Meermin Mallorca Shoes

[asturiano]

A new shoe shop called Mermin opened in Madrid last month.

The following press release (sorry, only in Spanish) http://www.modaes.es/empresa/071111/la-familia-albadalejo-releva-a-shanghai-tang-en-ma mentions that the company belongs to the Albaladejo family, owners of Carmina shoes. The article mentions that the management for both companies only share the fact that both are Albaladejo's.

The shop is based in Claudio Coello St, Madrid at walking distance from Carmina shop. I've read that prices for box calf are EUR 140 and cordovan EUR 290. This is their tumblr meermin.tumblr.com, can anyone care to comment about their quality?

On the other hand last week I was visiting my parents place in the north of Spain and their local shoe shop had some Carmina's on display at EUR 290 for box calf and EUR 475 for cordovan..... I asked my parents to pick for some double monk at the Xmas where they will be at a 15% off

 

[Galix]

That's good news. Although the name could be better, I expect good quality shoes. Of course nothing comparable to Carmina considering the prices, but maybe in the range of Loake, etc.

 

[kashmir]

necesito ver los zapatos mas claro.

 

[meister]

Just reading the link establishes that it another arm of the family business that has been flogging shoes to high end Japanese boutiques/shops for years and now the company is moving to bricks and mortar stores in Madrid Bilbao and Tokyo selling lower end shoes leaving Carmina to the top end. It explains that another brother established Yanko shoes and sells a million pairs a year.

 

[ncdobson]

I've been emailing Pepe Albaladejo, and here's what he tells me about their future online offerings:

"Our 'Linea Maestro' Shell Cordovan pairs are priced at the moment at 290€ (Hand lasted and handmade goodyear welted). The 'Linea Maestro' Collection between 250€ ([Annonay french calf, Freudenberg calf, Janus calf suede], Hand lasted and handmade goodyear welted.) - 370€ (Norwegesse construction pairs, Hand lasted and Handmade goodyear welted).
And our Meermin classic line is priced at 140€ (Hand lasted and Goodyear machine welted).

[Note that all prices given before include the 18% of VAT].

And the shipping costs will be more or less 40€ to ship from Spain to the US."

I'm intrigued.

Nick D.

 

[NotoriousMarquis]

Very, very interested.

 

[Jermyn]

I´m heading to Madrid tomorrow, will be checking out Meermin and Carmina.
Full report, with comparisons, to follow.

 

[asturiano]

Looking forward to receiving your report.

I just read on an Spanish forum that Meermin and Carmina used to buy together batches of leather from the same place. Also it seems that Carmina outlet in Granada used to sell Meermin shoes a few years back.

 

[meister]

Is there a Carmina store in Seville?

 

[Jermyn]

Right, just got back from Madrid.
Meermin was amazing.
They had a back room dedicated to their hand welted shoes.
I checked to be double sure and was told that the regular shoes are machine welted and the Linea Meastro are welted by hand.

Their Cordovan shoes had a last that I just couldn´t get to fit my feet, I would also say that the finishing is noticeably worse than Carmina.
To be honest this is not a huge problem on some Cordovan shoes but it made the Oxford laced ones look a little sloppy.
The tassel loafers were finished to a higher standard though.

The shop was incredibly busy despite only being open for 2 months.
Around 25 people came in during the hour or so I spent there.

The prices are pretty unbelievable, fully handwelted, norvegese stitched shoes for €350.
Handwelted Freudenberg calf (Linea Maestro) for €250.

Dainite soled chukkas (Dainite featuring Meermin name - much like C&J do) for €160.

Only kopped one pair (There was a 70% off Cucinelli sale one block away): hand welted, choclate suede oxford, semi-brogues.



I sized down one full size from the UK portion of my EG 888 size.
I am usually a UK9.5-US10 in EG 888. On all the lasts which fit me I was an 8.5 in Meermin.

I have quite wide feet and I think the lasts are wider around the ball of the foot, thus allowing me to size down for a great fit.


They still don´t have a way to take mail and phone orders but they are working on this.

Anyway, some more pictures:



Wall of lasts





Regular shoe line





Cordovan shoes





Linea Maestro (Hand-welted) shoes





More Line Maestro

 

[KObalto]

The shoes you bought were 250 Euros? Seems to good to be true!

 

[gyasih]

Nice shoes, did the trees come with them?

 

[Jermyn]



The shoes you bought were 250 Euros? Seems to good to be true!

I know, I´m still trying to figure out how they´re making money on them.

The trees are lasted and cost €35, they are more EG than St.C but decent for the price nonetheless.

 

[meister]

Wall of lasts



These belong to customers, presumably, so where do they source them?

 

[Galix]

Great post Jermyn. Thanks for sharing!