***The official Alden thread *** Share enthusiasm, reviews, sizing, advice, and photos.

[TactileOne]

Yep! Just put in my order. And the wait begins....

I've never pre ordered before with Leffot, are they generally timely with fulfillment?

 

[rydenfan]



I've never pre ordered before with Leffot, are they generally timely with fulfillment?

Usually pretty close. The difference with them compared to some other retailers is that they do not offer the pre-order until the order is confirmed into production. These means that a timeframe for delivery has been given by Alden. I prefer this style to the 2+ years I have been waiting for other orders

 

[TactileOne]

Usually pretty close. The difference with them compared to some other retailers is that they do not offer the pre-order until the order is confirmed into production. These means that a timeframe for delivery has been given by Alden. I prefer this style to the 2+ years I have been waiting for other orders

Good to hear, I just pulled the trigger on them.

 

[coolarrow]

I love the patina that forms in the section between the line of the cap toe and the lacing. Starting to get that variation in color in my cap toe boots, beautiful... wear in great health my friend!

ps the garbage can in the background doesn't help the look.

Thanks. This is my 1st pair of shells that I've bought new and am amazed how the color is coming in.

 

[mcarthur]



saddles x leffot

nephew, good shine on your saddles

 

[mcarthur]



nephew, good looking whiskey

 

[JermynStreet]

PSA: so the whole shell cordovan shortage thing is bullshit. I had a friend go to the Horween factory today (his 3d time visiting). He spoke to Nick Horween who offered to fill all the orders of shell that he wanted. The whole shell wait time is unclear-but it is not for lack of shell.

 

[mcarthur]

cigar straight tip
argyles otc

 

[mediahound]

PSA: so the whole shell cordovan shortage thing is bullshit. I had a friend go to the Horween factory today (his 3d time visiting). He spoke to Nick Horween who offered to fill all the orders of shell that he wanted. The whole shell wait time is unclear-but it is not for lack of shell.

This doesn't mean the shortage is BS. Your friend may be able to go to Horween and place an order for 10 shells, yet Horween could still not have enough to fill an order from Alden for 1,000.

 

[JermynStreet]



This doesn't mean the shortage is BS. Your friend may be able to go to Horween and place an order for 10 shells, yet Horween could still not have enough to fill an order from Alden for 1,000. 

True, but he said that he saw "stacks and stacks" of shells. Indicated that it was in the hundreds.

 

[mediahound]

True, but he said that he saw "stacks and stacks" of shells. Indicated that it was in the hundreds.

Means nothing. Maybe normally they would have thousands.

I can't recall where but I read an article/interview with Nick Horween recently where he stated that they are not operating near to capacity with shell cordovan like they used to.

 

[Alcibiades]

Stores like Leffot and Leather Soul may have thousands of Alden shoes on preorder at any given moment... This of course ignores J Crew, Brooks Brothers, the Alden shops, the international market, Allen Edmonds, etc. A few hundred shells isn't that much compared to total demand.

 

[aldenwear]

I've never pre ordered before with Leffot, are they generally timely with fulfillment?

There are two aspects to your questions: (1) how long does it take Alden to create the shoes and get them to Leffot; and (2) once Leffot receives the shoes, how timely are they in letting you know they have them, collecting the balance due and getting them to you.

The first aspect of your questions vexes every Alden retailer because, apparently, Alden cannot or does not hew to a schedule in getting product to its retailers. We have all heard of the difficulty in getting shoes in exotic cordovan. A number of retailers have told me that even color 8 and black cordovan and non-cordovan product is difficult to get in timely or expected fashion from Alden. Retailers will give you estimated production times, but they are only estimates that, in my experience, have been met sometimes, sometimes they have not. But, all of the preorders in which I have participated, which have involved the non-exotic cordovans and other leathers, have not been inordinately long.

As to the second aspect of your question, Leffot's service has been superb.

If you like the shoes,, and can live with 4-6 months, I would do it.

 

[venividivicibj]

Lots of the waits are for ravello and cigar and whiskey (where the shell has to be perfect for those colors to be produced) color 8 and black weren't really in shortage

 

[aldenwear]

Stores like Leffot and Leather Soul may have thousands of Alden shoes on preorder at any given moment... This of course ignores J Crew, Brooks Brothers, the Alden shops, the international market, Allen Edmonds, etc. A few hundred shells isn't that much compared to total demand.

+ 1

Another example why anecdotal evidence has to be considered with a pillar of salt in drawing broader conclusions.