The outcome of all this may well moot. Allen Edmonds replaced the Dundee with the Dundee 2 a couple years ago and now seems to have dropped it completely in any material, let alone the much rarer shell cordovan. It seems that Alden wins by staying alive longest. I'm glad I have a pair of the original AE Dundees in shell.
The Great Debate: Allen Edmonds vs Alden
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Agreed!
Sigh. As I said earlier in this thread, the trend is probably inevitable. I think Allen Edmonds will have to move its focus downmarket, as Johnston & Murphy has.
My now annual complaint session about this thread. Show us some pictures man! Give us something!!
I agree. A picture would be nice. I knew this thread would go this way. I purchased a pair of Alden boots about 5 years ago and they don't look any different today. This is a thread about a 20 year product - way too frustrating.
Good point. But it's been three years. I know the guy founded B&B and no doubt has his hands in many things, but I just don't understand kicking off this whole thing with so much detail, accompanying pictures, and a promise of so much moving forward, then nothing. Almost literally zero follow through. I just don't get it. And as someone who is really interested in seeing the cordovan aging process (or lack thereof), I was excited to track this. And nothing. It's like the ultimate over promise under deliver. So it goes...
I got some Allen Edmonds boots because of people on this forum, and it's been great! I have 3 pairs now. I went with Allen Edmonds because they have EEE size and a store near me where I can try them on or return easily. I'm sure Alden is good too, I just haven't tried it yet.
The Alden Shoe Company was founded in 1884 by Charles H. Alden in Middleborough, Massachusetts.
By 1933, at Charles Alden's retirement, operations moved to Brockton, Massachusetts and joined with the Old Colony factory. The Great Depression took a toll on countless shoe companies in New England. Although production demand increased during World War II, by the late 40's renewed consumer demand had fueled the search for manufacturing regions offering lower labor costs. Over the remainder of the century attrition would take hold as manufacturers looked farther and farther away in search of low cost labor and materials to meet the insatiable demand in the U.S.A. for low cost, mass-market consumer footwear.
Alden is now the only original New England shoe and bootmaker remaining of the hundreds who began so long ago. Still a family owned business, still carrying forward a tradition of quality genuine-welted shoemaking that is exceptional in every way.
ya, but who is John Alden?
When I began buying excellent shoes, including those mentioned, and Johnston and Murphy and Lucchese Boots, I went into a NYC famous shoe shop near Trinity Church by Wall Street and there I was introduced to Alden Shoes. The long time salesman there called them John Alden and it stuck with me all these years. If I alluded to an incorrect trade name, mea culpa... but heck, it's only life.
Black and Shell Cordovan, both 35 years old.
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when i googled it, it said John Alden was a pilgrim, and a cooper.
I thought perhaps there was a company that cam
I thought perhaps he was an obscure local cobbler or it was an obscure brand.
alden is one of the few brand loyalties i have when it comes to non-sneaker footwear. i'm a sucker for shell
natty cxl indy, color 8 shell indy, color 8 shell NST
cigar shell short wing, color 8 shell NST loafer
NST on feet
ravello shell wing boot on feet
Bonus Shell Content:
ashland leather whiskey shell wallet
natty cxl indy, color 8 shell indy, color 8 shell NST
cigar shell short wing, color 8 shell NST loafer
NST on feet
ravello shell wing boot on feet
Bonus Shell Content:
ashland leather whiskey shell wallet
on a related note, my friends who are/were AE loyalist have noticed quite a huge decline in AE's QC in the past few years. also, a lot of AE's manufacturing is being done in the DR. whether that has anything to do with their QC, who knows.
Do they note the decline across the board, or just in DR shoes?
hard to say. i'm not sure how much of production is DR. as far as i know, AE claims final mfgr, (construction, last pulling, etc.) is done in their US facilities. whether this has changed in the past few years, i dunno. the cutting of the uppers and pre-construction is split between the DR and US facilities.
from what i've seen first hand, the QC problems range fromt he final stitching (inconsistent/uneven seams) and major color variation on the same shoe and on pairs. i've had one friend send back 3 pairs of calf boots and 2 calf bals because of QC. seems too consistent an issue to be bad luck. these were not factory seconds, to clarify.
now i'm knocking AE by any means. when they're on point, they're on point. i've just always been an alden fanboy
from what i've seen first hand, the QC problems range fromt he final stitching (inconsistent/uneven seams) and major color variation on the same shoe and on pairs. i've had one friend send back 3 pairs of calf boots and 2 calf bals because of QC. seems too consistent an issue to be bad luck. these were not factory seconds, to clarify.
now i'm knocking AE by any means. when they're on point, they're on point. i've just always been an alden fanboy
alden is one of the few brand loyalties i have when it comes to non-sneaker footwear. i'm a sucker for shell
natty cxl indy, color 8 shell indy, color 8 shell NST
cigar shell short wing, color 8 shell NST loafer
NST on feet
ravello shell wing boot on feet
Bonus Shell Content:
ashland leather whiskey shell wallet
Nice! They all look great.
Fan of alden as well. Have a reliable pair of 405s. No shell though.
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