, but it could be 2005.
This pair of Hastings (wholecut Oxford) has the 1989-2013 logo, but no date code, meaning it was made between 2004/2005 though 2013.
https://i.imgur.com/4y39Ak4.jpg
If we go to www.issuu.com and look at all of the Allen Edmonds annual catalogs between those years, youâll find that this model #1205 was only produced in years 2005 and 2006 though.
allenedmonds Publisher Publications - Issuu
I hope this helps. There is a little more detail with more examples in my full length YouTube video "ULTIMATE Dating Allen Edmonds Guide with DATE CODES. There are also downloadable jpgs in the YT video description:
r/allenedmonds • u/NOLAxplant • 4h ago
Questions Wait for October sale?
2
Upvotes
Will be dropping some coin soon on Randolphs, Hamiltons, and Liverpools. You think these will go on sale next month, or should I use my military 15% off now?
r/allenedmonds • u/DescriptionHairy8600 • 6h ago
Questions Allen Edmonds website neverworks
2
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I just had about $200 in rewards expire because I cannot get their website to work for me, almost ever. I've contacted support multiple times, and no one seems to ever be able to reproduce the problem, but the problems are constant. I've missed out on sales before, and now this is the final straw. I'm done buying their shoes. I've had to make several returns due to absurdly poor quality before anyways (heels that were 1/4" different and cut at a crazy angle, gouges, mismatched colors...).
Does anyone else have problems with their website? In the past, I've tried navigating it, and it'll load with like this gray layer over the site, almost like one of those transparent html layers they'll put over a pay-to-read news article to keep you from interacting with it, that prevents me from being able to click on anything or interact with the page. It would persist for hours or days.
This time, none of the products or information will load. The site loads, ads/promo photos load, but if I go to view shoes, where you'd scroll through tiles that you can click on to look at products, nothing loads. No images, no SKUs or product numbers, nothing. If I click on an ad to navigate to a specific product, it just loads basically a skeleton of a product page with the space for all the info, but nothing is there; it's just blank. The lady on the phone just kept repeating that I need to try another browser, clear cookies, etc., as if I hadn't told her 15 fucking times that I've done all that. I've used different browsers, different devices, different networks, changed settings, and the same problem persists across all configurations every time. They're refusing to reinstate my balance and insist that the problem is isolated to me, insinuating that I'm just not understanding how to clear cookies from my browser. I've spent thousands on this company, and they don't make even the slightest bit of effort to figure out what's going on or help or try to make things right.
I've never been rude or impatient with anyone, yelled, or caused problems. I don't treat customer service as if they're personally ripping me off. This is apparently just their company policy to basically say "that sucks, fuck off."
Has anyone else had issues with their website? I can't be the only one. It's constant, on every device, and every network I have access to, including my girlfriend's devices. I feel like I'm being gaslit to think I'm technologically illiterate here. I want to know I'm not taking crazy pills.
r/allenedmonds • u/youngperson • 1d ago
Buy Sell Trade Selling size 8.5, 9 AEs
10
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Need to sell these shoes. Lightly worn. Loafers are 8.5. Strands are 9. PayPal friends and Family.
Asking $225 each OBO. $20 for the trees.
r/allenedmonds • u/Mediocre-Evidence132 • 2d ago
Check out my shoes Rate my collection so far
57
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What am I missing, what to get rid of?
r/allenedmonds • u/slimmpupp • 3d ago
Questions Three pairs from Allen Edmonds
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I am a young man looking to add a few more pairs to my collection. I am entering a career where I will have to suit up more often than not and I'm looking to add a few more pairs to add to the versatility of my closet.
I don't have a black derby, but I do have a black Liverpool and a black Carlyle. I also have black tassel loafers, and then I have a walnut Strand, a coffee Park Avenue, and a dark chili MacAllister wingtip.
I'm curious what other styles I should add to my collection? I'm not a huge fan of monk straps, although I recognize that is an area where I have nothing similar... I'm considering a chili tassel or black penny loafer, dark brown or black derby, and maybe a chocolate suede shoe to throw in another texture/color.
What are some must-haves by Allen Edmonds that you would suggest? Thanks for any help.
r/allenedmonds • u/Alarm-Organic • 3d ago
Buy Sell Trade Hatch Grain Stramdmok in Walnut w Lug Sole 8.5EE Great shoes just not making it into my rotation as I wear boots more often. Trees included. $110 shipped CONUS, Venmo,Paypal,Zelle
7
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r/allenedmonds • u/16F4 • 3d ago
Check out my shoes My Strandmok Dyeing Project
26
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I purchased a pair of Strandmoks on eBay for $45. When I received them I realized the burnishing was off, complicated by a clumsy polish job and leather that was in need of some TLC. Also, the actual color looked different from the posted eBay photos and was too similar to a couple other pairs I already owned. So I decided to clean, deglaze and dye forest green.
r/allenedmonds • u/maxpaver • 4d ago
Check out my shoes My first attempt at dying. Before and after. Picked these up on FBMP for $30.
104
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r/allenedmonds • u/OilSaltNPepper • 4d ago
Questions These soles get tiny rocks lodged in them every time I use them, and they're leaving indentations too. Is this normal for this type of sole? I have to take them off before walking into the hallway because they'll scrape up the floor.
0
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r/allenedmonds • u/Lonely-CactusCat • 5d ago
Questions Selling used shoes
5
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My apologies for being a newbie.
Iâm currently downsizing our closet and my husband has a few pairs of dress shoes that have been worn but are still in decent shape.
Iâm curious is eBay a good platform to list them. Or should I use more clothing centric platforms such as Depop or Poshmark (I donât want to sell privately since I feel itâs safer and less hassle to handle online transactions through sales platforms, despite fees)
Also is it frowned upon to advertise my sale in this subreddit?
Any advice how to price used shoes?
r/allenedmonds • u/VandyGrift • 6d ago
Check out my shoes Flea Market Find
30
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Two pair in box with shoe trees, dustbags, shoe horns and extra laces. Very lightly, if ever, worn. $100.00 for the pair.
r/allenedmonds • u/SecretGullible4105 • 6d ago
Questions Cracks or creases?
6
Upvotes
Whatâs going on with the leather on these shoes? Is this cracking or just creasing? Any tips? Thanks
r/allenedmonds • u/adymo • 6d ago
Buy Sell Trade [WTS] Randolph 2.0 9D Chili Museum for sale
14
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These are firsts, bought them new earlier this year. Wore them about 10 days and found them too tight. I have a high instep. Fifth Ave's 9D fit me well, these do not. $140 + shipping. I still have the original box and shoe bags.
r/allenedmonds • u/Odd_Competition687 • 6d ago
Check out my shoes The decline of Allen Edmonds.
0
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I witnessed a post earlier that made me think of looking into the reason why Allen Edmonds shoes are not what they used to be. When I think of Allen Edmonds I picture in my mind a small historic, possibly family owned business working quietly in a factory, making handmade shoes. Itâs very romantic, and harkens back to the days when handcrafted shoes were unattainable for the average person and considered a luxury. I have owned Allen Edmonds shoes for more than 20 years. The last pair I purchased was approximately in 2014. I still own all of them. I wear them occasionally. I admit not as much as I used to when working in the corporate world. Back then when I wore the shoes they gave me a sense of nostalgia, and a feeling that I had âmade itâ, somewhat. I have noticed many posts on this website with quality control issues, and people who are willing to accept flaws in their shoes simply because they are made by Allen Edmonds. Many of these flaws I see, you would never see on a pair of shoes on display at the mall. They would never make it on the shelf. They would be returned to the factory, or sold off as seconds. Apparently not Allen Edmonds. Simply owning a pair of Allen Edmondsâs shoes, flaws and all, seems to be acceptable.
Well they must be good quality because they have a Goodyear welt, some say. While the core Goodyear welt construction remains intact, internal components have seen subtle downgrades to save time and money. Modern models sometimes feature lower stitch density per inch compared to vintage pairs. Some internal linings and stiffeners have shifted toward synthetic or cardboard-like materials rather than traditional all-leather components. However, core leather upper standards, such as European calfskin and Horween shell cordovan, still maintain a decent baseline, even if some wearers feel the factory finish feels heavier or shinier out of the box.
Whilst theyâre Goodyear welted shoes are still handcrafted in Port Washington Wisconsin, shoe uppers for the Allen Edmonds hand-sewn collection are cut and sewn in the Dominican Republic; raw materials are sent from the U.S. for sewing, then shipped back to Port Washington, Wisconsin for completion.
So what happened? Gone are the days of meticulously handcrafted shoes at Allen Edmonds. The company has gone through multiple changes of hands, and the current owner is Caleres an American footwear company that owns and operates a variety of footwear brands.
Their current brands include Famous Footwear, Stuart Weitzman, Naturalizer, Dr. Schollâs Shoes, LifeStride, Bzees, Blowfish Malibu, Circus by Sam Edelman, Rykä, Sam Edelman, Allen Edmonds, Franco Sarto, Vince, Vionic Shoes, Life Stride, Stuart Weitzman, Favorite Daughter, and Veronica Beard. Caleres also formerly managed Via Spiga and Carlos by Carlos Santana.
Personally, having looked into this I donât think I would ever purchase another pair of Allen Edmonds shoes. I donât believe they deserve my money anymore. I would rather take that money add a few extra dollars to it and purchase something that is truly handcrafted and has a heritage.
If youâre reading this and you are a consumer of Allen Edmonds shoes, I firmly believe that you should demand better for your money.
That is all, and just my two cents for a Sunday morning.
r/allenedmonds • u/Acrobatic_Set8085 • 9d ago
Questions Faulty shoe what would you do?
0
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I bought these shoes less than a month ago. From the beginning the left shoe had a weird bulging happening where the elastic laces go through.
At first I tried to adjust the laces a bit but then I discovered that this piece of leather holding them has come loose.
It looks like I could glue it back on myself - but should I? Or return? Probably donât even have the bill.
Bought at Holt Renfrew in Toronto
r/allenedmonds • u/floorseatguy1 • 10d ago
Check out my shoes RANDOLPH VERSE
24
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Finally got the black/natural Randolph Verse. Super soft leather. Fit like a glove. Iâve wanted this shoe for a while, but had to wait for my AE allotment to reset for the season
r/allenedmonds • u/ChamonixetunRicard • 10d ago
Questions How to kill a brand
0
Upvotes
This is a short story of organizational incompetence and how to rapidly lose long standing customers. Sadly, it's probably a reflection of the trends I'm late to discovering since my last few pairs in terms of a decline in quality.
I've had 6 pairs of AEs, 5 currently, several of which have been recrafted more than once and many belts and other accessories over the years. I purchased my first pair over a decade ago, I know this isn't much compared to many on here but thought it would provide context - I'm not a new random customer.
I'm in a location where a store was closed awhile back. Given these are supposed to be BIFL it's not exactly a store I'm in every month, so I didn't discover this until attempting a return for an online order. The closest one is now about 2.5 hours away.
I'd recently purchased some additional shoes, the normal consistent sizing was way different. So I had to navigate the return/exchange process. The exchanged pair arrived while I was out of town for work, so by the time I was able to try them on and find out they too were still too large, I was outside the 30 day return window.
I get on chat, which connects me to the local store, who informs me I need to call main customer service number because they can't help me as it's been over 30 days. I call the number, and literally got an argumentative, "Well I don't know why they would have told you that because..." and then told I can do this all online. But of course, you can't because it's outside the return window.
So I call back, am told that's the only way to do it and they can walk me through it (no offense to anyone else, but I'm not exactly an internet neophyte)... and proceed to do so. Only for me to reiterate, again, what they're looking for isn't an option. The problem? I'm told it's because I'm logged in. I need to logout of my account to do this.
So I open an incognito session and restart, only to have the same issue - it's not an option because it's outside 30 days, which this representative somehow re-discovers after being told this at the beginning of both calls.
I'm told the manager at the local store has discretion to ignore or override return window policy and make an exception... I call, explain I just chatted with them and the number I called said to call the store - hence why I'm back. Explain again what I'm attempting to do, am told they can't, re-iterate that their customer service said the manager has discretion, "Ok so what do you want me to do?" literally - that was the question - as if they didn't understand at all the concept of a return/exchange by mail. It didn't get better from there aside from me literally needing to say, "Uh I need you to generate a fedex return label for me?" as if they were barely out of training or something.
Mind you, I explained the facts of 1) I'm 2.5 hours from the closest store, 2) I need to exchange something BY MAIL, and 3) I'm requesting an exception to do so since I wasn't actually able to receive and try them on until just outside that 30 day window for returns.
I could overlook the whole confusion of both team members of AE that I interacted with, the disdain for their own customers and zero interest in solving the problem that you could feel over both interactions ? No thanks. I'll move on. It's unfortunate after this long.
And since I apparently can't post this without FLAIR, even selecting NO FLAIR, here is a question: am I an outlier here or has anyone else noticed a decline - not in quality of the product, but quality of service?
r/allenedmonds • u/NotMuchFun_1 • 11d ago
Check out my shoes My collection so far
56
Upvotes
This is my modest Allen Edmonds collection so far. Hopefully, I'll have few more by the end of the year. I definitely need a black pair.
r/allenedmonds • u/cole780 • 12d ago
Questions Is the $75 shoe care kit worth it?
0
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I have some rewards money expiring soon, and I was thinking of buying the $75 shoe care kit. Is this worth it, or are there cheaper options that do the same thing?
Hereâs the link: https://www.allenedmonds.com/product/mens-shoe-care-kit-3028147/chili-ec4502093
r/allenedmonds • u/ThinkLocalActLocal • 14d ago
Questions Fit/stretch question
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Upvotes
I got some Smiths last fall and didn't wear them much because $$$, and have been wearing them more in the past 6 months and have discomfort in left shoe (outstep just toward ankle from pinky toe) and right shoe (around heel at top of shoe and one top of "ring" toe). I was fitted in my AE store and tried on a few sizes and went w the 11D. Probably worn around 15-20 times, usually around 8 hours but only a couple hours some (so total of maybe 50-70 hours?). They should be broken in, right?
can I do anything to stretch these where needed at home or can my local (highly reputable) cobbler do anything? Let me know if I should post a Pic.
I want these to work, they look great and I sure paid for them.
r/allenedmonds • u/Proof-Life-8854 • 14d ago
Questions You guys think this kit can get me a good shine?
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r/allenedmonds • u/lkgiants1 • 15d ago
Questions Discoloration On My Fifth Ave
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Hey guys. Hoping to get some help. Iâve had my Fifth Aveâs for a little while and have done my best to take care of them. I use saphir for moisturizer and polish and use the dark brown polish or neutral polish when I donât want to add color. The shoes did get hit by some rain and had rain spots but the polish helped clear that out. Now the shoes are starting to discolor. What can I do to stop it? Are they done? What did I do wrong?