We happen to know you are passionate about shoes, how many Carminas do you own?
I have, in total, 57 pairs of Carmina, including pairs that are still in process/in production at the time of writing.
This consists of 9 pairs of derbies/bluchers, 3 loafers, 5 monks, 28 oxfords, 4 chukkas, 7 boots, and a sneaker. Some of which are MTO/GMTO.
I also bought a few pairs for my wife, as ladies selection is much more limited, otherwise it could have been more. I’d also like to note that, a little more than a half of my entire shoes collection are Carmina’s.
Therefore, it is accurate to say that I have them more than other brands combined, and is clearly my favourite brand.
Which role do you think social media has on fashion nowadays? How often do you tend to search for product reviews?
I do think social media has huge role in fashion, of course, and maybe more than many other industries.
I have a couple of people wanting and buying shoes that I posted on my Facebook and Instagram, for example, even though I am no famous people nor influencer in any sense.
I also search for product reviews. However, I tend to look for “collective thought about brand/maker” more than a particular product. The quality of brands/makers, the ball park they’re playing in, can say a lot about any product they have.
From what I see, a quality brand tend to have very devoted and loyal customers, who keep coming back for products after products, and possibly jump to a “limited offering” events (like Group-Made-To-Order; GMTO, special leathers, and/or simply sales or some fee waives).
Those people also keep suggesting things to the brands/makers to make them love the brands/makers even more. Therefore, this is what I’m looking for when searching for online reviews: A real users’ opinions on public forums, like Styleforum for example.
Which item is in your wish list at the moment?
Singular? Not plural? This is hard!! (Big smile).
For a start, I have lots of ideas for customized MTO, mostly combined leathers and/or colors. My favorite combination being shell cordovan and suede. I love their contrasts as leather and how each feels at particular area of feet when wearing. I already done some and will be doing more.
Then, there are a few styles that I am yet to have from Carmina (or even in general) in my collection, like a Chelsea boot.
If possible, I’d like to have “at least a pair for every last”. I’m several lasts short on this (laugh). I have many pairs of some lasts, like Rain and Simpson, already though.
You like shoes that are slightly out of the box, which is your favourite pair?
Well, slightly out of the box …. or not so slightly (grin).
Let me divide them into 2 categories: Customized/MTO and Ready-to-Wear (RTW), because I think RTW pairs that I really like deserved some loves as well.
How did you discover Carmina Shoemaker?
I started collecting shell cordovan shoes.
At first from the vintages like Hanover, then to usual suspects like Allen Edmonds and Alden. However, none of them offer my favorite color: Red. At least not available as non-MTO anyway. (Note: I like my red shell cordovan Leica camera case from Arte di Mano very much).
Then, one day, I stumbled upon a beautiful red shell cordovan, that its maker called it “Rubi”. Furthermore, it happens to be in my favorite semi-brogue oxford cap-toe style. And it was my first pair of Carmina. Absolutely beautiful if you ask me.
To my regret, however, it’s on the Simpson last and I didn’t know better so I didn’t follow the advice to size up. In the end, I could squeeze my feet in but not at the highest comfort level. That’s not all, though. I also like green color, and personally feel that it is one color that has too little offering in the market.
One day, I was searching eBay for green shell cordovan, and I found a gorgeous pair from, guess what, Carmina!
So, in a very short time span, I got 2 pairs of Carmina shell cordovan, in the colors hardly available (for shell), and in my personal favorite last silhouette, a soft chiseled.
A maker that seems to know my desires and preferences without even knowing me …. I feel loved as a customer, and I’m a fan since.
What is your shoe care routine?
First, the mandatory “little brushing before and after wearing” and “always keep in shoe trees”.
After a few wear, or once in a few months (including cases of not-wearing), I would use Saphir Renovateur to clean up and condition the leather, and use leather-specific shoe care creams (like Saphir Medaille D’or 1925 cream, Saphir Cordovan cream, Carmina shoe cream, Carmina cordovan cream) with the closest color matching, or colorless/neutral, to nourish the leather with nutritions they need.
More most pairs I would also do mirror-shine to the toe area with waxes, mostly Saphir mirror gloss, Saphir pate de luxe, Carmina wax, depending on condition and characteristics/level of shine I desire.
Do you tend to gift shoes?
The answer would be: it depends.
To be more specific, To my wife: yes. To my mother: yes. (But she only wears sneakers). To my father: I want to, but he always refuse. To others: no.
But I do recommend them from time to time.
We asked Mr Pulam to get creative with a pair of custom made shoes, this is the make he came up with.
My “all shell cordovan colors except black” masterpiece