EpauletxAlden Special Make Up Thread

[NAMOR]

this is absolutely awesome: http://www.epauletshop.com/servlet/the-1373/Alden-Ravello-Shell-Semi-dsh-Brogue/Detail

 

[NAMOR]



this is absolutely awesome: http://www.epauletshop.com/servlet/the-1373/Alden-Ravello-Shell-Semi-dsh-Brogue/Detail

is it this:



but with shell, commando, and all eyelets

 

[abam]

is it this:

but with shell, commando, and all eyelets

Yes, but with a medallion on the tip

 

[NAMOR]



Yes, but with a medallion on the tip

 

[Epaulet]

Hey guys,

Thanks to everyone who preordered the two Alden styles so far. We're wrapping up the Whiskey Plaza boot and submitting the order today.

Okay, and I want to chime in on our preorder process.

1. I understand and sympathize with your concern on both lead time and pricing. Both of those factors come into play with the materials that are being chosen. Ravello, Whiskey, and Cigar are the rarest and most expensive leathers that Alden uses, so they'll both take the longest for delivery and carry the highest price. That's just how it is with these materials. If we do makeups in other leathers, then both the lead time and the potential swing in pricing is going to be less of an issue

2. We sell a lot of shell cordovan shoes here. I personally love it, and I know that a lot of you guys do too. I don't have to tell you that it's getting both more rare and more expensive every year. There's way more demand than there is capacity, and I can't see that trend ever reversing. Whatever the final price of our shoes ends up being, I promise that it will be in line and competitive with everyone else's pricing. If our preorders end up with an $800 retail, then everyone's shell boots will be $800. When you compare the prices of Alden Shell Cordovan shoes against other manufacturers - or even against Aldens sold in Europe and Asia - it's actually an extremely fair price, even with the annual increases.

3. About half of the preorders that we've taken are in very small or very large sizes, or in widths. If you just want a Whiskey or Ravello shoe - regardless of the style - and you wear a common "D" width size, then you don't really need to do a preorder. But this is a valuable system for someone who needs a wide or a narrow, as the chances of their size coming through on a production run is very slim. And if you're in love with the particular style that's in question then it also makes sense. But if you just want a wingtip boot or a captoe boot and you're not that concerned about the design details, then don't feel like you need to preorder these styles. You'll find something else in Ravello or Whiskey and be able to buy it now. They pop up frequently enough.

4. Given the high percentage of specialty sizes that are ordered, we have to take the 50% deposit. If I make up an odd size for a customer and they have the ability to cancel it when it's already in work, then I'll find it very difficult or impossible to sell. Alden's going to charge me for it, so I at least need my cost covered. And only charging the wides and narrow people is unfair, so we require a deposit from everyone. Even if other retailers don't do this, it's how we need to work.

5. I started doing these preorders because a group of my customers reached out to me to do do them. Just so you don't misunderstand our intentions, I'm not using this to blow out our Alden sales, or generate a bunch of short-term cash. I love Styleforum, and its exciting to hear your ideas for makeups. I love reading the discourse that goes back and forth. You guys have great taste, and this is really fun for me. But I have a fixed amount of specialty shell cordovan that I can order each year. Instead of doing a Styleforum makeup I could order a 24-unit run of the Ravello Brixton boot in our usual 7.5D through 11.5D range. Just like with the Styleforum makeup, I'll be charged the prevailing price for the goods when they're ready to ship - not when they're ordered. And even though the Styleforum boots will be immediately "sold" upon delivery, the Ravello Brixton would almost surely sell out in a matter of weeks. The Brixton is something easy for me to order, while each Styleforum makeup involves a ton of PM's, a lot of phone calls to the stores, a complicated size break, asking dozens of questions to my Alden rep, etc. Because we're ordering these Styleforum makeups, our own designs won't get produced in these shell colors. But I love working with you guys, so the tradeoff is worth it IMO.

So that's the position from my side. As I said, I'm thrilled to work with you guys on this. You guys are right: these makeups are expensive, the production lead time is long, and the terms are restrictive. It was necessary for me to explain our position on things. We're grateful to be doing this with you guys, and I'm totally open to ordering as many makeups as you guys want to do.

 

[Joenobody0]



So that's the position from my side. As I said, I'm thrilled to work with you guys on this. You guys are right: these makeups are expensive, the production lead time is long, and the terms are restrictive. It was necessary for me to explain our position on things. We're grateful to be doing this with you guys, and I'm totally open to ordering as many makeups as you guys want to do.

Hello Mike. Thank you for your post. I hope you didn't feel that our conversation was attacking your business practices. I surely was not. I think your store is doing Alden fans, especially those of us who take an odd size, a great service. Thank you.

 

[Epaulet]



Hello Mike. Thank you for your post. I hope you didn't feel that our conversation was attacking your business practices. I surely was not. I think your store is doing Alden fans, especially those of us who take an odd size, a great service. Thank you.

My pleasure, and absolutely not - I don't see anything as an attack and I don't want to appear defensive at all.

I sell a lot of premium things. And people in Brooklyn don't mince words. If they see a $650 shoe, they have no qualms of picking it up and asking you why the hell it's so much more expensive than the Johnston & Murphy's that they're wearing. I'm used to it . Running a fair business is a driving principle for me, so I'll always take the time to be transparent and explain why we do things. These shoes ain't cheap, and they won't be here for quite a while, so you guys deserve to hear exactly why that is and why the preorder terms are set up as such.

 

[REguy]

Am I reading this right? Based on point #3 above, if we're a common size, we don't need to get in on the pre-order unless we want to guarantee a pair?

 

[scb]



We're grateful to be doing this with you guys, and I'm totally open to ordering as many makeups as you guys want to do.

I wouldn't mind a #8 cap toe quarter brogue boot on the Grant last with antique edge trim. #8, so a shorter wait than the rarer shells, but different from the standard cap toe because of the antique edge trim and the more decorative cap "edge"


also, has alden ever offered navy shell?

 

[Epaulet]



Am I reading this right? Based on point #3 above, if we're a common size, we don't need to get in on the pre-order unless we want to guarantee a pair?

No, I just wanted to point out that Whiskey, Ravello, and Cigar styles pop up regularly from other retailers. And from us.

If you just want a specialty shell boot - and you're not specifically sold on the styles developed here - than chances are you'll be able to find it eventually for immediate purchase if you wear a common size.

 

[Feji]

When is the obscura cap toe with medallion pre order going to end? Might be able to dodge a scolding by the GF since these MTO's wont arrive for a good while...

Edit : NVM, read the description fully.

 

[pistolero]

That's the other advantage of the preorders; it's like getting shell boots on layaway. By the time they finally come in, I won't be thinking about the first $350 I put down.

 

[abam]

Updates on the Cigar SWB in Leydon: So far it looks like Flat welt, Blind Eyelets, and Double Sole are clearly winning. Although, we'll need to figure out whether people would prefer a commando or waterlock sole.

 

[tangential]

Please be commando

 

[abam]

I'm not really sure I am a fan of the commando on a less rugged shoe.