Browns of St Molton Street carry one style of (hugely-overpriced) Alden cordovan.

I have not come across AE in London.

 

The Crockett and Jones shoes/boots in my collection came from shops in England and Malaysia, through internet/telephone orders and the purchases, to include achieving proper fit, have gone suprisingly well. When it came to my purchase of RM Williams boots, the purchase was again made by telepone order, after selecting the products from an Australian shop's website. Perhaps that is how you might acquire the Alden and Allen Edmonds models you are seeking, through the many internet shops that feature these shoes? Good hunting gentlemen!

 

The problem with ordering from abroad, for those in the UK, is that you will get absolutely caned by customs when your order arrives. Anything worth in excess of £18 is in scope for import tax, duties etc.

I do not know how PLAL make their money. I assume other countries take a more tolerant view of personal imports.

 

Do what everyone else in the UK does these days. Buy a plane ticket to NY and go on an exchange rate driven shopping spree.

 

Do what everyone else in the UK does these days. Buy a plane ticket to NY and go on an exchange rate driven shopping spree.

You are still liable for customs duty if you exceed a minimal spend. Years ago, I got really quizzed over a leather jacket I bought in Turkey.

If you can make the clothes look used and bluff your way through customs it may work.

 

Where can I buy a pair of these in London?

Cheers

Just out of curiosity, why does an Englishman wishes to purchase American shoes when English shoes are available? Just wondering.

 

I cannot answer for the OP. For me, it is simple - cordovan.

Specifically, long wingtip MacNeill shoes and Alden equivalent. It goes back to smart skinhead styles from wayback. They are iconic shoes. Crockett & Jones cordovan styles do not appeal, though the rest of their range is far better than anything from the US firms.

 

There are a few London stockists listed on the AE website. Otherwise, if you know your size, the mail order service will probably work out cheaper (even after tax and P&P).

 

Just out of curiosity, why does an Englishman wishes to purchase American shoes when English shoes are available? Just wondering.

Chiefly because they tend to be a bit more affordable than certain English ones (C&J, EG, Church's), and from the input I've received from this forum, they seem to be a little bit better quality than Barker or Cheaney. I may have obtained a wrong impression, though.

Oh, and I am no Englishman, just incidentally living in London

 

Brooks Brothers UK should do Alden.

Brooks Brothers UK ought to be a reasonable start ;

Problem is BB UK don't do reasonable, at least their website doesn't, when you ckick on 'Footwear' a seperate page is pulled from the US website starting with the cordovan range, but priced in dollars !

Only solution with the BB UK route is to phone the stores, there are two in London, Regent St, in the West End & Old Broad St, in the City.
https://www.brooksbrothers.com/uk/storelocator/index.html

Let us know, Julio.

 

I thought that AE was priced about the same as lower-end C&J and Alden about the same as higher-end C&J

 

Julio, Julio, wherefore art thou ?

I spoke with BB UK London branches today.

Old Broad St in the City of London stocks Alden cordovan loafers only, with tassles and without (for a pretty penny!) £375, available in burgundy or black.

Regent St in the West End stocks loafers, oxford and monk varying colours and sizes, mostly starting from american 8, around £379.

NB.
(1) The Regent St telephone number on the web page is correct, the number really does start with 020 3 - and not the usual 7 - it is not an error.
(2) No special orders because of 'import duty complications'.
F.

 

Chiefly because they tend to be a bit more affordable than certain English ones (C&J, EG, Church's), and from the input I've received from this forum, they seem to be a little bit better quality than Barker or Cheaney. I may have obtained a wrong impression, though.

Oh, and I am no Englishman, just incidentally living in London

The European prices of Allen Edmonds are not competitive. I don't know about London, but in Germany they are at parity with Vass which is a much better shoe.

 

I cannot answer for the OP. For me, it is simple - cordovan.

Specifically, long wingtip MacNeill shoes and Alden equivalent. It goes back to smart skinhead styles from wayback. They are iconic shoes. Crockett & Jones cordovan styles do not appeal, though the rest of their range is far better than anything from the US firms.

In England, horse leather is not considered appropriate for a gentleman's shoe. Nor is dog leather.

 

J Simons (Amercian clothing emporium) on Russell Street in Covent Garden had some nice looking suede Alden in the window recently.

 

I would not look for Alden and Allen Edmonds shoes anywhere else other than in the States.

In Europe, especially, (I presume with their protectionism policy and import taxes) these shoes are very much costlier and they don't offer a good value proposition to better made European shoes.

 

In Europe, especially, (I presume with their protectionism policy and import taxes) these shoes are very much costlier and they don't offer a good value proposition to better made European shoes.

There is no protectionist European policy or import taxes other than VAT for shoes originating in the United States. I don't know about other origins.

Rather, for some reason, either Allen Edmonds is trying to establish itself as a higher-end brand in Europe than in the US (like Polo has successfully done), or the importers are charging ridiculous mark-ups (like the Vass guys failed to do in the US).

 

There is no protectionist European policy or import taxes other than VAT for shoes originating in the United States. I don't know about other origins.

Rather, for some reason, either Allen Edmonds is trying to establish itself as a higher-end brand in Europe than in the US (like Polo has successfully done), or the importers are charging ridiculous mark-ups (like the Vass guys failed to do in the US).

I assume that AE are simply doing what other US companies do when they set up shop here - keep the same figure but change the $ for a £.

 

I assume that AE are simply doing what other US companies do when they set up shop here - keep the same figure but change the $ for a £.

So true...

 

Chiefly because they tend to be a bit more affordable than certain English ones (C&J, EG, Church's)

You can get C&J starting at 200 pounds from A&G Martin-Stone on Edgeware Road, and seconds starting around 100 pounds from their factory store (only open Fridays) in Northampton. If you're in London, you're better off buying C&J or the better quality Cheaney's (the ones that aren't made from corrected grain leather, visit John Rushton on Wigmore street and they can give you guidance.)

Alden and AE will cost an arm and a leg in the UK, and are not as stylish as the alternatives.

 

J Simons often have a small range of AE. I got these a year or so back.

The appeal to any ex skinhead/suedehead/mod is that they are different to the Englishman's idea of a 'gentleman's' shoe and all the stuffy associations......as I have got older I can find room for a more eclectic collection. But my first love is still an Ivy influenced style.

 

There are a few London stockists listed on the AE website. Otherwise, if you know your size, the mail order service will probably work out cheaper (even after tax and P&P).

London

Flamco Ltd. Fifty Seven Degrees
Palmer 125 Northcote Road
Rochester Big & Tall 90 Brompton Road
The Master Cobbler 21 Highbury Park

I have no knowledge of any of these places.

 

Good prices - poor selection here

https://www.solelyshoes.com/acatalog/allen_edmonds.html

 

Good prices - poor selection here

https://www.solelyshoes.com/acatalog/allen_edmonds.html

They don't look very appealing.

 

They don't look very appealing.

They look like... Allen Edmonds