Test of the month: Carmina bluchers

Hearing your own footsteps beat on the ground.

It's theatre in the middle of the street! Something happens right away. We hear you approaching, we tell each other a story. Without exaggerating: there is a certain drama in wearing leather shoes .

And I think that's what I like.

Already in the way they are made, there is material to tell.

Then because they provoke crazy desires to collect, clear loves and heartbreaks.

And then also, because we can read in their patina, the habits of their owners.

The story begins when the date of purchase of the shoe is written on the lining in a Bic pen, as the most ardent calceophiles do .

This is what I love about leather shoes and I believe that even though sneakers have won, It seems to me that there will always be people to wear the shoes.

Because, in the end, nothing beats the beautiful patina that you have created yourself, through time, effort and chance.

So my first test is on a pair of derbies. For all these reasons.

Carmina Shoemaker

1. Who is Carmina?

Carmina is a leading Spanish company that manufactures mid-range and high-end footwear for men and women.

It is also important to say that the brand has its own factory on the island of Majorca and thus has excellent control over its production and margin, being vertically integrated. This is an important point and, moreover, the name Carmina circulates very regularly on forums such as De Pied en Cap or En Grande Pompe.

On these forums, I was able to read that the Carminas aged well overall, which confirms my opinion of this test. I say "overall" because the very nature of the products makes it impossible to have no defective rate.

I don't want to bore you with lines and lines about the history of the brand because I don't think that's what you came looking for.

Am I wrong?

For those who are still interested, I suggest you consult the Carmina page directly, which has produced a useful and educational infographic on the major stages of the brand.

2. Carmina's offer

Here, models of the brand in cordovan, the famous horse leather.

The models

The brand offers both calfskin loafers and cordovan boots. Indeed, there is a lot of choice in the models, whether you want a pair for work or for walking around on the weekend.

There are even some for those looking for exotic leathers.

This is lizard.

Personally, I am quite a customer of their bit moccasins but I am well aware that they are not unanimous.

The sinews of war: forms

Finding the right shoe shape is a pain.

This involves a lot of testing, a lot of uncertainty that is not always calmed by the sellers. At least not always for good reasons.

In entry-level brands, the choice of shapes is often very limited. The problem is that there is a greater chance that the shape presented will not suit you.

I mean: we're talking about feet here! And we're talking about an object, initially rigid, supposed to mold itself all around, to fit their shape (which you didn't choose). You've seen how hands vary from person to person: do you think feet are different?

The whole point of finding the right shoe shape is about your comfort as well as the durability of the pair.

On this pair, below, we can clearly see that the foot fills the shoe perfectly, which limits walking creases and ensures good movement.

A pair in the wrong shape will last less long because the leather bends excessively and, if your foot encounters a shape that does not match its own, areas of friction will be painful, resulting in sometimes insurmountable discomfort.

This is a good reason to spend a little more on a pair of shoes, if you can of course. Because then you get access to brands that take care of their shapes.

Carmina has 15 different forms. There should be one that fits you. They are all explained on this page.

It is important to know whether you have a rather wide or narrow foot. This is what will guide you in the lasts: a wide foot corresponds to a width EEE, a standard to EE and a narrow to D.

But the right shape does not only depend on the width of your foot but on its entire anatomy, and in three dimensions! So, no secret, you have to try.

For this, there is a shop in Paris . If Paris is far away, please note that shipping is free from 180€ and that returns, on the other hand, are the responsibility of the customer.

The first model I tried didn't fit me. It was the Wingtip Oxford in Forest shape . Here it is:

The shoe is great. Only problem: the shape doesn't suit me. In fact, my instep being a bit strong, I had a very unpleasant feeling, leaning on the top of my foot.

And I know from experience that this feeling can be reduced but only if it is very weak to begin with. If it is strong, it will not disappear because the shoe relaxes in width and not in height .

I had to opt for another model, in a more suitable shape: a derby that I present to you now.

Our opinion on the brown Carmina derby with Detroit shape

Name : DERBY

Shape : DETROIT

Color : Brown Vegano

Upper material : Calfskin

Sole material : Calfskin

Construction : Goodyear

Sale price : €395

These shoes are derbies. Yes, very good. But they are also bluchers. Bluchers come to us from America and I recognize myself there in my influence.

The blucher is a derby because the lacing is open. Unlike the Richelieu which has closed lacing.

Derby and bluchers have open lacing therefore. This means that each of them has additional pieces of leather sewn on the top of the shoe.

The difference is that for the derby, it is about big pieces of leather (the quarters + the guards, that is to say the part with the eyelets) and for the blucher, only the guards are sewn on top.

The simple thing to remember is that bluchers, like derbies, are supposed to be rather casual shoes , unlike oxfords, which are formal.

I know that a great carnival of formalities is underway and that, from now on, any leather shoe tends to be considered dressy, but I insist: this is a casual shoe .

This relaxation is first translated by a form: the Detroit.

1. The form

I wanted a pair of shoes that were a bit round, like the Americans and the English - the Anglo-Saxons, in other words! - are fond of. This desire for shape was initiated by my own aesthetic vision and the figures of style with which I identify. and also, and above all!, by my morphology.

As said above, you need to know the shape of your foot well to choose the shape of your shoe.

Useful reminder for choosing a shoe shape:

A shoe that fits you is a shoe:

1. That the foot fills well in a three-dimensional way
2. Which holds the heel well
3. Which does not allow the foot to touch the end, in length
4. Which holds the sides of the foot.

I don't know about you, but my feet aren't like that.

All these reasons are crucial for:

1. The durability of the shoe
2. Your long-term comfort.

For my part, I know that I don't have a narrow foot, but rather a standard to wide foot, with a slightly strong instep and a standard heel, not too thin.

I also know that I tend to touch the ceiling with my big toe. As a result :

1. A strong instep prompts me to choose a derby shoe that will accommodate this need for vertical space, since the open lacing allows me to adjust this parameter.
2. A rather large foot width makes me choose a rounder shape
3. A rather wide heel, a shoe with space at the heel.
4. The front of the shoe, the hard tip, which is not too flat or too tapered. It must be a little muffled , therefore rounded, to prevent me from touching the shoe with the nail of the big toe.

This is precisely the spirit of the Detroit shape of this shoe. If your foot is not too far from mine, it will fit you well.

Small important detail : I can sometimes wear size 42, 42.5 or even 43. But here, on this type of shoe, it is indeed size 42 that I need, in other words 8UK.

You can also choose a larger width (EEE) on request. For my part, I opted for the standard (EE).

So much for the form. But the relaxation of this model also comes through in the assembly.

2. Construction

It's a Goodyear and a Stormwelt at that.

An explanatory diagram will tell you more.

The Goodyear

There are two seams:

1. The first seam, called "Goodyear", links the inner sole (or first assembly) to the welt, this raised strip of leather which goes all the way around the shoe.
2. The second seam binds this strip of leather, the welt, to the outsole.

The stormwelt:

The Stormwelt is a type of Goodyear, but the reverse is not true.

The difference is in the anatomy of the welt. On the Goodyear, the welt is a simple strip, here, it is more of a seam. It is the whole brick red part on the diagram.

On the shoe, it looks like this:

The small leather bead that you see above the seam allows for a better seal of the assembly. It is therefore an advantage for a fall and winter shoe.

In addition, this visual overload relaxes the model even more.

The advantage of such an assembly (Goodyear, Stormwelt, Norwegian...) is that you can change the sole . A good point for the durability of this shoe.

I would also like to point out that the welt goes all the way around the shoe, thus inducing greater solidity in the construction of the shoe.

Another note: the "small stitches" seam, the one that connects the welt and the outer sole, is protected underneath the shoe by a closed engraving . This is a noble and useful finish for those who do not want to have a skate fitted or those who want to do the shoe a little before fitting a skate which tends to stiffen the gait.

You can't see the stitching all around the sole that's under the engraving. Okay, now that I've shown you that, I'm off to the shoemaker to have a shoe and an iron fitted.

This thin layer of leather is bound to deteriorate. Don't cry foul if it crumbles. The little studs at the front of the shoe are there to hold it in place, but after a while, it will fall apart, it's inevitable (and not harmful).

3. Color

The color of the leather is not smooth. For example, on the hard toe there is a darker area which gives relief to the derby, a beautiful depth.

The non-homogeneity of this shade reinforces the casual side and I like it because it allows a play, with time and polishing. I made my derbies shine a little before the shooting. We can go even further with a more pronounced icing on the hard end but it is purely aesthetic.

The brown color is therefore very successful and will go well with all kinds of shades (like the green of these ABCL Garments chinos for example).

4. Leather

It is a full grain calfskin that comes from the French tannery of Annonay.

The term "full grain" means that the leather has not been rectified. Its defects have not been camouflaged by changing its structure. So, all the collagen has been kept in the leather and it is these fibers that give all the resistance to the leather .

Shoes at this price point must be made with full-grain leather. This is mandatory, unless the aesthetic purpose is different, more sophisticated, if design, as they say, has a lot of weight in the equation.

The fact that the leather comes from the Tannerie d'Annonay is a good sign as to its durability. On the other hand, tanneries supply different ranges depending on the quality required by the brand. So it is not, strictly speaking, an absolute guarantee of quality. It is necessary to qualify.

However, seeing this regular grain, the fact that it is soft, that we see the pores of the leather and the absence of apparent defects, it is safe to say that it is a very good quality skin.

We will have to see with use but I have every confidence.

My life in derby

1. A first time story

Leather shoes are earned.

Even though we bought them, they are not quite ours until we have gone through the ordeal of the first few wearings.

Indeed, you have to do them . And not get used to them.

And this can be a real challenge for:

1. The person who has never worn anything but sneakers in his entire life
2. The person who did not choose the right shape or size.

This discomfort, which sometimes even turns into pain, can leave a trauma . I don't say this lightly, I've seen it before.

Little things to know:

• A shoe can relax in width but never in length (because the leather is sewn in a certain direction)
• A tight heel can be remedied by heating and twisting it, which can be done by a cobbler or your shoemaker.
• You can gain a few millimeters of relaxation on the sides of the shoe using a machine that shoemakers usually have, but no miracles are possible.

However, if you choose the right shape, there should be no pain ; just a little discomfort for about ten wears (or less!) and then it will be bliss.

Completely normal walking creases.

But it's not an exact science: on one side there's your foot, imperfect, your foot, that is!, and on the other there's the shape of the shoe, perfect for a certain shape of feet.

You have everything in this article to choose the right size and shape.

As for this pair of bluchers, I felt a little discomfort for the first few times I wore them but nothing abnormal.

Today, after about ten wears, they still don't feel like slippers but I can spend a day with them without any problem.

2. Keep them alive

The durability of a pair of shoes depends on our good care. It is almost a responsibility, for some. In any case, it is a way to extend the life of our purchase.

And then, it's also a way to diversify your weekend activities and intrigue your children, if you have any, or your neighbors. Create your own legend.

Maintenance for me comes with the purchase and here are some basic rules that I follow for these derbies:

• Put on raw wood shoe trees as soon as I take them off at the end of the day ( beech or red cedar )
• Do not wear them two days in a row (the leather needs to rest)
• Maintain them regularly (as soon as you find the leather a little dry).
• And, I will drop them off very soon at a shoemaker to have a crepe shoe and a screwed, embedded iron fitted.

If you want to learn how to properly care for your shoes, this article will answer your questions.

How to wear this pair of shoes?

Rather on the feet.

Aha.

Not funny. Sorry, I shouldn't have had wine at lunch.

The message is simple: these are casual shoes so it wouldn't be ideal to wear them with overly formal clothes.

So, if you want to wear them with a suit, it is possible but if you master the art of making a suit more casual. Or to go with an already casual suit: in thick flannel with a houndstooth pattern for example, in olive green cotton for summer or even in corduroy.

Yes, I think the derby is fine, but I am more cautious when I think of the navy blue suit with flap pockets, worn without lapels on the trousers.

But people at Man 1924 do it very well.

Even in our country:

Brief !

Finally, I'll offer you some outfits of my own and others from my outfit bag (including derbies, not bluchers, but the aesthetic value is the same).

1. This is how I wear them

Harmony Paris beanie, BonneGueule turtleneck, Ami Paris double-breasted jacket, Septième Largeur belt, ABCL Garments chinos, Berg&Berg socks, Carmina bluchers

Vintage coat by Le Vestiaire du Renard, Saint James hat, BonneGueule funnel collar, Berg&Berg scarf, Bellerose flannel pants, Uniqlo socks, Carmina bluchers

2. How others wear them

Photo Credits: Walking Canucks

Drake's Lookbook. On the other hand, it's more of a burgundy, maybe even in cordovan and not calf. But the idea is there.

The final word...

I recommend these Carmina Bluchers with my eyes closed. I have no doubt that, properly maintained, they will age gracefully.

Plus, they're versatile and can add a little touch of elegance to a casual outfit.

The only reservations I could express are:

• I would have appreciated doubled seams perhaps, especially at the level of the guards. But I say that, without having any doubts about the solidity of the model. It's just that it's reassuring to have this kind of seams.
• In the shape: to my taste, a rounder foot would have been appreciated. With a less "square" tip. But I'm quibbling because, at the same time, it fits perfectly with the American aesthetic of the model and allows Carmina to differentiate itself a little.

In short, nothing to make me doubt the outcome of this test, which was positive for this model.