Del Toro is a Miami-based brand that makes high quality casual footwear at one of the finest shoemakers in Italy. As with nearly all of my favorite brands, their aim is to offer the best goods possible while maintaining an attainable price point. This brand has been on my radar for several years because they've been so good at embedding themselves in the online community and reaching out to the right people. From their blog to their product selection, it's apparent the brand knows the market and knows who their target audience is.
For my review, I asked the brand to send me their black velvet slippers, one of the more somber and established pieces from their collection. This doesn't mean they're any less contemporary than their other options, I'm just the type of guy who takes very few risks with his wardrobe. Velvet slippers are part of a very small selection that makes for a perfectly elegant casual shoe, but these can pair just as well with a sport shirt and chinos as they will with a pair of silk pajamas. These slippers feature a leather insole as opposed to the common quilted lining, which means there's more of a variety of ways they can be worn. The black grosgrain trim on the inside of the heel ensures that you can wears these with or without socks without worrying about your feet slipping out.
The red grosgrain trim on the back is Del Toro's way of encouraging you to break the mold and wear these however you desire. While my pair looks pretty sleek as they are now, I'm looking forward to customizing them somehow and wearing the hell out of them. I haven't decided yet, but some vintage World War II patches could be cool; Michael Bastian did something similarly inspired rather well with a pair of Stubbs & Wooten:
And I haven't even gotten to the best part, which is the price: $275. If this is your first foray into fine footwear, that may sound like a lot to you, but if you're used to paying upwards of $500 for dress shoes, you can probably understand how much of a deal this is. I don't really understand how they're able to do it, but for such well crafted Italian shoes, this is a steal. This price point is also what makes them such a viable option to gift your significant other for the holidays as well (they make incredibly chic footwear for women as well). If you have any reservations left, just look at how good they look on your favorite blogger:
Yes, I was lucky to get these for free, but that shouldn't discount the fact that they're beautiful shoes for a great price. If I'm not still wearing these a year from now you can call me out on it.
9 comments:
Excellent review. I'm adding these to my Christmas list.
Don't understand how they do it? They used to do it for much cheaper than that. And your comparison to $500 dress shoes is not a good one since a good pair of dress shoes can last a lifetime. Not so for Prince Alberts worn outside the house for any decent amount of time. Don't get me wrong, I love the look of velvet slippers and even went as far as trying on some Del Toros with the intention of purchasing a pair(before their price hike). However, when I buy some it won't be from Del Toro. Equally fine shoes can be purchsed elsewhere for cheaper.
Alright dude, I understand, they have lower overhead than the big guys. Prices are being raised all over the place and my comparison stands for the measure isn't in how long they last but how much production goes into them. You can get black velvet slippers from Herring Shoes for cheaper but they won't be the same. In the end, whatever small amount more you pay is for a more versatile design with more character as I described in my post.
Touche Nick, also you will not find anywhere a MADE IN ITALY shoe for this quality for that price!
Especially with the branding and momentum behind Del Toro this is a steal.
-MC
Just got some from Brooks Brothers on sale for $138. I might've been a little harsh in my earlier comments and I'm happy for you that you're so thrilled with the Del Toros. I hope I am equally thrilled with my Peal and Co. pair.
This would be perfect for my dad this holiday season. I'm planning to get of these for him.
-admin
Love these.
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