A lot of us cannot and/or do not want to spend the money on the likes of Carpe Diem and Poell. Therefore, I've decided to make this thread to serve the purpose of finding and rating alternatives. These "mid-priced" brands often operate in the same aesthetic vein. Having had footwear by all brands, I decided to grade them. You can share your experiences with these here as well.
1. N.D.C. made by hand. This is an absolutely clear winner for me. They are much better made than the rest. I have two pairs of boots, one of which I have worn extensively, and they are holding up splendidly.
2. Officine Creative. So far so good. I have worn my boots all summer and most of the fall, almost every day. They are well made, but not as good as N.D.C.
3. Collection Privee? Also solidly made.
4. Fiorentini + Baker. I was not impressed with these. One pair of shoes I had lasted a year, and by the end it looked like one of the finer Margiela offerings (meaning, they looked like they just came out of a dumster)
In general, the latter three are inferior to N.D.C. There is one detail on all them (except N.D.C.) that irks me - it's the half-assed job on the insole. All of the insoles had in some way become unglued and scrunched inside. I will be sticking with N.D.C. from now on.
There are also a few other brands with which I have no experience - Buttero, Premiata, etc.
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