Here we are back again with another collaborative model between myself and Carmina Shoemaker on their Uetam Loafer
This time on their famous loafer model in a very nautical-themed colorway, just in time for the Summer months ahead. A gorgeous loafer in a colorway that I have been wanting for a long time. This is my 2nd collaborative model with Carmina shoemaker.
The first time was on their lovely single monkstrap on the Simpson last, in a two-tone burgundy calf with snuff suede. You can watch that video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycXCe5RwxtQ&t=169s
This pair is currently being offered as a GMTO at RTW pricing with free shoe trees included.
You can find them at the link here: https://www.carminashoemaker.com/tassel-loafer-in-navy-suede-80215
See the transcript below:
All right. All right. All right. Welcome back to another Shoe Snob Blog Unboxing Video, One-Take-Wonders. Here we are back again with the famous Carmina brand out of Mallorca, Spain. So I’ve unboxed their shoes before. Most of you know Carmina, I doubt you would know me and don’t know Carmina. They are big, they are famous and they are worldly.
But as you might know, Carmina is one of my sponsors and on a yearly, semi. No, not semi, I don’t know the word I’m looking for either every year or every other year. We do like a little collaborative model where I go on the custom design tool and I make something that I am interested in.
The first time I made a pair of very cool pair of burgundy single monk straps with the suede vamp and I believe it was a snuff suede but along the lines of a snuff suede. Super cool lovely shoe on the Simpson last, which is one of the last that fits me best. I have a narrow foot. So, I fit the Simpson last. Well, I’m all tied up this morning. Sorry, I woke up a little disheveled. And that model was super cool. I know some clients that got it. Loved it. Thanked me for that, I love that. I love that people like my designs and my styles which are obviously a bit “forward.” You know, I’m not making any Black Oxfords or anything like that. They’re always gonna have two colors.
So anyway, as you’ve probably seen already in the photo, let’s take a look at the recent model that I made and that is now available to all of you for purchase if you like it. So this is pretty cool and I don’t know if this happens on all of their custom models now because this is a new thing, but it has a picture of the base model and it says specifically made for Justin FitzPatrick. Tassel Loafer, the model, the size, and what I presume is the SKU or the official model number, very, all very official and proper. I think that’s nice and I think people like that ‘specifically made for’ in your name. I think that’s a nice detail that they have.
Let’s take a look at the presentation. A nice, little bag, the famous Red Carmina bags, right? I thought it would be intelligent of me to do a loafer. Now, I’ve always loved the Uetam Loafer. I love a nice round last on a loafer and a last is not overly round but is round. Ultimately, I think that suits loafers best in my opinion. And I’ve always been curious about this color combination. I can’t lie. I took inspiration from another brand that I saw. I want to say it was George Cleverley that did a made-to-order for a client and did it exactly in this kind of style in a navy suede with a white tassel on a natural-colored sole. So I just thought, oh man, that looks amazing. I love that. And I’ve been wanting to do one for myself because I think it’s a great combination. I think it would be super versatile with a lot of my summer wear.
So, I put that together in the 3D custom tool and got back a very handsome pair of super cool loafers. So I just want to talk about some new details that I noticed about this shoe that Carmina was not previously offering. I do believe they started to offer what they’re calling a pitched heel. Now, their pitch is very subtle. It’s a very subtle pitch, but it’s a nice detail for those of you that want that to follow the natural curvature of the back of the heel into the heel block on the sole. It’s a nice detail because a straight sole, you know, a straight sole is what we’re all used to. But it’s not a, you know, it doesn’t flow with the heel like a slightly pitched heel does.
So I do believe that’s a new option presented to you in the 3D custom tool, which is a nice touch. I noticed and was impressed by the real thinness of the sole. So, although being welted, it almost looks like it could be a blake shoe, which I know a lot of people like that for a Summer-look because it’s thinner. It’s not as robust when you’re in Summer and it’s hot and you’re wearing, you know, light things, so to speak. You don’t want a big old chunky sole. So Carmina actually, and I mean, I imagine they do this for a lot of their loafers, but this is definitely like a three-millimeter sole, whereas the standard dress shoe is a 4-5 millimeter sole. And it’s, you know, it’s noticeable and it’s, but it’s fine and it’s really well done.
I love the waist, the waist shape. Yeah, I thought that was smart and I thought that was different. I had a Uetam loafer years ago back when I first moved to London, but I got the wrong size. I could never wear them because they were too tight. And I don’t recall what the sole was like because I ended up having to get rid of it. Another detail I just noticed I forgot that I had asked for this, but they punched the J F initials into the heel block. Very finely done too. Wow. And very close to the heel people won’t know this, but that’s not easy to do. I mean, when you have that….that heel lip right there, it’s very hard to punch accurately. That’s another nice detail that you get there on the 3D custom tool.
What else? Some fit feedback. The Uetam last is a narrow last. This is definitely a snug fitting last as I believe loafers should be. So, for those of you that know, Carmina last for me, I take a UK 7 in the Uetam and the Simpson but a UK6.5 in everything else. So, typically I would say size up and I know that sounds counterintuitive because most people size down for loafers. But I’d say size up if you wear your shoes snug like in your standard shoes, then size up for these. If you have room in your Oxfords, if you have room to spare, then stick with the same size. But if you’re the type, like me, who wears the oxfords quite snug, you’re gonna find these too snug in the same size.
So, that’s at least my experience, I take a UK seven, whereas I usually take UK 6.5 and everything else. So the Uetam Loafer runs snug. It fits though, fits great, at least fits great for me in a 7 UK, US 8.
The shoes are now live on their site for you guys to buy if you like what I put together, albeit via inspiration from another shoe, but choosing it on this beautiful loafer, with the natural heel color, and natural sole, which I think is a great contrast. I think it really goes well, you know, it has kind of a nautical look to it, which I love nautical themes and colors. So, you know, it’s very easy for me to pair this type of shoe.
It is currently on the site as a custom model aka GMTO. They are $525 and that is with a shoe tree and I believe quoting eight weeks for turnaround. So if you order, you know, now, then you’re still gonna get this within Summer. So beautiful shoe. Suede quality is really nice when I put them on, it was super soft. They got a nice lining, nice, navy blue lining, lovely stuff. Definitely be getting their use. Even though I love the nautical theme, sadly I don’t own a boat but you know, can rock them in the city or to the park on the water as I envision my boat for the future.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this new collaboration I did with Carmina. If you like it enough to buy it. Definitely check the link out. You get a shoe tree that comes with it. You get to wear the same shoes that I have. I don’t know if that’s cool or not, you know, who knows? But if you like my ideas and my creations and you wanna get on board that is available to you right now. Thank you as always for tuning in and I wish everybody a great day and definitely stay tuned for more as I got lots coming. Take care. Bye bye.
WATCH VIDEO HERE: https://youtu.be/jYvzUpAwB4Y
You do have a magic touch on playing colour!
Thank you my friend!