The differences between a good entry level and a great high end pair of shoes:

A 300€ Carlos Santos Adelaide next to an 800€ Antonio Meccariello Balmoral wingtip. Both are excellent shoes, but the differences between them are more than skin deep.

Let me start off by saying; the Carlos Santos shown above is an incredible shoe. It offers, for a fair price, looks and features which were unheard off in the entry level segment a few years ago. But the old adage is true, you do get what you pay for, even if the law of diminishing returns apply.

Let me also say, there are great shoes at the 300€ mark and there are terrible shoes (I’m looking at you, fashion brands) at the 800€ mark. But this article is about comparing the best you can get at both price points. While I am using two specific shoes in this comparison, you can extrapolate the points raised in this article to other brands and models in the same price ranges.

So, why in the world would you want to spend 3x on a pair of shoes when the cheaper pair offers you so much for your money?

Reason 1: Longevity

The Meccariello is made of MUCH thicker calf leather from a renowned tannery (Annonay) compared to the Carlos santos, which has much thinner leather of unknown origins. The former also has copious amount of stiffeners used throughout the shoe, which results in the shoe maintaining its shape even when the shoe tree is removed.

After a few months of wearing each pair, I can already see that the Meccariello is creasing much more gracefully than the Carlos santos. The additional stiffening also will result in a shoe that will retain its shape better over time as it ages.

The thin leather used in the Carlos Santos uppers vs the much thicker leather used in the Meccariello.

Reason 2: The clicking and the closing

“Clicking” refers to the process of cutting the pattern of the shoe out of a sheet of leather, while closing refers to the sewing of the various pieces together to form the upper.

In a factory made, mass produced shoe, the clicking is done with a machine and the goal is to make sure to get as many pattern pieces as possible out of one sheet of leather. This means that some pattern pieces may be cut out of an inferior part of the hide, such as the belly.

In contrast, high end shoes are generally hand clicked. This means that the shoemaker cuts out each individual pattern piece by hand, making sure to use only the best parts of the hide. In the case of Meccariello, his “Entry level high end” is called Argentum (the model shown in the images belong to this line), for which only patterns for a maximum of two pairs is cut from one hide. For his higher end line, only one pair is made from one hide. All this ensures that only the best parts of the hides are used for critics areas such as the vamp of the shoe, which will flex a lot during the lifetime of the shoe.

A hand clicked shoe also tends to have better punching on the brogue holes, neater pinking (serrated edges on a pattern piece) etc.

With regards to closing, a low end factory made shoe is again, made with a priority on cost and time efficiency. This means for example, using a thinner thread for the stitching and using a single down of stitching vs double rows.

All this not only have an effect on the refinement of the shoe’s appearance, but also on its longevity.

Millimeter perfect, high density double row stitching on the Meccariello with a thicker thread vs the lower density, single row stitching on the Carlos Santos

Reason 3: The details

They say, the best way to say if a shoe is worth the price is by flipping it over.

While not always true, higher priced shoes almost always tend to have sculpted soles finished to a much higher degree of finesse compared to their budget priced counterparts. The tend to have (but not always, beveled edges, fiddleback or arched waists, narrow, pitched heel stacks, blind stitched waistlines etc. while some brands are bringing these features to a lower price point, it’s almost a given that the execution on the higher end shoe will be done to a much higher degree of refinement.

Nobody does a sole like Meccariello. Notice the tight waist, the marbling and the neatly integrated vibram insert. Carlos Santos offers a very good sole for the price, but it’s no match to the Meccariello.

Higher end shoes also tend to use oak bark tanned soles (Such as from J. Rendenbach or Baker) which wear out much slower than budget options.

The straight heel made of a pre built stack on the Carlos Santos vs the pitched, slim heel on the Meccariello, made of individual leather sheets.

Beautifully executed blind waist on the Meccariello (Requires a high degree of manual skill) vs the quite impressive for the price, but comparatively pedestrian open waist on the Carlos Santos)

A telltale sign of a handmade shoe. The “Notch” between the welt and the heel stack. Factory made shoes smoothen this joint because it’s actually easier to do this

The Carlos Santos welt has some great fudging(The serrations), but the Meccariello takes it to the next level with some beveling on the edges. The welt is also cut MUCH closer to the body and features a higher stitch density for the sole stitches

Reason 4: Comfort

We are increasingly seeing attractive lasts being used on Lowe end shoes (Such as the 389 last on the Carlos Santos), but these are designed to a budget. In contrast, high end shoemakers spend a lot of time perfecting their lasts, paying attention to the anatomy of the foot, ergonomics and of course, aesthetics. This means that the high end shoe often tends to have much better arch support (Very important for the health of your feet), better cupping of the heel and in general, the shoe hugs your foot much better overall.

The incredible disappearing waist of the Meccariello. The arch support is phenomenal and there’s very little air between the foot and the shoe. The Carlos Santos in comparison, has a more slab sided waist (evident from the crease forming behind the ball of the foot).

Meccariello’s famous Chisel 2 last is more wearable art than footwear.

Reason 5: The things we do not see

When shoes are made to a budget, the easiest places to cut costs are the things the customer will never see. This includes the use of synthetic (Celastic) stiffeners in the toe box and the heel. In comparison, a higher end shoe will tend to have real leather stiffeners. These have much more “Give” than celastic stiffeners and will mold to the shape of the foot over time. This makes the break in a lot less painful.

Higher end shoes also tend to have high quality inner liners that add to the overall comport and also last longer.

Conclusion:

You’d have to try very hard to buy a bad shoe at any price point these days. The well dressed gentleman has never been spoilt for choices with respect to footwear, as he is now.

If all you can afford is 300€, the Carlos Santos or something similar from other brand such as TLB Mallorca will serve you extremely well and will ensure that you’re sharply dressed. But if you can afford the extra upfront cost, the higher end shoe such as the Meccariello will make you grin from ear to ear; and trust me, once you experience the difference, it will be very hard to go back. It’s THAT addictive.

When you’re purchasing a premium pair of shoes that have a high degree of handwork put in, you’re not only paying for the cost of the raw materials, but also the time and skill of an artisan. And in these challenging times when small businesses are struggling to make ends meet, I feel that it is absolutely worthwhile to support these artisans and make sure that the fine art of shoemaking does not die off.

Find the Carlos Santos Adelaides here:

Find the Antonio Meccariello “Decurion 3” Balmoral wingtips. here:

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