Carmina Lace-Up Wholecut Oxford in Horween Shell Cordovan - Shoe Review | Kirby Allison

As a part of our Dress Shoe Review series, today we take a look at Spanish shoemaker Carmina’s Style #190 Wholecut Oxford in Shell Cordovan #8. Recognizing us as one of the leading authorities on luxury men’s dress shoes worldwide, Carmina has graciously agreed to grant us access to their entire collection of shoes to review for you on our YouTube Channel.

SHOE INTRODUCTION
The Carmina Style #190 Wholecut Oxford in Shell Cordovan #8 is a part of Carmina’s extensive lineup of shell cordovan shoes. Constructed on the Rain last, the shoe features a soft, square toe that gives the shoe a modern, slightly updated aesthetic. The sleek, simple Wholecut design of this model showcases the beautiful, waxy texture of the Horween shell cordovan leather without any visual disruptions, and really allows Carmina’s craftsmanship to show through.

The shoe retails for $750 with free shipping in the United States. For those located outside the United States, they can be purchased from Carmina’s European webshop for 690€. Cedar shoe trees are an additional $70 and Carmina offers flat-rate returns for $35.

DESIGN
The Carmina #190 Wholecut in Shell Cordovan is a simple, elegant shoe that showcases a graceful balance of the Rain last and the beautiful Horween Shell Cordovan used to make them. The shoe is quite simple. You really get what you see here.

However, in the iconic Horween #8, which is a beautiful oxblood, the shoe can be worn during the daytime with a navy or dark grey suit or even on the weekend with a nice pair of dark denim jeans. It wouldn’t be appropriate formally in the evening, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t get away with it.

The Rain last is one of Carmina’s most-popular. A total of twelve models are constructed on this last, more than any of the company’s other fifteen lasts. The Rain last features a soft, square toe that gives the shoe a modern, slightly updated aesthetic. It is a beautiful shape, especially for those who do not want anything too round.


MATERIAL
All of Carmina’s cordovan is sourced from The Horween Leather Company in Chicago, the only cordovan leather tanning factory left in the western hemisphere. Horween’s name is synonymous with shell cordovan. Cordovan has a beautiful, natural satin patina that is immediately distinctive, totally unique, and very easily cared for. The shine or waxy luster of cordovan is an inherent property of the skin, which does not require much maintenance to maintain. This is one of the reasons that cordovan is a cult favorite among road warriors and shoe aficionados.

In addition to using only the finest quality shell cordovan available, all of Carmina’s shell cordovan shoes are exclusively made with JR Rendenbach oak-bark tanned leather outsoles and combination heels.

The combination in the durability of the cordovan uppers and JR Rendenbach outsoles make this shoe incredibly durable.

CONSTRUCTION
Carmina is so well-known amongst shoe enthusiasts because of how well their shoes are constructed. All of the elements of quality and craftsmanship that one would expect on a high-quality pair of factory-made, Goodyear welted shoes can be found here. Beyond this price point, you begin to hit the point of diminishing marginal return. The value here is quite exceptional.

The shoe is completely Goodyear Welted, which is the designer of high-quality factory-made shoes. Goodyear Welting is the process whereby a leather strip is sewn to a linen ribbing that attaches to the insole. The outsole is then stitched to the welt.

The upper is also very well-lasted, which gives the shoe a good definition. You can tell that a shoe is quickly lasted by machine if there is little to no shape to the upper. However, with these Carminas, you can see that the shoe indeed has a nice shape along the edges of the shoe, and especially where the upper meets the waist. In short, the shoe has an elegant, three-dimensional shape that showcases the lasts design.

Carmina is passionate for shoemaking, and everything about how these shoes are constructed and finished is superb. At $750, they are an incredible value and a shoe that anyone could be proud to wear anywhere.

Shop Hanger Project: https://www.kirbyallison.com

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