Antonio Maurizi

[mr monty]



http://www.bluefly.com/pages/browse/..._id=2022302999


anyone have any comments on Antonio Maurizi? it looks like a poor mans testoni


thanks.

Now Testoni is starting to look like a poor man's Antonio Maurizi. In the last 5 or 6 years Testoni has really gone downhill in terms of quality.

 

[jlconley]

I have read all the threads about them and the consensus is that most are poorly constructed, but I saw these, loved the looks and bought them spur of the moment. What do you guys think? I did make sure to call first and ask about returning them just in case, she offered to waive the return fee if I did return them.
http://www.gilt.com/sale/men/dress-...tonio-maurizi-leather-brogued-cap-toe-oxfords

Thanks for any insight
Lucas

 

[MZhammer]

I have one pair. Mine are very uncomfortable and seem poor quality when compared to my AE or Bruno Maglis. Good styling though. Worth a discounted price but not full retail.

 

[unbelragazzo]

I have a couple, also bought off Gilt. The construction quality isn't worth full retail, but at Gilt prices, for me they fit really well and I like the styling, so I think fully worth it if you spot a pair you like.

 

[md2010]



I have one pair. Mine are very uncomfortable and seem poor quality when compared to my AE or Bruno Maglis. Good styling though. Worth a discounted price but not full retail.

Hi mate, would you mind explaining uncomfortability and quality issues. They do look good but gilt price $300 is still high if quality isn't there.

 

[jlconley]

They came today!

I'm on the fence, I love the looks, but they are not $695 (retail) quality. I'm by no means a shoe expert still just learning. I have a couple pair of C&J's, Stuart's choice,Lloyd's, and few imp Florsheim's, but no Italian shoes to compare(ferragamo) wing tips not a good comparison).
They are light weight that's for sure and I haven't any sort of trained eye (other than obvious quality) can still spot little inconsistencies.

What do you guys think? are they worth $325 I paid from Gilt, or should I spend another $100-300 and look for another used pair of C&J's, e. greens, etc? I have yet to buy a Brand New pair of mid-high end shoes except these in quite some time, although $695 retail seems like a gimmick. I was thinking they look like more of a $200-300 shoe. Leather is not shiny and is soft with nice color although it has some small "spots/rubs." I can't find much info from whats on the box ?
http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h24/kydux/Antonio Maurizi/

 

[rsuhandy]

You're better off with C&J by far.
I had a pair of Maurizi shoes and although they looked good,
I felt like they were made of plastic. I also got them for gilt and ended
up selling them after 1 wearing for a $150 loss

 

[Masry]

Saw a pair of the Gilt-level Maurizis at the Rack in San Francisco recently. The leather quality was worse than Mezlan's made-in-Mexico line. Felt like that "all man-made materials" petroleum-based stuff you see shoes made out of at Target or Payless. These Gilt Maurizis are definitely one of those too good to be true deals. Pass. Got a pair of Gilt's own house brand shoes in suede and was very pleasantly surprised, however. Very please, even (their label is "Wall + Water"). I'm willing to bed the W+W calf models are plastic garbage but suede is more...forgiving.

In short, Gilt is what it is. You pays your money and you takes your chances.

 

[MrGordon]

I haven't seen much recent feedback on Maurizi so I thought I'd share my experience with some of their shoes I purchased a year ago. I bought some captoe balmorals in a natural/light tan color. I bought them on MyHabit for $215 vs. a "list price" of $625. In my shoe collection I have many AE shoes and boots, several Alfred Sargent shoes and boots, and pairs of Loake, Testoni, Grenson, and Alden.

The shoes I purchased appear to be well made. The uppers are full grain leather, buttery smooth, and not a single blemish. They do appear to be somewhat lighter and thinner than my other shoes but after a year of use I have yet to see any negative effect of that. Creasing is similar to my best shoes and there is not a single crease in the cap and they have aged much more gracefully than my AE Neumoras which I bought around the same time and have a similar shape. They have a full leather lining (albeit very thin), suede in the heel, and a full leather footbed. I believe the thinner feel of the shoe is really due to the liner, not the outer leather. The stitching on the uppers is among the best of any shoe I own and significantly better than any of my AEs. The soles have an open channel and are made with rapid Blake construction. The finish around the soles is flawless and there are no irregular bumps or waves as I see in several of my AE sole edges. There is no bevelling of the waist but only my Sargents have that feature. The soles and heels have held up quite well after a year as well. The overall profile of the shoe is elegant and modern. It's definitely sleeker than the AEs and Alden and similar to the Sargents. They are quite a contrast to my mainly conservative collection. The original color for me was a bit too pale even though they came nicely burnished. A few coats of burgundy creme and wax have brought them to a much better color for my taste and they now get more wear as a result.

Overall, I would say they are definitely worth the price I paid and while they are very different in shape than AE I feel they are competitive. I know this is not consistent with the majority of the views expressed here so far and I don't know if Maurizi has improved or whatever but as I sit here simultaneously handling all of these shoes, I can't say I understand why there's no appreciation for them by the forum. Rating my collection top to bottom, I would see it this way: Alfred Sargent, Alden, Grenson (made in England), Maurizi, AE, and Loake. I put them above AE because while the AEs will undoubtedly last forever, the leather, creasing with wear, stitching quality, and sole edging is clearly inferior to the Maurizi's, at least the one pair I own.


At $200-$250, if you find a pair in a color and shape that you like, I say go for it.

 

[kentyman]

Thanks for the post. I have one pair that I like, though I wouldn't say I like them as much as any of my AEs. The leather, while buttery soft, is also quite thin. My pair is Blake, not Blake/Rapid.

I figured the reason they were so light was a combination of thinner leather, and the thinner Blake-stitched sole vs. a thicker 360-degree Goodyear-stitched sole that also generally protrudes wider around the shoe.

 

[ChristopherFol]

Thanks for your great post. I purchased a pair of the Maurizi cap toe boots as I had sprung for a pair of Edward Green's the winter prior and did not want to spend that kind of money again so soon.
I was hesitant because of the low price ($250) and the fact that I saw the brand on Gilt all time, mostly just shoes, and Most of the merchandise I I have purchased on Gilt has been poorly made borderline factory seconds.
Upon arrival I compared them with my other dress boots and then took them to my shoe man who works on my Green's, Lobb's, C and J's,, Santoni, etc for the comfort insoles and usual new boot treatment.
My comparison was consistent with previously noted areas of concern, thin leather and outsoles thinner than I am used to. That said, I must say that as far as style goes, worth every penny, only my Green boots have that stylish a toe, the C&J Northcote is a close second. The color is great, very similar to my CJ Northcotes and my old Alden Indys. The leather and construction are not the quality of the EG and CJ's, but it is not bad at all, better than the AE's and Nordstrom brands I have seen. My personal opinion is that for the money, they were a really good buy, the styling and the color and detail are great, the weight is light, however I have not found that to be a problem as I normally wear a thicker sock with my dress boots.
The real test was my shoe man, who I have used for 15 years now and does all the work on top end shoes for every friend of mine. He does amazing work, but will insult you to your face if he thinks your shoes are crap, regardless of the label, eg- a buddy spent 700+ on a pair of Gravati's, Danny told him he had more money than sense and showed him all the shortcomings of the shoe.
Fearing such a backlash but needing my comfort insoles I took them in. When I picked them up, Dan said nice boots, not as good as your others (he was referring to my CJ's I had him work on a couple of weeks before), but overall nice. When I told him the price I paid, he said "you got a great buy". That sealed the deal for me. It I saw a similar pair in a different color and/or plain toe I would buy them again.

 

[rx330]

I just purchased a pair NWD of Maurizi Chelsea boots from ebay for $36 best offer. The only reported defect is that one boot strap is torn, which I'm sure should be an easy fix. Once they arrive, I'll provide an update with my opinion of the quality and fit.

 

[stupendous]

I was very surprised to read all of the negative comments about the AM's. I bought a pair of dark brown suede chukkas more than 2 years ago now, and they were, at one point, worn more than any other shoe in my rotation.

They were comfortable, and I never had a problem with them. Probably because they didn't coat as much as my other shoes, I wore them through rain and didn't pamper them as much. After all that, they still look good (if a bit nappy), and they're still comfortable. The he'll is being worn down (its either rubber or some rubber/plastic combo), but only because I wore it so much.

The fact that I got it on Gilt (on 'sale'), only makes it an even better value.

Am looking at another pair on Gilt now, but am waiting for a couple of MTOs, so hard to justify another pair even if they are cheaper.

 

[shady_2001]

seldom comment in menswear but i thought i'd say, i picked up a pair of these not too long ago from the local italian importer after mulling over them for an hour. on discount they were a great bargain and sat comfortably between the high end santonis and low end i-don't-know-whats.

the leather on my brogues are satisfactory, bit stiff but not plasticky. reasonably comfortable after first few wears. build quality is no worse than loake 1880s, in fact, they might be slightly better. and they are quite handsome in the silhouette. of course you must be quite mental to pay the 600 to 700 they are asking for on their website, but in my opinion for $200-250 they would be a great buy, and even at $300 they are worth considering. this is one of those true mid-range men's shoes that you don't need to fuss about and can wear into the priciest restaurant in town.

as for the gilt offerings, i've taken a peek at them and they are certainly not the same quality. i can tell from the soles; mine are properly and deeply channeled. err...caveat emptor.

other than that, i will always strongly consider this brand in the future.

 

[Syed14]

I am thinking of getting this pair of Maurizis. Reading the reviews here, I have mixed feelings about these. Can anyone comment on how well made could these be? I can get them @ $280. I'm just a beginner here, so would really appreciate some expert advice on these. And if not these, what other options could I go for under $300? Thanks in advance.

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