Our shoe brand recommendations can be found here.
In 2014, it was hard to expect more from shoes at this price. Even today, good shoes between 100 and 150€ are still rare.
Disclaimer: This is the return to the blog of Jonathan, a former BonneGueule intern who went to study in Hong Kong, who tested a pair of desert boots from the Kost brand for you. By searching, the brand offers several well-designed models with a price lower than €120. But what are they really worth? He answers you!
In your comments or by email, many of you ask us which brands to turn to when you want to build your wardrobe on a small budget.
Currently, this is not a difficult task for ready-to-wear, as the entry-level offering is plentiful in France: you only need to take a quick look at Uniqlo or Zara to realize this, not to mention alternatives such as Hast or Maison Standards .
In addition, you can also count on the growing popularity of e-shops offering a wide range of just-right clothes like Topman or Asos, which also have a fast delivery service and an increasingly efficient after-sales service. You should find some interesting pieces there, with patience and a few good tips.
On the other hand, it is more difficult to find certain essential pieces of the men's wardrobe at an affordable price . I am thinking in particular of choosing a pair of shoes intended for everyday life, with a beautiful design, which you can easily integrate into your looks.
Unfortunately, at the entry level, we too easily end up with cheap materials or with a (very) dubious line, like the model below.
A very rough line, just like the quality...
Fortunately, we are not the only ones to have noticed this, and several brands have launched themselves into a particular niche: designing and producing shoes at an affordable price, without having to skimp on the know-how, quality and appearance of the product.
This is what interested us in Kost, which is one of these brands, and that is why we tested a flagship pair from their A/W 2014 collection.
The Kost men's shoe brand
Kost is a young brand (created in 2009) belonging to the Cléon group, which already has some experience in the manufacture of men's shoes, through the Azzaro and Redskins brands (Cléon produces the models of these brands under a white label).
Note: there is indeed something to eat and drink among the models offered, not all of them successful in design, but you can find some that are worth it, provided you rummage around.
One of the specificities of Kost is that the majority of its pairs are made in France - in Maine-et-Loire - thus benefiting from manufacturing processes that have already proven themselves (Cléon has been manufacturing its shoes in the region since 1946, hence well-established and cushioned assembly lines) to be able to offer them at an affordable entry-level price.
Kost uses “Made in France” know-how which has already proven itself.
Having a limited budget myself, as a student, I know that it is not easy to find the right shoe for your foot when you want to find a certain work on design, without sacrificing the quality of materials and finishes. All for a price of less than €120...
This is exactly what this brand does, relying on casual and elegant models . But again, take a step back from the design of the models because there is everything.
Some interesting pieces:
The Pelican model (AW 2014): a beautiful pair of derbies at a low price.
On the left, the Kelony model is also very nice.
Kost desert boots review: the Klou model
I took some time to think before choosing the pair I wanted to test: I invite you to take a look at the different Kost collections : their catalog is very complete, with many essentials of the male wardrobe such as chukka boots, derby boots, or even desert boots.
The Klou are very easy to wear with good basics, like chinos or a good selvedge (sorry for the creases in the tee-shirt that are unintentional, and no, it's not a local fashion :D). Blazer Journal Standard (a Japanese casual brand), Tee-shirt Ligne BonneGueule, Chino COS, Shoes Model Klou by Kost Paris.
Finally, I decided to take the desert boots (Klou model), which I really liked with their young and casual look, which you can easily match with your favorite clothes ( shh, I was told not to mention chambray shirts ) without any hassle.
The slightly patinated effect and the camel color of this model are sober enough for you to personalize your style with accessories , such as colored or patterned socks.
The Kost logo on the back of the shoe is very discreet. You can also see that the finishing touches on the seams and assembly are correct and without burrs.
The little "Made in France" that goes well. Inside, we recognize the grain of the pigskin for the lining. Which is normal for this price range.
The leather of the Kost desert boots
The inner leather is made of pigskin and the upper is made of nubuck, as are the laces . To the touch, you can feel that the whole thing is resistant.
The nubuck used on this model is quite thick - it held up well in Hong Kong's hot and humid climate - which can be considered a strong argument if you're looking for a pair with decent durability (considering the price).
The quality of the nubuck is good for this price range (good regularity of the leather grain).
The sole of the Kost desert boots
At the entry level, you will rarely find stitched soles: at this price, a glued sole is more than acceptable.
I really appreciate the choice of the crepe sole, particularly resistant . It has moved very little in two months, except for the back at the heel, but this is inherent in the normal use of my Klou.
The crepe sole seen from below.
In terms of assembly, don't expect to have sewn soles for this price, which doesn't mean they aren't durable . Many of us in the team have shoes with glued soles that hold up well, this is not a penalizing argument for small budgets.
Note from Geoffrey: It's still always better to invest a little more and start coming across stitched soles, whether Blake or Goodyear.
The comfort of Kost desert boots
If the desert boots seemed tight to me at first, the leather ended up relaxing after two to three weeks of wearing them . Result: they are comfortable, and you can hang around for hours with your shoes to eat an ice cream in town, drink a pastis, or simply enjoy the nightlife ( hello ).
You can also add an insole if you want to optimize your comfort.
The boots and the rolled-up sleeves of the trench coat create a contrast with the elegant ensemble (photo taken with another Kost model, pretty chukka boots).
How does it fit?
Yes, even giants have the right to find shoes that fit them.
I have good news for men with large feet who have difficulty finding boots: Kost produces a wide range of sizes, which go from 39 to 50 depending on the model.
The interview
To clean them, I mainly use a simple bristle brush, nothing more is needed.
Geoffrey has already written an article on how to maintain nubuck shoes , I'll let you take a look! 😉
Where to find Kost men's shoes?
Kost is distributed throughout France (you can use the location service to find the store closest to you).
They are also present on many e-shops that offer returns/exchange services, if you are unable to find one near you.
Kost shoes, my opinion?
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of these desert boots compared to their price: the design is successful, the leather and the sole are of good quality for this range, and the finishes are clean. To all those who have a small budget, and who want to find a pair of shoes with a nice design, I invite you to try! 😉
Note from Benoit: I couldn't have said it better, their casual shoe offering is unbeatable for small budgets.
