For me, tan is a hard color to get right. If it is way too bright, it is hard to wear with most suits that we have in our wardrobe. If it is too dark then it might as well be mid-brown. Getting it just right is where the trick lies. The problem is that it cannot really be done just by buying the leather (from the tannery). You have to alter it yourself (being you the customer with a polish, or even better the factory so that you don’t have to). Carmina seems to have done a good job at this as is presented by the shoes above.
Every time I see this picture it jumps out at me and to be honest, tan is my least favorite color of shoe. But the color in this shoe is so rich that it is hard not to be enamored with. But this was not just Carmina alone. It was a mix between great finishing at the factory and a lovely shine job with a darker shade of wax done by a member of The Armoury. And with that mixture you see the depth of color varying from the toe to the facing. It is simply sublime. And let’s not forget the model, which is probably my favorite by Carmina and one of the best semi-brogues on the market.
FWIW, my Allen Edmonds walnuts look like this after I use Meltonian oxblood cream, followed by oxblood polish. A much richer finish.
show please!