[joemango]

I found a great pair of black Ferragamo shoes on eBay, just my size, great looking, here is the link:
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180394863372&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Im hoping this pair will be an investment piece to last a lifetime, if i win the auction i will first take them to a shoe expert here in san antonio to have them, cleaned up and ready for use.

Now im wondering what needs to be done to keep these in good shape, how should they be stored, what should i keep in mind when using them and how often to i take them to the shoe shop or better yet what should i look for on the shoe indicating its time to go to the shoe stop, i know maintenance is a big part and i want to get it right.

im somewhat convinced these are real but if you all can confim it that would be great, if anyone here has a pair like these, post your experience with your pair on here.

Cheers,

Jose

 

[thefancyman]

Im hoping this pair will be an investment piece to last a lifetime, if i win the auction i will first take them to a shoe expert here in san antonio to have them, cleaned up and ready for use.

Now im wondering what needs to be done to keep these in good shape, how should they be stored, what should i keep in mind when using them and how often to i take them to the shoe shop or better yet what should i look for on the shoe indicating its time to go to the shoe stop, i know maintenance is a big part and i want to get it right.

For almost any fine pair of leather shoes it is not necessary to take them to any shop repair or recondition service unless the soles need to be replaced or the leather has been worn or damaged to the point that the surface of the uppers has began to crack or peel. The majority of what needs to be done to keep your shoes in good condition can be done by yourself.

The routine maintenance that should be performed are to polish your shoes before you wear them for the first time and polish them after every five or so wearings but that entirely depends on how long you are wearing them in a day and the amount of wear and tear they incur during that time. The polish will add a perennial shine to the leather, keep it moist and supple and add a layer of protection against scruffs and scratches. When you are done wearing the shoes insert a cedar shoe tree into the shoe to insure that the leather does not shrink and maintains it's intended shape. The cedar in the trees serves to absorb any moisture in the shoe from your feet. If you notice that the leather is dried out then you may want to remove any excess polish that may be clogging the pores of the leather and if the dryness is prolonged apply a leather conditioning cream which will moisturize the leather.

When the sole needs to be replaced then it will be time to take the pair to a shoe shop. However, those shoes you are looking at have manmade soles that appear to be glued on. Those shoe soles can not be replaced and will not be able to last a lifetime. I would suggest that you search for a pair that have a welted construction ( goodyear, blake, blake rapid, bologna ) leather sole that can be replaced after extended wear. As long as the leather uppers are properly maintained the shoes could last a lifetime.

 

[Nerev]

What is your current rotation of shoes? Even with shoe trees, I'm not sure if shoes could be fully recover with only a night to rest and remove that moisture from your feet. Having only one pair of shoes and wearing them non-stop will greatly reduce the lifespan of shoes.

To keep them in good shape regularly clean, condition, and polish your shoes. I polish all my shoes every other week (5 pairs). Storage wise, not close to AC or radiator vents. I have a shoe rack right next to the door and under my vallet tray. You don't need to bring them to a cobler unless you need the soles redone, and you can pretty much tell when. You could take your shoes to a cobler to get cleaned and shined also if you don't want to do it yourself but it can get pricey.

 

[CuffDaddy]

Ferregamo does make some nice men's shoes (I've got a pair of tan, pebble-grained wingtips that are on about year 10 and still going strong), but many/most of them are lightly constructed and are unlikely to be "lifetime" investments. I chewed up two pairs of their black captoe oxfords in the space of 4 years, then gave up on them as workhorse shoes to wear more than once a week.

 

[Scoundrel]

The interesting thing is, on eBay, if one looks hard enough, one can find new Ferragamo footwear for the price of these used loafers.

 

[joemango]

this is very interesting, i was not aware of the rubber soles being glued on, so i retracted my bid, i will look for another pair with soles that can be replaced. the miantenace tips are excellent, when i find another pair i will list here, thanks guys !

 

[gman-17]

this is very interesting, i was not aware of the rubber soles being glued on, so i retracted my bid, i will look for another pair with soles that can be replaced. the miantenace tips are excellent, when i find another pair i will list here, thanks guys !

I believe Ferragamo glues on most loafer soles--I still believe they can be replaced. Nick from B. Nelson shoes recrafted a pair of Ferragamo loafers for me sewing on the soles. They are sbustantially better than new. I posted pics here: https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=97056

 

[dzang]

You could also get similar shoes by ferragamo at a nordstrom rack or saks or neimans sale for around the same price maybe $50 or so more but they are brand new

 

[DocD]

I've posted many times on this site that I personally do not advocate wearing "used" shoes for a plethora of reasons, but despite that, when looking at the pictures on the site, look carefully at the heels of those shoes.

I would hardly call that "light wear", since that lateral border of both heels already shows significant wear to the shoes.

Wait for a sale at Nordstroms and get yourself a nice, shiny NEW pair of shoes.

 

[kirbya]

I wear ferragamoalmost exclusively for my casual shoes. They are excellent and, generally, hold up nicely. Occasional TLC with your favorite shoe guy are enough to keep these thing ticking.

 

[3holic]

My experience with Ferragamos, going back some 20+ years, is that they are lighter, more stylish and have better workmanship than American and most English shoes (excluding the very top end ones). They are well-made but do not last as long as the latter due to thinner soles.

Be aware that the newer Ferragamos are made much more narrow than before. I wear a D with virtually all brands, but had to move up to a E with my latest purchase.

If you are near a Nordstroms, Saks, Neimans, or better yet, a Ferragamo store, visit them and try on several pairs to test the fit.

 

[joemango]

Here is another ferragamo pair I found on eBay, these are new black loafers, they seem to have the right type of sole (not a wholly rubber sole) im assuming if this starts to fall apart then it can be repaired, but im not sure how to tell if the sole is in fact glued on or sewed on and what makes one better than the other, i emailed the seller asking for more pics, these are new.

as a side topic i think everyone here would benefit if we created a guide identifying the marks and details of authentic ferragamo shoes along with other high end brands that have counterfieted in the past.

do they look legit ?

 

[gman-17]

Here is another ferragamo pair I found on eBay, these are new black loafers, they seem to have the right type of sole (not a wholly rubber sole) im assuming if this starts to fall apart then it can be repaired, but im not sure how to tell if the sole is in fact glued on or sewed on and what makes one better than the other, i emailed the seller asking for more pics, these are new.

as a side topic i think everyone here would benefit if we created a guide identifying the marks and details of authentic ferragamo shoes along with other high end brands that have counterfieted in the past.

do they look legit ?

These shoes are exactly the reason I posted the link to my other thread. They are glued, but that should not stop you from purchasing them. IMO they are a very fashionable casual shoe. Take a look at what Nick of B. Nelson did for me with the same shoes. Pretty much a recraft where he sewed the new sole, of substantially better grade, to the shoe. But the shoes below are exactly the same post recraft. Now I have to get them in brown.

 

[gman-17]

My experience with Ferragamos, going back some 20+ years, is that they are lighter, more stylish and have better workmanship than American and most English shoes (excluding the very top end ones). They are well-made but do not last as long as the latter due to thinner soles.

Be aware that the newer Ferragamos are made much more narrow than before. I wear a D with virtually all brands, but had to move up to a E with my latest purchase.

If you are near a Nordstroms, Saks, Neimans, or better yet, a Ferragamo store, visit them and try on several pairs to test the fit.

I love Ferragmo, but my conclusions would be exactly the opposite. I think they are quite fashionable, but somewhat poorly manufactured--almost completely all are glued to today. See JCusey's thread to understand manufacturers processes. https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=49981

That said true craftsmen can radically improve the original product.

 

[indylion]

So many say they love Ferragamo Not all Ferragamo are created equal. The quality goes from junk to high end quality (e.g. Tramezza).
The shoes in question are junk. If possble, save your money to get a pair of Tramezza on ebay. To the poster who said all Ferragamos are glued, you are wrong. Tramezza are constructed better than AE or Aldens.

 

[gman-17]

So many say they love Ferragamo Not all Ferragamo are created equal. The quality goes from junk to high end quality (e.g. Tramezza).
The shoes in question are junk. If possble, save your money to get a pair of Tramezza on ebay. To the poster who said all Ferragamos are glued, you are wrong. Tramezza are constructed better than AE or Aldens.

I know the Tramezza are not glued. Most Ferragamo shoes are glued. As JCusey says
-- Like Bruno Magli, Ferragamo doesn't own any of their own production facilities. Also like Bruno Magli, they market shoes of widely varying qualities. The Studio line shoes are cemented and not worth the money they cost. The Lavarazione Originale line shoes are generally Blake-constructed and are often attractive and well-made, if overpriced. The Tramezza line shoes are Goodyear-welted and are very good. Ferragamo has a joint venture with Zegna called Zefer, and Zefer produces all of the Zegna-labelled shoes. I believe, although I am not certain, that Zegna owns the production facilities for these shoes, some of which are very good.

Ferragamo farms out all production and the Tramezza are good year welted--equivalent of AE and Alden.

 

[JDMills]

Wow very nice shoe, I personally prefer leather soles but that wouldn't stop me from picking a pair of these up if they were on sale a nice addition to a wardrobe :icon_smile_big:

 

[3holic]

I know the Tramezza are not glued. Most Ferragamo shoes are glued. As JCusey says
-- Like Bruno Magli, Ferragamo doesn't own any of their own production facilities. Also like Bruno Magli, they market shoes of widely varying qualities. The Studio line shoes are cemented and not worth the money they cost. The Lavarazione Originale line shoes are generally Blake-constructed and are often attractive and well-made, if overpriced. The Tramezza line shoes are Goodyear-welted and are very good. Ferragamo has a joint venture with Zegna called Zefer, and Zefer produces all of the Zegna-labelled shoes. I believe, although I am not certain, that Zegna owns the production facilities for these shoes, some of which are very good.

Yes, I have read JCusey's excellent article on the various shoe manufacturers. But not all Ferragamos, beside the Tramessas, are glued. I was at Bloomingdales today and they have lace-ups (not Tramessas) with stitchings on the edges. As another poster have said, the quality of Ferragamos can have a wide range. Since some stores carry only the lower priced ones (therefore most likely glued), shoppers at such stores get the false impression that all Ferragamos are glued.

Don't limit yourself to just one store, go to a Ferragamo store and look at their full line, you will appreciate some very fine workmanship.

BTW, the pair I recently purchased are glued. They are calf skin loafers with soft rubber soles. I bought them specifically for travels -- ease of removal at airport security check points, and soft leather upper and rubber sole for walking comfort. Will they last a long time? Most likely not, but they are stylish and serve their intended purpose well. And when they wear out? Why, reason for me to buy new shoes! :icon_smile:

 

[Nick V]

Just weighing in:
!. Rubber soles can be replaced by a reputable repair shop.
2. The OP asks about repair and maintenance:

3. 3holic mentions that he saw "Ferragamo lace-ups at Bloomy's that were not Tramezza's but were stitched".
Can you name the model?
The reason I ask is many makers use "dummy welts" on some of their models. A dummy welt is a thin piece of leather cemented around the border of the shoe. It makes the shoe appear to have a welt. All it really is, is a trim. Dummy welts come in various designs. To name a few....serraded, smooth, stitched. With the stitch version, if you look at the shoe from a top view you can clearly see the stitching. However the sole is simply cemented to the welt and bottom of the upper.

 

[3holic]

Just weighing in:

3. 3holic mentions that he saw "Ferragamo lace-ups at Bloomy's that were not Tramezza's but were stitched".
Can you name the model?
The reason I ask is many makers use "dummy welts" on some of their models. A dummy welt is a thin piece of leather cemented around the border of the shoe. It makes the shoe appear to have a welt. All it really is, is a trim. Dummy welts come in various designs. To name a few....serraded, smooth, stitched. With the stitch version, if you look at the shoe from a top view you can clearly see the stitching. However the sole is simply cemented to the welt and bottom of the upper.

I didn't ask. I was with a friend and while she was trying on some clothes, I strolled over to mens shoes to browse. Thanks for the info on dummy welts -- that is really eye-opening.

I just checked an old pair of cap toes from some years ago. There is channel stitching in the waist area. Since the front part of the sole is covered in leather that has been re-soled once, I cannot tell how far the stitching extend. These shoes have the printed label instead of the gray fabric strip, so they are not Tremazzas.