Today's Favorites - Carmina Balmoral Boot

I have never actually had the pleasure of holding a pair of Carmina shoes in my hands, but I have always appreciated what I have seen in pictures and all of the nice things that most people have to say about them. While they tend to not stray too far outside of classic styles, I did notice this pair on Ethan Desu's blog a little while ago and was quite taken aback by the uniqueness of them. There was no description of what they were for, but I could only imagine that they must have been an MTO, as this is not a combination that you see often, especially in RTW circulation. And even though it did not make me say 'WOW' for some unknown reason, I feel that I would love to have them and would gravitate towards them more than I think. Something about them really captures me, but in a way that is almost indescribable. The seem to have these little subtle qualities that make them really stand apart, but only after 3 or 4 glances do you notice them. I feel that they come up higher on your leg than your average pair, the stitching along the facing is not quite straight but not quite as curved either when it comes to the edge of the vamp/quarter, and that the mouth of the boot (above ankle) is a lot smaller than most openings. And all of these details make me think that this is truly inspired by what they used to wear in the late 19th, early 20th centuries.... I applaud the person that designed them...Well done!

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The Armoury, Carmina, The Shoe Snob, London Trunk Show

For those that may not be aware, The Armoury, is a clothier in Hong Kong that specializes in artisanal offerings for men. One of these brands is Carmina, a recognized Spanish shoemaker, of whom I have just recently become very fond of. Now I had always know about them (Carmina), as well as heard good things, but it wasn't until the owner of The Armoury (Mr. Mark Cho) asked me to shine the samples for this upcoming event, that I truly became aware of just how amazing Carmina's shoes actually are. After I picked them up and took each one out of its box, my mouth kept dropping one notch further and further for how simply amazing they were. Not only for the array of models, but for how incredibly well constructed they were. Everything about them was spot on, and I was ashamed to know that I had not been privy to this knowledge prior to this point. Nevertheless, I now know and will definitely be recommending them more on this blog. That being, here is my first recommendation. On April 20th-21st (Fri.-Sat.), The Armoury is holding a trunk show (of which I will be attending as well as offering my services - on the Sat.), showcasing their Carmina models. If you are in London at this time and looking for some new shoes, then I highly recommend coming to at least have a look. I promise that you won't be disappointed.

For more info on the trunk show, READ HERE

Pictures Courtesy Of: The Armoury & Photographer Harry Watts

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Today's Favorites - Carmina

There is a sleeping giant in the shoe industry that not many people realize yet is soon going to be a major player, and that giant is Spain. For many years, Spain has been a producer of high quality shoes coming from several factories such as Carmina (which is shown here) and Magnanni, not to mention others that are less known. But only until recently, I believe, have people started to catch on, as the moniker "Made In Italy" starts to slowly fade. As I have said before, a good shoe can be made anywhere. Sure, that country has to have the right ingredients, such as the proper machinery, but mainly there just has to be passion, patience and attention to detail. And Carmina, has done an amazing job of doing just that, as you can very well see in these pictures. These chukka, just might be among the coolest boots that I have ever seen. Not only do they have a crepe sole, that is amazing for walking, but with that, they have managed to maintain their dressiness and shape. And to top it all off, what a great color for suede: olive green! I continue to be amazed with where the shoe industry is going (in terms of styling), and for me it brings great pleasure to see shoes like this, that are classic, but have that little bit of edge...

Pictures Courtesy Of: Rugged Old Salt
Shoes: All MTO, available through The Armoury

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