9 Shoe Brand Steals

[@vadergrd]

The Brands : 1.Meermin 2.Velasca 3.Shoepassion 4.CNES shoes 5.Septieme Largeur 6.Cobbler Union 7.Carlos Santos 8.Lof and Tung 9.Herring . Enjoy!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you ! Hugo

[@hyong-qc3ss]

shoepassion is amazing, sometimes they go as low as usd 255+ for their good year welted collection. No complains at all, am incredibly happy with my purchase.

[@nathanh4222]

You're the real hero. Also, I love the videos, but Hugo, we get it, you travel a lot. ;)

[@humbleguy2010]

People like you make the world better.

[@cao7064]

@@SARTORIALTALKS Not Shoepassion!!! They send my a pair of Samples shoes with fade color and full of scratches, I Regret a lot!!!

[@FlipsterFlipinoy]

3:30 Meermin 7:24 Shoepassion 9:30 Velasca 12:00 CNES 13:50 Septieme Largeur 15:10 Herring 17:09 Cobbler Union 20:24 Carlos Santos 22:47 Skoaktiebolaget/Lof & Tung

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Many thanks ! Hugo

[@cao7064]

Not Shoepassion!!! Never Shoepassion again!! They send my a pair of Samples shoes with fade color and full of scratches, I Regret a lot!!!

[@fransleeuwe5429]

@@cao7064 send them back

[@drakekalivouri3697]

@@SARTORIALTALKS Do you not recommend the American Brand Allen Edmonds?

[@josemontejo4984]

Allen Edmonds are not built the same anymore. Don’t recommend.

[@DubbleM900]

Time stamps: 1. Meermin 3:20 2. Shoepassion 7:11 3. Velasca 9:20 4. CNES 11:31 5. Septieme Largeur 13:31 6. Herring 14:56 7. Cobbler Union 17:07 8. Carlos Santos 20:19 - Skoatiebolaget 22:01 9. Lof and Tung 24:56

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Merci ! Hugo

[@biomorphic]

One Italian company that is worth a mention is Harris. They are based in Florence, and they are very creative, they use a variety of leathers, making beautiful shoes.

[@miracleokafor5590]

Thanks bro

[@krunoslavkovacec1842]

Shoes- A Man's Passion indeed. I hope all is well Hugo. May this crazy situation be over soon. Capital of Croatia, Zagreb is still recuperating from a horrible earthquake. A 15 year old girl sadly lost her life. In this time of isolation it makes me and I'm sure many more gentlemen happy to have a true, aldo virtual friend- Hugo.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you so much Krunoslav for your kind and encouraging words. We do our best here to continue delivering content for our friends and loyal followers around the planet. Be safe please, Hugo

[@giovannigobbi4832]

Why does your profile picture remind me of Broz Tito?

[@arnasb.6414]

@@giovannigobbi4832 Maybe because it is Tito?

[@giovannigobbi4832]

@@arnasb.6414 I wasn't 100% sure

[@wasabista1613]

Zagreb is beautiful. I hope Zagreb and Croatia recover soon.

[@skippythesupercat]

aaaannndddd this is why I subscribe to Sartorial Talks.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Aaaannnnd this is the kind of comment we love to receive. Cheers Ivan ! Hugo

[@dsengupta9767]

Hugo, I have started watching your blogs only recently, but already, I have become a BIG FAN of yours. Not only are you very knowledgeable in ALL THINGS STYLISH (SHOES, suits, watches etc etc), you present your progs in such a humble, pleasant way that that they become really ADDICTIVE. Way to go, brother.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you sir. Stay tuned on Parisian Gentleman and Instagram (parisian_gentleman) tomorrow as we are launching a fantastic collaboration with TLB Mallorca (the great Spanish shoemaker). Cheers, Hugo

[@claremiller9979]

I totally get the addictive nature of shoes, I have high heels I no longer wear (except for very special occasions) which are still so beautiful to look at. I've seen shoes that made me want to cry they're so gorgeous. Thank you for the informative video, many of these brand also make women's sizes oxfords and derbys so I'll be investigating (and saving up) for my next purchase of wearable art

[@righteousred723]

If you want to out those heels to use I can think of a few ideas!

[@SteamHunterKostas]

Hi Hugo, we met during the short visit you made in Stockholm for Götrich. I was the young guy in the green suit! These videos are really inspiring and help during these difficult times for our small businesses. I retail Carlos Santos. They are amazing people and make fantastic shoes for the price. I am a little hesitant to recommend buying directly through them as the prices are lower through retailers and you directly support them this way too! The factory was really high end and the people working are passionate. The "problem" is that they could be so much more. They focus a lot on distributing shoes to physical shops with only a few good handful online. I would like to think myself as one of them! The selections are endless. As for the rest of the list, fantastic as always. Interesting to see you re-added Velasca, I think you first mentioned them in your 2015 guide. CNES I have seen first hand too, they make some good shoes for the price. Testing times for the industry and everyone. All the best to you and Sonya and your beautiful kids. Be safe and I hope to meet you again this year. /Kostas

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Hey Kostas, I remember you very well. Please stay safe and thank you for your contribution ! Cheers, Hugo

[@JohnnyVichi]

I SUPPORT KOSTAS and Carlos Santos at the Noble Shoe ! Getting my first Jumper soon!

[@ralphwilliams8083]

Hugo, absolutely love your energy, passion, and information in this presentation! Cheers, my friend!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Chers Ralph and much love to you and JS. Hugo & Sonya

[@hrdive1]

Why is KZbin not pushing your videos. I am so excited it popped back up. Love you Hugo and will follow you forever.

[@demetripapachristopoulos3295]

Keep up the high quality content. I appreciate your expertise & advice.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Merci Demetri ! Hugo

[@tonydeltablues]

I've bought two pairs of Meermin: happy with them - yes they need to be broken in! In my price bracket , they fit well (in fact I bought the first pair on ebay second hand). I am getting a passion (Shoe Passion) for shoes and would love a pair of whole cuts in burgundy...I'll have to save up for them. In the mean time, I always have Sartorial Talks to keep me informed and enthused :-) Thanks Tony

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

You are very welcome my friend. Cheers Tony ! Hugo

[@thomaslutro5560]

I just got a pair of suede loafers. Surprisingly comfortable fit on my slightly wide feet for such a slender looking last. They're quite well made, but with a strange downward bend at the very front of the soles, not something I worry abut, though. Out of the box the suede looked quite shabby, but looks very nice after a brushing, pigmented Renovateur spray and Super invulner. A good buy, but more for design than manufacturing and presentation, imo. I will probably get more from them, their Chelsea boots look very nice. I don't think I've ever felt a need for wearing in suede shoes. Not these either.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

@@thomaslutro5560 Thank you Thomas for your valuable feedback. Hugo

[@Lycosa]

@@thomaslutro5560 Are you talking about Meermin Thomas? I have a pair of black chelsea boots from Meermin. I've been very satisfied with them.

[@MikeDee94]

What do you think about Magnanni?

[@Lord_Ivoundy_Creood]

I know, the shoe cradle here in the Philippines is reviving itself aswell... The Shoe artisans of Marikina are coming back to life...

[@mark7035]

Merci, Hugo! I discovered Cobbler Union from your earlier videos, and have a pair of their Miguel whole cuts, in navy. I also own a pair of J.M. Weston whole cuts in black. (I don't know how many Westons I own; probably my favorite shoes!). The Cobbler Unions are simply amazing at the price point and should be on any serious shoe lovers list. Just over the price point you chose for this video is Carmina, which has multiple lasts and a very nice made to order program. It's a great time to be a guy who loves shoes!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you Mark. I also adore JM Weston and of course Carmina (which is slightly above the price bracket we are addressing in this video). Cheers ! Hugo

[@cortadoification]

Thanks for your inspiration and contribution to my satorial journey. When it comes to prenunciation of the swedish name "Skoaktiebolaget", you actually need to part the word in three. Sko(means Shoe) Aktie (means stock/equity) Bolaget (means company) Looking forward to your next video

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Tak Yonas ! Hugo

[@cortadoification]

@@SARTORIALTALKS Tak is roof, but takk is thanks ;)

[@___1980.]

Another excellent excellent video Hugo! I’ve been watching your videos from the videos from the beginning with when you first started your videos with the best shoe brands videos! You truly are the epitome of class I’ve got to say, I like how you take us from country to country very unique in how you explain us their own approach which I can appreciate👌🏼 This video was geared for every income level which I can truly appreciate, by the way your video on the gram weight of wool fabrics was just about my favorite as well, look forward to seeing another one soon, by the way glad your doing well with your wife as well 🌞👨🏻‍💻👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you so much my friend for your kind encouragements. Please stay safe as well ! Cheers, Hugo

[@yshaun]

Thank you Hugo for introducing CNES. I bought their cap toe last week. Great customer service. I ordered the wrong size because their size is slightly different and they arranged for return and sent me a new 1. Surprisingly there's no break in period for me. No hot spots for me at all. Thank you CNES for the great service and beautiful shoe.

[@danielmoisenehoianu]

Thank you for this video. Herring has the best customer service I have ever received from any online store, shoes or not.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Many thanks Daniel for sharing your experience. Stay safe ! Hugo

[@mr_ion]

You are the reason why I started to look into quality shoes, and yes, I started with Meermin for the incredible quality/price ration and recently purchased my first Carmina pair (black cap toe oxfords). Amazingly good. Thank you mr. Jacomet!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Lucky man Ion ! Carmina is extremely good and reliable. Hugo

[@mattispaykimustonen1302]

I never post comments on your videos but this time I felt I had to. As a high school student from Finland it's been difficult for me to find affordable shoes I can test in real life since there are only a few places in Finland which sell high quality shoes (and they're usually way too expensive). I thank you on your recommendation of the Swedish brand Skoaktiebolaget (oh and I have no idea neither on how to pronounce the name even though I've studied the Swedish language) because they really do seem like a good deal and I've never even heard of them before. Next time I'll go to Stockholm I'll definitely visit them! I truly find the content on your channel to be fascinating as well as educational at the same time which is something not many content creators can achieve. Thank you.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you so much Matti for taking the time to comment. It means a lot to us. Is SpayKi you nick name ? Hugo

[@mattispaykimustonen1302]

@@SARTORIALTALKS Yes Indeed it is. It's an online nick name that has stayed with me for years but in real life people usually just call me by my first name. Thanks for answering!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

@@mattispaykimustonen1302 You're welcome Matti. H

[@BasshunterBelial]

Thanks Hugo, for introducing me to Septième Largeur! When I saw their Louis-Charles Double monks, it was love at first sight for me and I just knew I had to get a pair! It has been my best purchase for this year now!

[@Christbearer100]

One of my first times watching your channel I chuckled at a warning about 'shoe addiction' - knowing how very true those words were. 😊 These updates always keep me excited about the new pair I will order. And lately, I am developing the same dread of wearing my new shoes... Ay Ay Ay! 😂 Hugo please, what is your take on TAFT shoes? They're from Spain and I ordered a pair of loafers already, but I'd love to hear your insight on them. Thank you for always distributing such amazing and insightful content. Blessings out to you, Sonia and the family! 🙏🏽💜

[@plein1813]

Dear Mr Hugo, I glad you mentioned Carlos Santos shoes, I have some in my collection and they really are fantastic, very comfortable, the other brands that you have mentioned I was not aware of if so, thank you for that. Unfortunately this is not the best time to order shoes because of the Pandemic, I'm situated in London (Kensington) and I don't receive any post, already for more than a week. Let's just hope to go back to our normal life soon and who knows, with a new pair of shoes! Congratulations for your channel and thank you for the hard work. Kind regards, António Borda D’água

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you Antonio, and please stay safe ! We are doing our best to keep the content coming despite the difficult situation. Cheers, Hugo

[@markgillum5709]

Thank you again, Hugo.! I am happy to say that I have several of the makers you mentioned and am enjoying the shoes for some time. Please continue your excellent work and wonderful reviews.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Many thanks Mark! Cheers, Hugo

[@russ9921]

Another enjoyable video, Hugo. No doubt you and Sonya are in lockdown and so many of us watching you are in the same position. Stay safe and let us hope the manufacturers you refer to survive the current catastrophe.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Wise words Russ. We are confined of course. Let's stay strong and humble in front of this unprecedented calamity for our generation. Stay safe my friend and see you at the other end of the tunnel. Cheers, Hugo & Sonya

[@ProtectMyLiberty]

I feel like I've stumbled upon the jewell of youtube. Wonderful channel and a wonderful host!

[@allentharp4901]

Great to see you back with more great content. I can’t wait for the next video on higher end options. After watching your videos, I have now bought three pairs ofCorthays that I got Neimans to bring in. And I’m having three pair of John Lobb bespoke shoes made. Thanks so much for all the great information and hello from San Antonio.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Wow congratulations Allen ! Nice catch. By the way, you may be interested by our additional content on Patreon (10 more videos so far) and, at the same time, by supporting us as we try to publish as much content as we can during this crazy period. Patreon page is here : www.patreon.com/sartorialtalks Stay safe my friend, Hugo

[@user-cz2kn2nb9r]

Thank you for sharing your insight and opinion with us. I have grown immeasurably in sophistication and knowledge learning from you. Your work raises the bar and is inspirational. Acquiring clothes is now a passion, a joy, a process to be savored and not a task. I hope your videos continue well into the future and that prosperity and health is with you and your family.

[@giorgiocannizzaro2833]

Thank you so much for this video, for people like me, who are very interested in tailoring and elegance, but can't afford very expensive products!! I saved in my favourites all the brands you talked about; it has been long time i was searching for good quality shoes in this price range, so thank you again!!

[@Agerskiold]

What a 'goldmine' of information, thank you 🙏🏼 Hugo, you are a very visual 'storyteller' and an exceptional one (I was mesmerized from start to end) 😊👌🏼 Thanks for info on my Swedish brothers 👍🏼 Cheers from Denmark 🇩🇰

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Cheers Hans and stay safe ! Hugo

[@Agerskiold]

SARTORIAL TALKS 😊👍🏻

[@Tailorandbarber]

Thanks so much for the English version!

[@DiscussionsSartoriales]

You are very welcome my friends ! Hugo

[@Tailorandbarber]

@@DiscussionsSartoriales One more thing. I was surprised to not see TLB Mallorca on this list, since everyone seems to be fawning over them. Have you had a chance to look at this brand?

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Good afternoon, TLB is a good maker, but slightly above this price bracket. Take care, Hugo

[@davidlittle6621]

Always interesting content. Loved your tie in this episode.

[@keithwhite6096]

Great video Hugo. I am an Allen Edmonds guy but I have had him eye on Cobbler Union for a while. Thanks for giving us some options and I love the tip on 24 hours for break in. You and your wife stay safe in these crazy times.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you Keith, pleas stay safe also ! Cheers, Hugo

[@jmartin2778]

Thank you for the tip about Cobbler Union. Purchased some fantastic cap toe, museum calf oxfords that were perfect out of the box. Also purchased a made-to-measure gray suede belt that is perfection. TY!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

You are very welcome my friend. Hugo

[@rorycarter8797]

Good one as always Hugo! One comment for anyone who may read this is to exercise some caution when ordering dress shoes from Asia. Asian brands tend to make shoes for people with flatter feet. Although beautiful, I would hesitate to buy a pair without trying them on first or exchanging a few emails regarding the fit.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

You are perfectly right Rory. Asiatic feet don't have an arch like we do, but fortunately most brands are producing shoes for Occident and shoes for Far East. Meermin, for example, sells the vast majority of its production to European. But your advice is extremely wise and welcome. Cheers my friend, Hugo

[@GamingDrummer89]

Funny you mentioned Allen Edmonds...I bought 2 pairs, both used, off of eBay, just $58. One of those pairs is just over 20 years old according to the numbers stamped on the inside, and people are shocked when they find out they're not brand new, haha. I also recently bought an older pair of Johnston and Murphy Crown Aristocrafts, and they're from back when they were still making stuff in the USA. Those were just $45. Meermin is a very attractive option as well...they also auction off their factory seconds on eBay, and those can end up starting at like $50-60, so that's definitely a steal! Thanks for the great videos! Stay healthy, and God Bless!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you Matthew for all these fine tips ! God bless you too my friend, Hugo

[@nick177th]

Thank you Hugo for such a comprehensive list of great shoemakers at this price point. I enjoy your videos a great deal sir. Anxiously awaiting your next Sartorial Talks.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you very much James for this message of encouragement ! Hugo

[@Konsaliki]

What a mindfully curated list, Hugo! There are indeed many new kids on the block that manage to create value for almost every bank account. I for myself received a pair of Scarosso shoes a few weeks ago and must say that I am quite impressed. Greetings from Germany

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you my friend and please stay safe. Hugo

[@EdwardAkop]

I just got a pair of Velasca Chelsea boots, and I love them. Worth every penny. The quality of the stitching, details, and leather is top notch! Definitely a great bank for your buck!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Many thanks for your feedback Edward. Cheers, Hugo

[@archimatron]

Thank you , i bought a pair of cobbler union few months ago as you advised and believe me i was just thinking of luf & tung few weeks ago but needed somebody i trust to advice me hope you and your wife are in good health 🌹. Best regards from egypt

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you my friend. Yes we are in good health and doing our best to keep the content coming. Please stay safe also. Yours, Hugo & Sonya

[@msheep132]

The 2019 shoes video was my first Sartorial Talks video... it was love from the fist sight. Thank for such a great and fascinating stories Hugo.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

The pleasure is all mine my friend ! Hugo

[@nonemo138]

I remember a few months back. You warned us in a video, in no uncertain terms, that developing an interest in shoes can very easily lead to an obsession. Well, since then I've bought six pairs of decent to high quality dress shoes and am presently waiting for my first made to order pair of patina'd monkstraps. I kind of wish that you had warned us with a little bit more force about how addictive this is, because now I'm hooked - even though I'm enjoying every day of it.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Dear Mattias, I'm at the same time sorry and happy for you ! Welcome to the club. Hugo

[@ahpadt]

Same here. One Church’s chukka boot, one pair of RTW C&J Pembroke and one MTO C&J Tetbury which is on its way. 🙈

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

@@ahpadt Honestly it's a good addiction my friend. Stay safe ! Hugo

[@SPNKr16]

The problem with shoes like these is that they have to fit more like a glove than any other shoe you ever owned, and one for all occasions is just inappropriate and can be rude. You can't wear a black shoe everywhere, a brown shoe everywhere, a burgundy/cordovan/blue/etc shoe everywhere. There's also break in times, and fittings/testing whether you own/have paid for the shoe or not. I have no choice but to buy almost every last pair online, as a result I have more than 6 but my favourite and most versatile shoe is the oxford full wing tip brogue w/ medallion in black. It was an everyday shoe back in the 40s - 60s, was worn at home with all kinds of dress and all kinds of office dress code. I've had them since 2019 and they're never being replaced. I have a similar model with the long wing feature and the storm welt, refinished in cordovan and it's even more casual. This way you can save money but at the same time it takes a lot of pairs of shoes in order to find your brand, size, fit, etc. to get a glove-like fit. There's no sneaker that can fit you like a glove, the Nike Presto and Adidas Ultraboost are rubbish shoes. With the Adidas I lose balance, but with anything that's an Allen Edmonds or better is just the way to go if you wanna look good in jeans, chinos, or slick slacks.

[@MeraDeLor]

Hopefully I'll get my first pair of Meermin shoes the next months. I fell in love with the wholecut in espresso and copper. Thanks a lot for the great Content, I've alerady seen the first episode. Specially for the more "low budget" or younger people (I'm not that young but in the same financial situation) selection I'm really thankful. Please keep on Hugo. Take care. Reste en bonne santé à bientôt René

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Merci René ! Toi aussi fais attention à ta santé. Amicalement, Hugo

[@fredfoz6730]

I have purchased a pair of Belgian loafers from CNES and they are excellent, the price was around $280 with delivery to the UK and I shall certainly be buying more pairs in the future, good quality at a good price, highly recommended.

[@MrBloopt]

Dear Hugo and Sonya, When PG had its first Cobbler Union promo in 2018 I jumped right ordering a pair of brown wholecut oxfords (Miguel V). Today they remain my most beautiful pair of shoes and also my favourite! Their service, as you have mentioned, is excellent, engaging and personal. So thank you for introducing them to me and I hope you continue to be an evangelist for style and elegance and make the world much more beautiful place! Thank you, Evan

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you so much Evan for your encouraging message and yes, CU is a great company. Cheers, Hugo

[@grmancool]

Hugo, do you read a teleprompter? I appreciate your talent to speak so casually and yet so confidently as to almost never stutter or take time to think your words, great stuff!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

No German, I don't use any teleprompter. I just have the list of the brands on a small piece of paper in front of me, and the rest is improvisation. Cheers! Hugo

[@kingsal1212]

Wow, amazing video Hugo. I just bought a pair of the two eyelet "Noah" (very french) in Museum oxblood from Cobbler Union. I decided to take advantage of their 20% sale going on now. Absolutely stunning and cannot wait for their arrival! Thanks again Hugo, I look forward to all of your posts. Cheers.

[@rickj.9202]

KingSal12 I own a pair of Noahs in blue. I love them! 👍🏼🇺🇸🇫🇷

[@kingsal1212]

@@rickj.9202 Yeah they look beautiful. What do you think of the sizing? I wear Allen Edmonds 9.5D and I ordered a 10.5.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

@KingSal12 It depends on the model (on the last). Don't hesitate to shoot them an email to check the sizing, they are very responsive and agreeable. Cheers my friend, Hugo

[@clarencerichardson3833]

Wonderful content Hugo. I live in St.Maarten and has always been facinated with shoes and you do a magnificent job at delivering info. Tré bien. .

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

The pleasure is mine Clarence ! Hugo

[@wendhynovizar3926]

Talking about Cobbler Union, they just announced their Honorary Investor program. It basically a program in which if you purchased for a total of $1000, you Will get unlimited discount of 25%

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

I didn't know that. It sounds like a pretty good deal ! Hugo

[@41gasteve]

Plus C U has a 20% discount thru the end of April 2020. All purchases build your total for lifetime discount

[@MoccaLG]

ok... then i need 2 more pairs... :O i am happy with my black cap toe oxfords city lasts.... but i really didnt like the quality of my 371 lasts brown ox brogue captoe... saw it too late ... bad stitching!

[@StackOf64ilE]

Another wonderful video, thank you Hugo! Very interesting to see some Asian countries featured, and will be interesting to hear more about that. Lots of Indonesian, Vietnamese, Malaysian, and Indian shoemakers popping up online. Very nice to see this video as a young person who needs to shop within this bracket!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Happy if we are useful Eli ! Stay safe. Hugo

[@JohnnyVichi]

Hugo Simplement le MEILLEUR et most reliable source! Cheers de Canada Quebec Montreal

[@DiscussionsSartoriales]

Merci Johnny ! Hugo

[@PhilippVoegtli]

Dear Hugo. Because of your advice I bought some Santoni shoes and I am very happy with them. Thank you.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Congratulations Philipp ! Cheers, Hugo

[@lloydwhite3198]

Great.....Just subscribed. Thanks and Godspeed !!!

[@saumitrakhullar9265]

Hi Hugo, I've been an ardent follower of Sartorial Talks for the past year and am truly grateful for your regular content. I was wondering if you had had a chance to visit India in your travels and what, if any, sartorial insights you had about the country. As an Indian student, learning about the rich history of the sartorial world has been truly educational, but I have a keen interest in it's influence on my native country and I therefore seek your wisdom regarding it. Looking forward to hearing from you!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Dear Saumitra, we are actually supposed with Sonya to come to Mumbai pretty soon for some sartorial activities, but with the lockdown I guess this will not happen before a few months. All my best and please stay safe ! Hugo

[@gsmarkham]

I heard about Carlos Santos from one of your previous programs. Now I own 3 pairs from them. Superb! One note, their shoes run a 1/2 measure larger than usual US sizing. ie I usually wear a 9.5 but a 9.0 fits better.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you Steve for your feed-back and your (very) useful information ! Cheers, Hugo

[@Vince.huong.nguyen]

The Vietnamese brand is called Cnes - / Si Nes/ . Lasts are quite easy-to-wear in my opinion, and the collection is huge also. The brand started with Vietnamese ways and techniques of shoes making and later being influenced by Japanese vibes and shoes making techniques. Good brand in the price range, I own a pair few years back and nothing much to complain. Thank you for your videos, lots of inspiration. /Vince

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you very much Vince for your feedback ! Very useful for all of us. Hugo

[@ahmedliman4063]

Thank you Hugo for your videos ... they have opened my eyes to the world of fine shoes. It’s bittersweet experience so far. I have decided to clear out my shoe collection and gradually start building a new smaller one but with hopefully better quality shoes but at obviously great ‘damage’ to my wallet. I utterly love your videos .

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Congratulations Ahmed and sorry for your wallet, at least in the short term. Because in the long run, you'll understand that wearing quality shoes is excellent for your health, for your look but also for your wallet (as they will last a loonnngggg time if well maintained). Cheers, Hugo

[@jorgejuanjimenezlopez6882]

Great episode master Hugo, take care of all virus and germs, we need elegance, poetry and art.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Gracias Jorge. Stay safe ! Hugo

[@markmaier2503]

Thank you for another great episode. The weather is changing in the North Carolina mountains and it’s about time to break out the beautiful shoes again!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Yes Mark, but please be careful in this crazy period ! Social distancing is so important. Stay safe ! Hugo

[@markmaier2503]

SARTORIAL TALKS I appreciate the concern. My business is in responding to things like COVID-19 but safety is our #1 priority. Here’s a PSA that I recorded the other day if you’re interested. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eGHXi596bcSeZ8k

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

@@markmaier2503 Thank you Mark ! Hugo

[@frankhurn9055]

Great video Hugo, very well done! I recently bought a pair of Carlos Santos adelaides from " The Noble Shoe", they are great and the company Noble Shoe is also a great smaller distributor to deal with! I always really enjoy your videos and also your wife's videos!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

I know the person behind the Noble Shoe and he's indeed very nice and passionate. Congratulations for your Adelaides from CS. Great shoes. All my best, Hugo

[@augustuspenn]

May I ask if there will be an English version of your book *Souliers*? I would gladly buy one. Thank you.

[@naderelshafei]

Dear Hugo, what an amazing video before i go to sleep ! you awake all my sense now and all my passion to shoes !))))). very interesting information ,, i wondered at the beginning of the video how come to have 9 different countries !!!! but once again we learn from the Master !)) . So glad to see you healthy my friend ,,,stay Save , love to you and Sonya from Cairo, Egypt.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you Nader, our loyal friend. Take care of yourself and your family. Hugo & Sonya

[@octadel]

Just bought a pair of Velasca today a few hours before this update :D Good to know I made a good choice! Thanks Hugo for this video

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Yes you did make a safe choice. Stay well and safe Luis ! Hugo

[@octadel]

And thanks for your words on Portugal 😍 You still have MANY years, but you are very welcome to retire here !

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

@@octadel Haha why not ? Portugal is a wonderful country... Hugo

[@johnparkerzabala]

Welcome back hope all is well safe healthy God bless.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

We are safe John, God bless you too. Hugo & Sonya

[@HollandHillSpies]

Hi from Singapore. Love your channel and a Carmina fan for years. Found the CNES brand by accident 3 months back whilst shopping for Safir products. The distributor for Safir in SG brings in the CNES brand as well - Straits Establishment. They do have a local website cnes.co and I think ships internationally. Design is very elegant, I bought the Ringo model which is a semi-brogue Oxford cap toe. Beautiful workmanship with a very narrow waist. I do think it's a great bargain and glad you're highlighting Asian brands

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you so much my friend for this feedback ! It helps a lot, Cheers, Hugo

[@thejuiceloosener150]

Hugo, do you know of Grant Stone? US company making GYW shoes and boots in Xiamen China to standards that rival/beat all on this list and at this price point. My Grant Stone boots are finished to a degree that beats out my Alden Indy boots, for example.

[@DiscussionsSartoriales]

I didn't know about them, but it looks like a very interesting company with nice shoes (at least what I can see on the internet). I'll take a closer look for sure. Cheers, Hugo

[@sylvainfinet9789]

Hello Hugo, Most of the Cobblers I know recommend to put rubber pads right at the begining of the usage of new shoes. What is your point of view about that? How do you deal with an accelerated wear an tear if you don't put these pads on your shoes? Do you have any of your youtube eposides dealing with that? Thanks in advance for your comments. Sylvain

[@Dr.Kyriazidis]

So happy to hear that Velasca is in your list Hugo. They seem very serious with the shoe making thingy.

[@MikeDee94]

What do you think about Magnanni ?

[@Dr.Kyriazidis]

Michael Dermenjian Never heard of them. Maybe my mistake?

[@omarelshabazz6200]

I enjoy your world wide coverage. What is your verdict about Mezlan shoes from Spain? Thank you.

[@hirhiz]

I got inspired throughout your videos with Enzo Bonafe. Last mont i was able to buy one pair in the sale for 200 euros. I directly followed your advice and bought them without any hasitation..

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

A pair of Bonafè for 200 euros is the steal of the year ! Hugo

[@johnrauer1]

Great post Hugo! It’s a welcome respite from the coronavirus mess. Will you be doing another segment on the next step up? I’m particularly interested in your thoughts on shell cordovan in general, and Alden shoes in particular. Be well my friend.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you John. I don't need another segment to tell you Alden's cordovan leather shoes are excellent (probably among the best on the market). As for Cordovan, it's a matter of taste because the natural shine is very distinctive. Personally I find this leather beautiful and the quality outstanding. Hugo

[@johnrauer1]

SARTORIAL TALKS thanks Hugo.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

@@johnrauer1 My pleasure John. Hugo

[@MikeHaggarKJ]

I work at a second hand store and part of my job is to quickly assess quality in shoes in order to set a fair price. I've become quite good at guessing retail price, I'm almost always right within a 30 dollar range. If a pair of meermins appeared and I couldn't see the tag my guess would be 300 dollars. They blow almost any shoe in their price range out of the water, and they are superior in every way to alot off shoes more expensive. Now, with a good value brand an actual 300 dollar shoe will beat the meermins no doubt. My meermin pair hasn't creased very gracefully and the heels have suffered some minor water damage due to them being cheaper leatherboard. but for the prize they are incredible.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you VERY much Mike for your very valuable contribution ! Cheers, Hugo

[@zuke1853]

Hello Hugo and Soyna, I love your channel and feel like I have been learning a lot. I have a question, I was wondering if either of you have or feel that it's acceptable to where dress boot's like the one's from Justin Fitzpatrick with a suit? Thanks again for your channel and can't wait till the next one.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Hey Joey ! Of course Justin's dress boots are perfectly fine with a suit. Cheers and take care, Hugo

[@samyselim7075]

You have transformed my life. Thank you. You converted me to Carlos Santos. How do you feel about the budget English shoes Greywalk?

[@plein1813]

Dear Hugo, How are you? Just received a pair of RINGO PUNCHED CAP-TOE OXFORDS, patina brown with, triumph metal toe taps from CNES and I must say that they look fantastic unfortunately I can only wear them at home for the moment! The purchase went really well and the communication with the sales department was fantastic and in less than a week I received the shoes, I must say that they are very professional. Thank you once again. Kind regards, António Borda D’água

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you so much Antonio for your "real life" feedback. It's extremely valuable for all of us. Let's hope we'll all be able to walk outside sooner than later, but staying at home is the most sensible thing to do right now. Be safe my friend, Hugo

[@mbshoedoc]

Excellent review of the brands. I have quite a collection of Meermin and agree on the slight break in period but perfectly reasonable for the steal of a price. They are probably the lowest cost shell cordovan and museum calf shoes you can find. CNES (pronounced "See Ness") I am wearing today and so far very impressed. The patina is excellent and they have quite an impressive fiddleback waist. Carlos Santos I just wore yesterday and another very impressive patina and comfort was great right out of the box. A number of the other brands were already on my wish list but now thanks to your review I did add a few more new brands to the list. Thanks!

[@yakramirez120]

Great content as always Hugo, thanks for all the recommendations, I know it's hard to look in every country but if you can take a look to Mexico, here we have a huge industry of leather tannery and shoe making in Guanajuato

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

I will my friend, as soon as this virus will disappear ! Stay well, Hugo

[@yakramirez120]

@@SARTORIALTALKS same for you, stay healthy and take car

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

@@yakramirez120 Thank you friend. Hugo

[@miguelalbertopazloaiza3030]

incredible, the videos are long, but the content is exquisite and entertaining, I really like it

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Many thanks Miguel for your encouragements! Hugo

[@cacaomaskine]

Being a Dane I can helt a little with the pronounciation og Skoaktiebolaget. It is composed of three words: Sko-aktie-bolaget. Sko is fairly easy, aktie is pronounced like aksje (the Norwegian spelling, by the way) and bolaget is a little like lager beer, but ending with a t in-sted of an r. Hope this makes sense. Skoaktiebolaget translates to The Shoe Company. Thanks for a great video and a lot of other great videos. Very inspirational.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Merci, Tak, Thank you Peter ! Hugo

[@MikeDee94]

What do you think about Magnanni. I just bought my first ever pair of black cap toe oxfords made in Spain by Magnanni brand. What I liked about the shoe is that the sole of the shoe does not protrude past the upper leather. Please let me know I would love to hear of your feedback regarding this brand and specifically this shoe that I purchased. Thank you!

[@juliusnordheim735]

I'm so thankful for your channel and now interested in a specific topic: the right bags for a gentlemen to wear with great fitted suits. Maybe you can recommend some of the brilliant brands, like you always do. Thanks and greetings from Germany.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Dear Julius, there are so many great bags makers. What are you looking for, a travel bag, a briefcase, a one-day bag ? Cheers, Hugo

[@juliusnordheim735]

@@SARTORIALTALKS Dear Hugo, your right, my question was not specific enough! I'm looking for briefcases; big enough to carry around all your everyday and office stuff, but small enough, so you won't have trouble with it :D. Thanks for answering, Julius

[@ziadbikhazi5930]

Dear Hugo as always great video. I have a question though. What is your take on Spanish brand Crownhill shoes? Regards, Z.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Never heard about them my friend. Hugo

[@seweryndurak5367]

Hi Hugo, I was hoping that you could comment on Loding as to why it did not make the list. I live in Canada and this is one of the shoe brands that have a physical presence here. I've seen it on your list at PG but for the price what was some of your reservation. Thank you. BTW, I love your channel, keep up the amazing work.

[@JD-kp8lo]

theres always gotta be a few haters huh? not sure how you can knock Sonya and Hugo. This content is amazing and I hope people can help to keep them going.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you so much Jason for your kind support and for your subscription to our Patreon page ! All our best, Hugo & Sonya

[@neshnevin9786]

Hey so I know you did a 2 parter on ties. Was wondering if you could do a video listing quality tie brands for different budgets?

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Yes we can do this for sure even if there are already a lot of informations in those two videos. Cheers Nesh ! Hugo

[@neshnevin9786]

@@SARTORIALTALKS 😊 omg Hugo acknowledged my existence!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

@@neshnevin9786 Haha you're funny my friend. Of course, without people like you (and all our followers), WE will not exist ! Please stay safe. Hugo

[@johannesruppert3089]

Thanks Mr. Jacomet for another splendid video! Since you mentioned Atlanta may I relate something that happened to me there? Many years ago I worked as an intern in Atlanta. Back then I was virtually penniless. One day I was strolling through a large mall in Buckhead when I saw a Gentlemen‘s outfitter. Because at that time my interest in the sartorial world had just started, I entered it and a very well dressed older man who happened to be the shop‘s owner approached me. He quickly recognised my terrible German accent but to my great surprise he was very happy about it. He told me that he had attended a German university when he was a young and poor man himself by means of a scholarship. One day, he said, a man whom he didn’t know at all approached him somewhere, told him how happy he was to see him as a foreigner in Germany (he is black, so in those times he must have been instantly recognisable as foreigner) and just gave him 10 Deutschmarks. Because of this kind (and - sad to say - untypical) gesture of a fellow German many years ago this shop owner was very pleased to see me and offered me a huge discount on everything in his shop. It was all very up-market, so even with this discount I could only afford a nice tie, but what I got from this encounter was much more valuable than a discount. I learned that a true gentleman is not just well dressed, but kind and generous as well. Sometimes you can’t give back to the person who did something for you, so just do something good for someone else. This incident also created a very fond memory so I always consider people from Atlanta as very nice guys until proven otherwise. So it’s no surprise to me that you like it there. Cheers!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you so much Johannes for a wonderful, inspiring and touching story. And yes people from the South are kind and generous. Cheers, Hugo & Sonya

[@MikeB071]

I know this video was about shoes, but your suit is absolutely magnificent!

[@davegball]

There's a CNES retail store in Singapore. I've visited the store myself. They also provide high quality shoe repair services. For example JR soles, toe caps.

[@dominicandon7]

Although Meermins are very affordable, I will never get them again. The uppers are extremely stiff. I have been having them since December 2019, weekly wear (1-3 wears per week), but they are still stiff. Never heard of CNES or Velasca. But I might give them a try. Thanks!

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Dear Luis, we know Meermin can be difficult to break in (as I say in the video), but it depends on people's feet. Some can easily break them in, some have more difficulties. Maybe (when this Covid will be behind us) you should take them to a Cobbler and have them stretched for a couple of days (or even use a product like "shoe ease" to soften the leather). Cheers ! Hugo

[@dominicandon7]

@@SARTORIALTALKS thanks for the suggestion, Hugo. I may just have to get them stretched a bit. Thanks for all your work and knowledge.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

@@dominicandon7 You are very welcome Luis. Hugo

[@martinsaavedra9708]

HUGO I like your pocket square, what brand is it? , Where can I get it

[@hirhiz]

Oh yeah, i also got one pair of Ducal’s of Firenze (not Doucals). I saw this brand on the parisian gentlemen blog of yours. The quality is also outstanding. Lucky for me these shoes were also in a big sale so i was able to buy them for 150 euros.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Well, Ducal's shoes for 150 is the steal of.. the decade ! Cheers, Hugo

[@hirhiz]

Thank you for your personal message Hugo, I really really appreciate that!

[@hirhiz]

If you are interested in Ducal shoes for between 100 and 150 euros i can bring you in contact with the seller. This guy has bought the entire stock of Meyer Shoes in Amsterdam which is bankrupted a few years ago. DM me if you are interested.

[@pskarts20]

I own 8 pairs of Meermins ( I really need to put up some videos) I wore them all the time when I had a job wear I was able to sit more. Stopped when my job changed ( started wearing sneakers again) to standing up on concrete all day. My feet strated to hurt went back to wearing them my feet feel so much better.

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

Thank you my friend for your feedback. Stay safe ! Hugo

[@Hotspur62]

I would give a shout out to another French shoe company, Paraboot. Their iconic shoes are on the casual side, but they also have a dressier line. Very well made and in the price bracket you discuss here. To be honest some models, like the Michael, are an acquired taste...definitely cannot be described as sleek but I own two pairs :-)

[@SARTORIALTALKS]

The Michael is an iconic outdoor model for sure. I thought their dressier line was slightly above this price bracket. Otherwise Paraboot is a safe bet for sure. Cheers, Hugo

[@justinkingsbury1476]

Hi Hugo! Thank you very much for this video. For some of us, this is the price range in which we shop, so knowing our options is hugely valuable! As for Skoaktiebolaget, I will try to spell that phonetically for you: Skoh - akshe - boh - larget :)

[@bernardgehret3231]

Out of your list, I've only had one brand: Cobbler Union, and I agree, it's a fantastic value, and my suede chukka boats from them are my "travel shoes", as I often bring them as my only pair of nice shoes while traveling. They are casual, yet slightly upscale, and they look brand new after many miles and four years! The John boot is great, as well as the spectator. Plus, fantastic customer service.

[@Pepperdude8729]

the swedish brands translation is: Shoe shares company. Aktie means shares that you can buy from a company.

[@Kanoemirate]

I ordered the 1953 horsebit loafer and Church's Dubai Oxford just at the beginning of this pandemic, what do you think of them?

[@alexanderlo1957]

Hi Hugo, how would you compare Meermin's Linea Maestro to Cobbler Union in terms of quality and value proposition? Thanks

[@joserafaelgarrido1698]

Hello, sir, thank you for this valuable information. I wonder if you know an italian brand called Scarosso. Do they make good quality shoes? Kind regards.

[@corpsiecorpsie_the_original]

What part of a Meermin shoe makes it so hard to break in? Do they undersize the last, and don't tension the leather, so that your actual foot stretches the material to its final form?