[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

I know BB recently replaced their AE shoes for their main 1818 line with Made in Italy shoes produced in-house.

I was wondering if anyone can comment on the quality of the new 1818 line shoes? Ex. the leather, type of construction, etc?

Thank you in Advance!
ESB

 

[SG_67]

I’ve only handled them but they feel plastic like.

And I don’t care for the embossed Golden Fleece logo.

 

[StephenRG]

I know BB recently replaced their AE shoes for their main 1818 line with Made in Italy shoes produced in-house.

FWIW I strongly doubt that they're made in-house. There are a million Italian shoe factories they could use.

 

[Fading Fast]

I've only handled them but they feel plastic like.

And I don't care for the embossed Golden Fleece logo.

That's not surprising, but is still disappointing. It really has become just an Italian-influenced modern clothing store with some atavistic nods to its iconic American-sartorial past.

 

[medhat]

Coincidentally I had the opportunity to handle some today while out shopping. Agreed the leather is not AE-quality (I don’t recall what that BB line is called, or if it even still exists). And I recall they used to also co-brand with Peel. These 1818’s are a notch or more down.

 

[Matt S]

Coincidentally I had the opportunity to handle some today while out shopping. Agreed the leather is not AE-quality (I don't recall what that BB line is called, or if it even still exists). And I recall they used to also co-brand with Peel. These 1818's are a notch or more down.

They still have "Peal & Co" branded shoes, which are made in England. Peal is a brand name owned by Brooks Brothers and not the maker of the shoes, which have varied over the years. I have a number made by Crockett & Jones and Alfred Sargent. They now cost twice as much and don't even have closed-channel soles.

 

[SG_67]

They still have "Peal & Co" branded shoes, which are made in England. Peal is a brand name owned by Brooks Brothers and not the maker of the shoes, which have varied over the years. I have a number made by Crockett & Jones and Alfred Sargent. They now cost twice as much and don't even have closed-channel soles.

At $700, one wonders why not just go with Crockett & Jones instead of a rebranded shoe.

The only saving grace, I suppose, would be to take advantage of their friends and family 25% off sale.

 

[Semper Jeep]

I have no first hand experience with their new shoes, but they got a less than favorable review over on PutThisOn and SF a few weeks back:

Update on Brooks Brothers' Alden Shoes - Put This On

 

[fishertw]

Having your logo stamped on the shoe reeks of crassness.

 

[StephenRG]

I have no first hand experience with their new shoes, but they got a less than favorable review over on PutThisOn and SF a few weeks back:

Update on Brooks Brothers' Alden Shoes - Put This On

The writer is careful not to say that he doesn't think that the shoes are genuinely shell cordovan, but I think that's what he believes. I have to say that when I looked at the photos my initial reaction was, this doesn't look like shell. But I find it hard to believe that BB would pass off leather as shell.

 

[mlenecare]

I have some BB branded AE shoes as well as P&C that is C&J. I got them at steep discounts and I've been wearing them regularly for years. I bought them because they were AE and C&J not because they were BB. I wouldn't touch the 1818 line of shoes unless I knew exactly who made that model and it was going to be a value purchase.

Similar story for me with Paul Stuart even though their quality is always higher than BB.