What to choose between Vass and Antonio Meccariello

[Johnny80]

have you check out the AM website as far as oxford goes it got plenty none "fashion forward" stuff...

I mean like (just pick a conservative color like medium brown/dark brown/black etc.)

Venator boot

Handwelted Venator Balmoral Boot in Reverse Calf Suede and Triple Tanned Boxcalf. Made on the Hawksbill Last with Oak Bark Tanned Leather Sole. Available in 2 colors. Available in Caffe Tostato or Burgundy/Oxblood For Lasted Shoe Trees please click here

www.meccarielloshoes.it

Tribune 2 in Dark Chocolate Suede

Handwelted Tribune 2 Chukka Boot in Dark Chocolate Reverse Calf Suede From Tanneries Roux. Made on the Argentum Soft Square Last with a Vibram Dainite Sole.

www.meccarielloshoes.it

https://www.meccarielloshoes.it/product/roma-principes-3/

Principes 3

Handwelted Principes 3 Adelaide made with Vintage 90's Annonay Black Boxcalf. Made on the Hawksbill Last with Oak Bark Tanned Leather Soles. For lasted shoe tree please click here

www.meccarielloshoes.it

Principes in Dark Tan Suede

Handwelted Principes in Dark Tan Reverse Babycalf Suede. Made on the Hawksbill Last with Oak Bark Tanned Soles. Pre-order item, shipping 16-18 weeks

www.meccarielloshoes.it

Optio Wingtip Oxford with Patina Color Choice

Handwelted Optio Wingtip Oxford in Baby Boxcalf. Made on the Argentum Round Last with Oak Bark Tanned Soles. Patina Color of Choice. For out of stock sizes, pre-order takes between 12-18 weeks.

www.meccarielloshoes.it

Optio Wingtip Oxford in Black Freudenberg Boxcalf

Handwelted Optio Wingtip Oxford in Black Freudenberg Boxcalf. Made on the Hawksbill Last with Oak Bark Tanned Soles. For out of stock items, pre-order will be between 12-18 weeks.

www.meccarielloshoes.it

Optio Wingtip Oxford in Chestnut

Handwelted Optio Wingtip Oxford in Chestnut Baby Boxcalf. Made on the Hawksbill Last with Oak Bark Tanned Soles. For out of stock items, pre-order will be between 12-18 weeks.

www.meccarielloshoes.it

Legate 2 Black

Handwelted Legate 2 Oxford in Black Triple Tanned Boxcalf. Made on the Argentum Chisel 2 Last with Oak Bark Tanned Leather Soles

www.meccarielloshoes.it

Decurion 3 wingtip In baby box calf Castagna – Meccariello Shoes

Decurion 2 in Black Freudenberg Boxcalf

Handwelted Decurion 2 Balmoral in Vintage Black Freudenberg Boxcalf. Made on the Argentum Chisel 2 last with Oak Bark Tanned Soles.

www.meccarielloshoes.it

Legate 2

www.meccarielloshoes.it

Centurion Argentum Round last In Box calf vintage – Meccariello Shoes

Campus Penny loafer

Meccariello Handwelted Campus Penny Loafer in Dark Chestnut Annonay Vegano Boxcalf. Made on the Campus Last with Oak Bark Tanned Soles.

www.meccarielloshoes.it

Equites 2 Captoe Oxford in Dark Brown Suede

Handwelted Equites 2 Captoe Oxford in Dark Brown Reverse Baby Calf Suede. Made on the Argentum Soft Square last with Oak Bark Tanned Soles. For out of stock sizes, pre-orders takes between 12-18 weeks.

www.meccarielloshoes.it

https://www.meccarielloshoes.it/product/1a-decurion-3-patina-service/

https://www.meccarielloshoes.it/product/argentum-equites-2-patina-service-pre-order/

Decurion 2 in Black Freudenberg Boxcalf

Handwelted Decurion 2 Balmoral in Vintage Black Freudenberg Boxcalf. Made on the Argentum Chisel 2 last with Oak Bark Tanned Soles.

www.meccarielloshoes.it

https://www.meccarielloshoes.it/product/1a-decurion-3-patina-service/

Equites Oxford in Patina Color Choice

Handwelted Equites Oxford in Baby Boxcalf. Made on the Argentum Soft Square Last with Oak Bark Tanned Soles. Patina Color of Choice. Pre-order item, shipping in 12-18 weeks.

www.meccarielloshoes.it

https://www.meccarielloshoes.it/product/lucius-handwelted-patina-service/

Stop it man..now you are making me to want another pair of AM

 

[Johnny80]

Plus he also makes bespoke , so he can in on any direction with AM
See some pairs of bespoke https://www.meccarielloshoes.it/bespoke-gallery/

 

[JohnMRobie]

I should have been more specific. I never wear oxfords, captoes,
or brogues( wing tips) In general even AM's conservative shoes
are too pointy for my taste.

Agree on this one. If I weren’t after oxfords to wear with suits I wouldn’t buy anything from AM.

 

[boringbear]

aesthetic? else I can't really see why pick Vass or AM

edit: of course Vass had some great sales...

technical and material wise

 

[clee1982]

@boringbear

Got to say no way on that, hasn’t cut up an AM myself but their entire Argentum line is handwelt (machine sewn bottom) save for left over old stock, everything is done better than Vass on finishing wise.

as far as material wise I have always been impressed with AM leather, as far as “crust” goes it beats StC for sure, non crust wise for the few I have are all top notch

 

[clee1982]

Agree on this one. If I weren’t after oxfords to wear with suits I wouldn’t buy anything from AM.

I hope you don’t have some split toe commission with him , the RTW one is like 850 euro with all the add on? Not the best value anymore but still pretty competitive though got to say for an Italian brand he is very rare for not having a lot derby models…

 

[boringbear]

@boringbear

Got to say no way on that, hasn’t cut up an AM myself but their entire Argentum line is handwelt (machine sewn bottom) save for left over old stock, everything is done better than Vass on finishing wise.

as far as material wise I have always been impressed with AM leather, as far as “crust” goes it beats StC for sure, non crust wise for the few I have are all top notch

ummm... I have seen more than 50 pairs of AM in every different line and a lot of Vass too. I'm kinda in the shoemaking industry my friend. Vass's shoes are fully handmade, not only handwelted then stitch the outsole by machine, and the upper leather quality is way better than AM in general.

QC is the weak part of Vass, and their finishing does look a little rough compared to most of the brands however they still make great shoes, and honestly, AM's finishing is kinda **** in my eyes. Don't think Imma type a thousand words here to just explain why I get this conclusion, believe it or not.

 

[clee1982]

Within the “cheap” handwelt guys (AM, EB, Vass plus I guess OT/GCT/Xibao, ie the cheaper end of Chinese Hw guys) my personal experience (leather quality) definitely does not correlate with yours I have to say

 

[Johnny80]

AM at that price point has no rival..Vaas for me is more around TLB mallorca than its closer to carmina
Im pretty sure when AM get even more recognized..he will increase his prices right there with Bontoni prices. AM and Bontoni are work of art while vaas tlb mallorca or even carmina are the base go to for quality shoes
I dont know you and you dont know me, but from my experience of life when someone says to me that is in the x industry for a lot years, history made me more cynical in these days and made me not to trust until proven wrong of course. I saw people who are saying that they are auto-mechanics for a decade but they mess up when they change a car for oil, not talking about a gearbox or engine changing..
So, from my personal point of view and from a person that is using these kind of shoes almost 3-4 days per week i have to say AM is cheap compared to others for what they offer...and that is because he is still "small" and he is placing his profit more into shoes than into the marketing. clee is right 100%
It doesnt matter if its handmaded if those guys doesnt have the "know how" at the quality of AM himself

 

[ViaSartoria]

The quality is “so bad” I’m giving these AMs away!

*end sarcasm*

Honestly, there’s no one who offers the finish, the quality and the style that AM does at his price ranges. I say that as someone who is about to place an order for a pair of Vass, simply because they offer a pattern that I quite like.

You can’t go wrong with either brand, it all depends on what your preferences are. AM is more refined and fashion forward, Vass is more conservative and classic. AM has a higher degree of finish. Vass has beautiful museum calf. Either will last decades with proper care.

 

[dieworkwear]

I also prefer Vass to Antonio Meccariello. While I'm sure you can squeeze a pair of tasteful, sensible shoes from them, many of their customers seem to go wild with options, like guys who have too many options in custom suiting and end up ordering tight jackets with contrast stitching and linings. I feel like you have to really search to find a pair of Meccariello shoes that aren't garish.

Take a look at boringbear's IG. He has very good taste.

 

[boringbear]

The quality is “so bad” I’m giving these AMs away!

*end sarcasm*

Honestly, there’s no one who offers the finish, the quality and the style that AM does at his price ranges. I say that as someone who is about to place an order for a pair of Vass, simply because they offer a pattern that I quite like.

You can’t go wrong with either brand, it all depends on what your preferences are. AM is more refined and fashion forward, Vass is more conservative and classic. AM has a higher degree of finish. Vass has beautiful museum calf. Either will last decades with proper care.

Seems you guys don’t like my comment on AM, I recommend you guys to check out Vass’s book, check Marcell Mrsan’s IG, or even just take a look at Anthony Delos’s YouTube shoemaking video, once you know how a well finished pair of shoes been made, you won’t say AM does a nice job on finishing.

I have checked AM’s workshop in person back in 2014 (visited other makers like Bestetti too, too bad that he’s not here anymore), and I have seen many of his works in person, never consider to have a pair for myself.

And honestly I have bias on this guy since he copied some of my friends designs and claims that those are his originals, I’m not here to argue, let’s agree to disagree if you don’t like my opinions.

 

[ViaSartoria]

When one wants to learn swimming, it’s better to learn from someone who knows how to swim than an expert who has watched 50 swimming tournaments on TV

- Confucius

 

[boringbear]

When one wants to learn swimming, it’s better to learn from someone who knows how to swim than an expert who has watched 50 swimming tournaments on TV

- Confucius

Should I tell you I made few shoes by my own hands too? And also there’re many brilliant makers on the planet, and they are much better than AM. IMHO.

 

[boringbear]

I also prefer Vass to Antonio Meccariello. While I'm sure you can squeeze a pair of tasteful, sensible shoes from them, many of their customers seem to go wild with options, like guys who have too many options in custom suiting and end up ordering tight jackets with contrast stitching and linings. I feel like you have to really search to find a pair of Meccariello shoes that aren't garish.

Take a look at boringbear's IG. He has very good taste.

Personal taste is personal, but Vass offering fully hand stitched construction in that price is crazy enough. It’s totally different than just hand welted, much more reliable.

Thank you for your kind comment too, you’re too kind on this tho.