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Allen Edmonds ditches “Stodgy Boys Club” Image

12K views 60 replies 20 participants last post by  New York City 
#1 · (Edited)
https://www.google.com/amp/s/footwe...nd-american-made-luxury-shoes-1202680883/amp/

From the article:

"According to Caleres CEO, president and chairman Diane Sullivan, the modern Allen Edmonds is more focused on inclusivity than exclusivity. "Allen Edmonds shoes have been something men aspire to - shoes they buy when they've achieved a certain station in life," she said. "[Now we want to] make Allen Edmonds part of the journey, part of his lifestyle along the way."

This is exactly why people buy shoe that now retail past 400.00 dollars. For "inclusivity". Caleres CEO is literally saying AE is no longer something to aspire to.

In order for me to ever buy something from them ever again, they will literally have to have a sale of such magnitude that firsts in the Independence line will go down to 25 dollars. As if I am already not disgusted by their terrible QC, their new terrible CS while simultaneously increasing prices, their new vapid advertising, this one really takes the cake. "Inclusive" shoes. Stupidest thing I have ever heard. If I wanted inclusive shoes I would buy some Crocks. Caleres is hell bend on turning AE into Cole Haan.
 
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#4 ·
At this point I don’t even know why we’re discussing this dying, if not already dead, brand. There’s really nothing aspirational about AE and I don’t think they’ve ever made any allusion to being so. I’m not sure I’ve ever aspired to own shoes with coloration and faux patina that look as though it was done by a high school student in crafts class.

There are so many better shoes, both domestic and foreign made, to choose from. We don’t discuss J&M or Cole Haan that much. I think soon enough, Allen Edmonds will occupy a similar place in our thoughts.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I think the following is a smart move. I always thought private label apparel was a dead end for them. Too much like J&M.

"Aside from its visual identity, Allen Edmonds has also revamped its product strategy: It is exiting the private-label business in all non-shoe categories in favor of long-term collaborations with other U.S.-made accessories brands."

I know it's popular to bash AE on this Forum, but so far, Caleres hasn't made any of the moves that we were nervous about them making when the acquisition was announced. Offshoring production, selling a diffusion line through their Famous Footwear stores, expanding the apparel offering, etc.

So far, all I've seen them do is add a few more sneakers to the line up. Look around....they're not the only ones.
 
#8 ·
No negative emotion, just disappointing. My first "proper" shoes where AE. I have pairs from 2/3 years ago that I still use that look like they where made by a different company.

I wear it on Sunday's and Whenever I have a Requiem Mass said.
 
#15 ·
Corporations are in the business of maximizing shareholder return, and perhaps for private equity, that goal is in all caps. If "American made" is the route to get there, fine, but it certainly isn't the destination, regardless of what some fancy rebranding campaign might suggest. For me, I'm more than flush with a closet of AEs which I love, and are likely to last me more or less forever. I may look at their other offerings here and there, although their expressed direction is probably not consistent with my tastes. Who knows, they may very well catch onto a much larger audience, and if that's the case good luck to them.
 
#19 ·
Without being privy to their books, none of us can say what their bottom like really looks like. As long as they continue to produce a well made higher end, I have no concerns with what they do with their entry level lines.

Nearly every manufacturer has "levels", and like it or not - the growth of the business is not in the shoes most on this board gravitate towards. Adapt or die.
 
#26 ·
My issue with English shoes
Agreed with the Independence line. To me, the QC issue has a lot to do with personal tolerance. On here and TOF, I have seen people post pictures of the most insignificant issues. Granted, I have seen some egregious issues (99% seconds). But, I see a fair number that would easily fall into my "acceptable" range. If you want to find a problem with a pair of shoes, it will be easy to do. I have a pair of beautiful Edward Green shoes that have a rather blatant stitching error on the welt. Nobody's perfect.
AE, I'll forgive a stitching error and not think twice about it. EG? Hell no. Those would go right back.
 
#25 ·
Agreed with the Independence line. To me, the QC issue has a lot to do with personal tolerance. On here and TOF, I have seen people post pictures of the most insignificant issues. Granted, I have seen some egregious issues (99% seconds). But, I see a fair number that would easily fall into my "acceptable" range. If you want to find a problem with a pair of shoes, it will be easy to do. I have a pair of beautiful Edward Green shoes that have a rather blatant stitching error on the welt. Nobody's perfect.
 
#28 ·
^^Agreed, and I think there were two routes Caleres could have pursued: that taken by Bostonian/J&M/everyone else where you mfg in India and trade on the brand's heritage, or that which they took. My fingers are crossed for them and the craftsmen in Port Washington.

As an aside, Jaguar is Indian-owned now (Tata, I think). I don't know how quality has changed, but they're still marketing the British heritage.
 
#31 ·
As an aside, Jaguar is Indian-owned now (Tata, I think). I don't know how quality has changed, but they're still marketing the British heritage.
I can say that Jaguar quality has improved, but they needed to update their image as well. 20 years ago they were seen as an old-fashioned company. They priced their cars lower than the German competition, probably because it was necessary. First they expanded their range with the S-Type and X-Type, which were not good cars and focused too much on heritage. Now their cars look more towards the future, which is the way you need to be if you want to be more than a specialty maker. They needed to change if they wanted to compete with MB, BMW and Audi. I believe it has worked.

AE is the same as Jaguar was. They focus on heritage and old styles. We may like that, but that's not going to sell anymore. Suits may be hip again, but traditional menswear is not. Traditional menswear is a much more limited market than it was 15 years ago.

What should they do now? Go the Jaguar route and update their products with an updated and better-made product? The American brands usually go more mainstream and try to make a more modern and cheaper product to compete.

I have a few AE shoes, but they're not shoes that I take pride in wearing. I got them because they're decent shoes with a decent style. They're shoes I got for work that I don't care too much about because I could get them for a good price. I've never known them to be a brand anyone aspires to wear. Alden is that for the American shoes. But then again, when I see them in a department store, they are always the highest-end shoes. They are the only ones that are welted and the only ones made of full-grain leather. They are also the shoes with the most traditional style. I think that they would sell better if they weren't the highest-priced shoes in the stores that sell them. If people saw shoes that cost $500 next to them, they may see AE as a better value in comparison. But where they are placed they never appear to be a good value.
 
#32 ·
the new Jaguars look like Kias.... Gone are the round headlamps and flutted bonnets that distinguished the cars from everything else on the road from the brands inception to 2008. People bought Jaguars precisely because they looked like that. It is true that they can sell more Kia looking Jaguars, but now the brand is diluted and looks like every other box on the road. My grandfather has been collecting Jaguars since the 60’s. He has a XK150, E type, and XJS along with a couple of sedans. All those cars have a handmade character outside and inside. The new cars don’t. They are vapid and generic.

You are right in your assessment. AE is trying to do exactly the same thing.
 
#33 · (Edited)
the new Jaguars look like Kias.... Gone are the round headlamps and flutted bonnets that distinguished the cars from everything else on the road from the brands inception to 2008. People bought Jaguars precisely because they looked like that. It is true that they can sell more Kia looking Jaguars, but now the brand is diluted and looks like every other box on the road. My grandfather has been collecting Jaguars since the 60's. He has a XK150, E type, and XJS along with a couple of sedans. All those cars have a handmade character outside and inside. The new cars don't. They are vapid and generic.

You are right in your assessment. AE is trying to do exactly the same thing.
Don't know that I can agree. Saw an F-Type on the road a few weeks ago, and it's one of the best looking and sexiest autos in the flesh. To steal a turn of phrase, its road presence "is like a brick through a plate glass window!" One of those unusual autos that actually do look better in real life than photos. First thought it was a DB 11.





 
#35 ·
The F type is to Jaguar what a Park Avenue is to AE.
The other models are 4 cylinder cars that are over priced accordingly.

for those that turn their noses at AE and appreciate the finely tuned Jaguar, created in the car capital of the world known as India....I salute you.
 
#41 ·
^^LOL.
Reading your post, I found myself thinking "what's wrong with a Buick," but then I've also been more than satisfied with the 40+ pair(s) of AE's I've purchased over the past 50+ years, a number of which remain on my shoe racks to this day! I cannot recall ever having a bad experience with an Allen Edmonds customer service representative. I am consistently amazed by the level of animus expressed of the brand. :icon_scratch:
 
#44 ·
Some of you clearly live in a high strata than others, but AE absolutely was a shoe that I worked through my 20s to be able to afford. I saw them in Brooks Brothers and saved my pennies.

They may not be as prestigious as others, particularly those on this board. But to me and the average person walking down the street in Boston - they always get me compliments and feel like a quality product. To each his own I suppose.
 
#46 ·
Some of you clearly live in a high strata than others, but AE absolutely was a shoe that I worked through my 20s to be able to afford. I saw them in Brooks Brothers and saved my pennies.

They may not be as prestigious as others, particularly those on this board. But to me and the average person walking down the street in Boston - they always get me compliments and feel like a quality product. To each his own I suppose.
And perhaps at one point they were something rather aspirational. Of course, aspirational is a relative term and a moving target based on one's needs, income and tastes.

The only saving grace I see now is that AE is available on sale and quite ubiquitous. The price point keeps going up and at ~$400 they open themselves up to competitors who, quite honestly, are doing it better and cheaper.

Perhaps 20-30 years ago English shoes were hard to find but with online sales, it's only a click away.

As far as the sales go, I don't really seem them discounting their core line up that much. The iconic Park Ave is rarely on sale at a deep discount. When I do find AE shoes on sale at Nordstrom Rack or elsewhere, they are either blemished badly or just plain ugly. In that case, it's hard to justify any price unless not buying them means that I walk out of the store barefoot.
 
#45 ·
Memory is a funny thing - off hand, I would have said, sure, I've owned a pair of AEs or two as I've certainly been in the store enough over the past thirty or so years that I've been buying men's dress shoes.

For true business / dress shoes, I know I've bought - either still have or clearly remember owning - Florsheim (in its day, its Imperial line was very nice), Cole Haan, J&M (those three brands back before they went down market), Ferragamo (a very expensive mistake as they were never comfortable), Church's, Alden (more than any other brand) and Peal and Co.

While the list expands greatly if we include casual shoes, the above might be it for true business / dress shoes and I'm doubting that I've ever owned a pair of AE dress shoes (but vaguely thought I did, but now don't). I also feel like I'm forgetting a brand, but still don't think it was AE. I do own some AE shoetrees that I bought on a crazy good sale many years ago.
 
#48 ·
I suppose I should be counted among those who "aspired to wear Allen Edmond's shoes," as one of the first purchases I made as a brand new second lieutenant in the USAF was a pair of black AE Leeds. Over the next three decades a series of purchases of the Leeds design saw me through an entire military career...'a shoe made in the USA, serving the USA!' Can it get any more red, white and blue than that? ;)
 
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#53 ·
Is AE perfect? No, I noticed some QC issues over the years too.

However they definitely still are an aspirational brand, at least for people who need to look presentable but don't necessarily post on forums like this one. Prices are reasonable considering the quality and their refinishing service is great. They also have far more variety when it comes to size compared to Alden, and I've been able to talk to people on the phone in my limited interactions with the company.

In light of all this, they can sell sneakers in K-Mart for all I care, as long as the core products remain sound.
 
#55 ·
Longtime AE customer because I can get size 14e,American made and have been decent quality. But couldn't be more clear the direction company is going. Chasing the millenial/generation z consumer with buzzwords like "inclusivity",all models in last catalogue were 20somethings,mass casualization of brand reflecting sentiments of society in general. Guess this seems like a great business move. But I can certainly appreciate the antipathy expressed by long time customers who bemoan these moves. Seems like a "dumbing down" of core principals,which is regretfully what so many former conservative and "aspirational" companies have done
 
#56 ·
If selling sneakers keeps them in the business of selling the Park Ave, Fifth Ave, Strand, etc, then sell sneakers like thunder. Reality is, very few people buy shoes like that any more. We can bemoan it all day long, but that's reality.

I am 57 and have as many AEs as I'll ever need; I'm sure I own the pair my son will bury me in. I've owned 30 or 40 pairs over the years. Now I'm down to less than half a dozen, with my eye on a couple from time to time.

AE needs to make a whole bunch of new 30-40 pair customers, and this is what they think will do it. If the traffic I've seen at the McLean/Tyson's Corner store is an indicator, they're probably right. I've been the oldest customer in the store every time I've ever gone there.
 
#57 ·
The above expressed mentality is the beginning of the end for traditional retailing. Using this logic,J Press should be selling primarily hooded sweatshirts festooned with garish logos and trainers. Ben Silver and Cable Car Clothiers should do likewise. Look into how well Brooks Brothers did under Mark's and Spencer,when they decided to primarily chase the 20- something consumer. WITH Joe Gromek at the helm of Brooks during this period,they were almost out of business within a few years. Chasing the young,trendy customer is a strategy that is seldom a successful one. And it usually comes at the expense of your legacy customer. So after the millenials and generation z consumer move on to the next "cool" thing,you've lost them as well as those you have aliented
 
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