Meermin Dark Brown Suede Wingtip Oxfords – low $200s
About the author: Chris (aka Bruschetta) is an America-born university researcher and teacher based in Glasgow, Scotland, as well as a moderator on Threads. His sense of style is inspired by a childhood dressed in Ivy league trad, and the fact that he is enormously well bred.
Meermin Mallorca is a Spanish shoe company that has made waves in the style community over the past three years thanks to its sleek, contemporary style (more contemporary than Allen Edmonds), relatively budget-friendly prices, and the fact that they use Goodyear welt construction. The shoes are reportedly made partially in China and then finished in Spain. The company initially experienced growing pains in the form of slow shipping times, quality control complaints, and poor customer service, but these days they seem to receive almost universal praise.
There’s a catch though. For those not in Spain or Portugal, you need to pop for international shipping. For those on the U.S. side of the Atlantic, that works out to 35 euros. That’s $45 – $50. That’s non refundable, and you’re on the hook for return shipping too. That’s scary.
Meermin recently launched a new Fall/Winter collection along with an attractive new website. As Dappered’s European correspondent, I was assigned to test-drive a pair of Meermin’s suede wingtips from their less expensive, “classic” line. That way, any return-shipping charge risks would be mitigated. At least a little.
The ordering process on Meermin’s website is unexpectedly antiquated. Meermin’s website functions like a reservation system rather than a shopping cart. The checkout process asks for a customer’s contact information, but no payment is requested. Instead, Meermin sends the customer an email with an invoice once the shoes are ready to ship. For some the wait can be a month or longer.
This is not the shopping cart you’re looking for… (because there is none)
Luckily, the suede wingtips I requested were in stock. Even so, it took over a week of exchanging emails before the payment was finalized and the shoes were shipped. A simple shopping cart would have saved both Meermin and their customers a lot of time and hassle. On the positive side, I found the people at Meermin to be helpful and responsive throughout the process.
Presentation on arrival is nice. They arrived in a Meermin-branded shoe box and wrapped neatly in protective tissue paper. These little details immediately gave off a good impression. Unfortunately, once the tissue paper came off, thing started to sour a bit.
My first thought upon seeing the Meermin brogues was that the shoes had somehow been damaged. The uppers and backs of both shoes appeared to be stained by a white substance. Dried white glue was visible in most of the brogue holes, and a drop had solidified on the front behind the wing tip. Additionally, there were small patches where the suede had been worn through to reveal a black layer beneath, and the nap on the toes looked like it had been scraped down.
Noticeable, white-ish, discoloration out of the box.
I quickly discovered that the stains were actually a white substance that, when combined with the natural contrast of suede that had been brushed against the grain, created highly visible white spots. A quick brushing with a soft horsehair brush did the trick of disposing of the white powdery substance, and the suede gained the uniform dark brown tone that I had expected based on the pictures on Meermin’s product page.
Unfortunately, the uniformity did not last long. The rapello suede is extremely prone to spotting. The slightest touch causes a visible imprint in the suede that resembles a blemish. My overall impression of the suede is that it’s low quality, and it’s a shame because the shoes have so much going for them.
Annoyingly, the dried white glue remained stuck in the brogue holes; it did not come off with my light brushing.
The wingtips are built on Meermin’s Hiro last, a shape that Meermin describes as a classic round toe with a standard fit. I found the shape of the shoes to be highly elegant and handsome. It’s truly a classic, beautiful last. The Hiro last is on the narrower side of Meermin’s last chart, and the shoes felt a little cramped despite my slightly narrow feet.
Stitching, pattern uniformity, and design are great. But the overall execution?
As far as comfort, the footbed was hard and inflexible. I would have concerns about wearing the shoes for any great length of time.
The stitching on the shoes was surprisingly well crafted. I did not notice a single fault in the stitching on either pair of shoes, and that’s amazing at this price range. Furthermore, the wingtip pattern that Meermin uses is almost perfectly proportioned to my eyes. The brogue holes are immaculately spaced and punched through, and the pattern is followed identically on both shoes.
Meermin is frequently criticized for their email support, but my experience was entirely positive. Sandro at Meermin responded to all of my emails quickly, and he immediately offered a full refund when I said that I was unhappy with the shoes.
These shoes have a lot of potential, but that potential is held back by what appears to be poor quality of suede. The craftsmanship and style are what most would expect on a far more expensive shoe, but the materials just don’t hold up to the same standard. It was disappointing to instantly notice visible defects that should have prevented them from being sold as first quality shoes. The scraped toes, dried glue, and patches of scraped rough leather are just not acceptable at this price.
Perhaps this pair, this particular pair, was just a dud.
Return shipping, from Scotland to Spain, was £21.58. That’s $36. And that’s on top of the $26.80 (20 euros) in original, non-refundable shipping charges. Remember, it’s more like $40-$50 (35 euros) in original shipping if you’re in the states, and probably even more to send them back.
Again. That’s scary.
Anyone have experience with Meermin? Was it a smoother go for you? Or is this just all too risky? Leave your thoughts in the comments…
Meermin do have some issues with inconsistency of quality, but if you do your research and go for products where the reviews are positief (e.g. their linea maestro line/the country calf products), buy stuff that are in stock and get advice from meermin for your size, you could reduce the risk and create a better experience.
Meermin gets a lot of good press, and I’m tempted by the apparent value the brand offers, but I just can’t get over the risk involved with the shipping. I’m not willing to bet $50 on my ability to choose the right size without trying a pair on first.
This is the worst review of Meermin shoes that I’ve read so far (not that it was an overly negative review), and it gives me one more reason not to take the plunge.
Given all the inherent risk involved with shipping costs, I think the only way I’d consider these would be if they received a glowing review here.
Any shoe review with the line “I would have concerns about wearing the shoes for any great length of time” has told me everything I need to know.
I’m headed to Madrid in 3 weeks and I plan to visit their showroom to find the last(s) which fit me best and do my own quality control. This is pretty much the only way I’d ever initially buy from Meermin plus I’d be saving on shipping costs (and custom fees) to Chicago. While I think they have a great perceived value, if I had to purchase a shoe online I’d rather save up a little more money and buy from Carmina.
Anyone with wide feet and experience with their sizes/lasts?
(I emailed them a year or two ago, and the response I got was a little surprising – basically my same AE shoe size, but in standard width.)
I’d have to say, given all the quality problems I’ve heard about, and the cost of shipping, there are a lot of better options, at least here in the US.
Back in early May, I emailed them asking about doing a MTO in shell cordovan. On July 12th, I mentioned in their StyleForum affiliate thread that I never received a response about it when others were talking about their shoddy customer communication, and I received a reply a day later.
I decided to take a chance and joined the SF Meermin GMTO for a shearling-lined Edward Green Galway-knockoff that is finalizing today. Fingers crossed I got the sizing right, since there’s no returns on MTOs.
I have a fairly wide foot and the Hiro and Olfe fit me well. I’m a US10.5 with most AE sizes but I wear 10UK with Meermin which is 11US.
Meermin gets bad press as the bad is usually louder than the good. Simply I have 4 pairs of Meermin’s, 2 on the Hiro last, 1 on the Ron last and 1 on the Olfe last. I haven’t had any issues in regards to quality with any of my 4 pairs.
I hesitate to buy shoes online with free returns just because of how much each brand and style of shoe varies when it comes to fit, so definitely a no go on this company.
Going on everyone’s comments about $50 shipping and not the option of trying on in store is a no no for me. I would most likely order it online if shipping was free
Bad communication – check
Delay in delivery – check
High shipping/returns price- check
Quality issues – check
Nice design – check
Rest is up to you guys.
That’s US10.5D for Allen Edmonds, and US11 for Meermin?
In which case I suspect I’d have to go up at least a full size for my EEE-width feet.
in defense of meermin, if this is your first time wearing dainite soles you’ll be surprised how stiff it is initially.
it’s similar to commando in that they take some time to break in, no matter the manufacturer.
Correct. The only shoes I’m an 11 with for AE is the loafers they make for RL; the Singleton.
Pretty sure it’s not his first time wearing Dainite soles: http://dappered.com/2014/08/the-splurge-loake-kempton-suede-chukkas/
That said, this might have been just a bum pair?
I don’t really have a dog in this fight and don’t know much about that type of dainite, but it seems shortsighted to write this off as a dud.
There are plenty of lasts that just don’t quite fit my foot if I’m not making changes to both size and width. the ever popular 5 last from AE fits me terrible and I’m relatively standard. I do understand that buying Meermin limits the luxury of trying on multiple pairs due to shipping.
Tangentially related; writing off uneven suede as poor quality seems unfair. there are plenty of people who like the uneven, nappy feel; high end shoe makers like Viberg routinely use this on their oxfords. You’re really just taking the flesh side of the hide and sanding it down to what you think is an appropriate height.
Yikes. I really hope they work out, or that you can at least recoup some of your money.
Snagged mine on final clearance at $15. Best $15 shoe purchase ever.
(Side note: the lining in my pair is starting to separate from the outer suede. Just FYI.)
I don’t have a dog in this fight either. But from Bruschetta’s description & a few of his pics (some of his pics look just fine to me), it looks like the toes are patchy/burnished down. And the white-powdery substance all over em’ is kinda weird.
That’s why I said it could be a bum pair. Maybe these came off the line funky, and normally, they’re good.
Hmm, that’s odd. I’m a 10.5D in AE 5 last so I went with a 9.5UK and regret not sizing DOWN a half size (to a 9UK). That goes for the Hiro and Ron (loafers) lasts. Quite a different experience it sounds like.
yay cheap brethren, i have the claiborne poor man’s kenilworth
This is a little disappointing. I’ve been eyeing their suede dub monks and derby shoes.
I own several pairs of Meermin shoes. I think every pair is fantastic and they come at a price point that is unparalleled in the U.S. (including Allen Edmonds) for the quality of the shoe. The shape of their lasts are excellent and the shoes are quite comfortable after breaking them in. However, for those who aren’t certain of their shoe size, I can definitely relate to your shipping concerns because I shared them originally.
Are any of your pairs rapello suede?
Hi Matt,
Some times ago, I wanted to buy a pair of Meermin double-monks (Hiro) and with the size of my feet Meermin sizing chart recommended me a 7.5UK . I hesitated to choose, so I contacted Meermin for advices and Luisa recommended me a 8.5 UK. I ordered it. Unfortunately the shoes was too narrow, to such a point that I can’t close the first shoe-buckle (which is closest to the tip of the shoes). Yesterday, I send to Meermin a new email and finally they recommended me a 9.5UK like you. but I hesitate to order… Indeed, I’m puzzled! With the same size of my feet, Meermin gave me three differents sizes of shoes: Sizing chart : 7.5UK / First Meermin advice : 8.5UK / Second Meermin advice : 9.5UK.
You wrote that you went with a 9.5UK and you regret not sizing
down a half size to a 9UK. So, can you tell me what’s your feet
size because I would like to compare with mine. It could help me to choose the right shoes size.
My feet : Length: 275 mm / Width: 105 mm
Usually I wear a 8.5UK (Crockett&Jones) a 9UK (Shipton&Heneage) and 9.5UK (Sebago)
Thank you! Best regards.
JMC
NB: sorry for the spelling mistakes… I’m French 🙂
Thats disappointing that this pair didn’t work out. I will say that it is a very different experience than what I had with Meermin. Bought a pair of their snuff rapello suede cap toes in early May of this year, and they are great. Mine came within an entirely acceptable time frame, and the couple emails I sent to Meermin were responded to within 24 hours. The suede on mine doesn’t have any issues like the ones in the review, although the shoe is rather stiff. There is definitely a break in period with them compared to my other shoes. The only other thing I noticed really was a chemical smell in the box upon opening, but that dissipated from the shoes within a day or so. While I haven’t had mine long, I’m plenty satisfied, would not hesitate to buy from Meermin again. I’ll cast my vote that this might have been a bum pair.
Sorry, I wish I could help you out but I’ve never had exact measurements taken of my foot like that. My feet also seem to be slightly smaller than a few years ago, possibly because I have lost weight.
I used to wear a 11D US in pretty much everything I wore (mostly Cole Haan), now I seem to be more of a 10.5D. The 10.5D Allen Edmonds 5 last (Strand, McCallister) seem to be my best fitting shoes at the moment. So, Luisa recommended I go with a 9.5 UK in the Hiro/Olfe lasts.
I’m actually going back and forth now about whether a 9 UK would have been better. I think for the double monks and string loafer it would have been better off a 9 UK, but that may just be because I don’t wear socks with those models. The cap toe oxford from the classic collection fits a bit loose in a 9.5 UK, but that could just be because it is a E width last with a slightly higher instep than the AE 5 last in the same size.
As for your issue, that sounds pretty odd. I would be wary of sizing up a full size to compensate for a width issue, but I’m no expert. Perhaps the last just isn’t a good fit for your foot? I’d say give it a shot but in Meermin’s case that can be a pretty expensive shot 🙂
-Matt
I bought a pair of Meermin 101198 – DARK BROWN CALF shoes. They are as pretty as uncomfortable. After having wearing them for half a day, my heels were literally bleeding. I then went to a shoe shop to soften the shoe heel. They were surprised of how stiff the leather was. I wrote to Meermin´s customer service to share my experience, sent them a picture, and kindly asked them to get a refund or replacement. They answered me with a template email refusing to refund. If you want quality shoes and want to avoid feet injuries, I would recommend to look elsewhere.