Grenson shoes on Bonobos

[trash]

Anybody have any of the Grenson shoes from Bonobos? From what I understand, they're all from the Grenson Rushden collection, which StyleForum members don't seem to hold in very high regard. Then again, their tastes and standards for nice shoes are way above mine, so I'm wondering if the shoes are worth it considering the mounds of 50% off vouchers I have.


So far the only "nice" pair of dress shoes I have are AE Strands which I haven't worn yet, so I'm wondering if I should return them to Endless and pick up some Grenson brogues instead, or if the quality of the Grensons is low enough that it's worth it to keep the AEs and use the vouchers for something else.

[nix7]

wondering the same.. most likely not on the same level as AE.. still looking for a deal on AE McAllisters.

[waste49]

For what it's worth, my Grenson Berts ($126 with the website glitch and FB code) arrived Monday. Found out as trash did on styleforum that they're of a secondary line made in India. I feel like I've been played by their marketing, which is annoying.


But you know what? They're still nicer than anything else I have, they feel super comfortable right out of the box and my wife really liked how they looked too. Plus, $126. Can't think of what else I can get at that price.


Not ruling out AEs someday, but I'm just a guy who wears suits to weddings every few months, so I'm happy.

[Albert]

@Trash, stick to the Strands. Made in the USA and are definitely a great shoe.


@Waste, I had no idea Grenson had a line of shoes made in India. I feel bad now, because I think I told you to get the Berts on another thread. I had no clue they were not made in England. I would be pissed about the marketing mislead, and rightfully so.

[waste49]

Hey Albert - No worries, I think it was actually someone else asking about the Berts, though I did see your rec on that thread as well. You definitely know your shoes so I won't try to sell you what I bought, but like i said, I'm happy.


If I paid full retail? Then, yeah, definitely pissed. As it is I'm irked enough to maybe send a concerned-sounding email to Bonobos / Grenson.

[Albert]

It says on the Bonobos website under the Berts "Handmade in England." If they're not, and you know it, totally email Bonobos with your concerns. You could even call. I think this warrants a phone call.

[waste49]

Email sent to Bonobos. I'll post a reply if I get one.


And yes I noticed that "Made in UK" line on the website when I bought them, albeit at two in the morning. Please don't judge me or my shoes; if I wanted that I'd go to styleforum

[Thekillabeejc]

I purchased the Bert Lace Ups during the sale. I noticed that the Grenson website had them listed for only 170 Euro (roughly $230), but figured the Bonobos $115 mark-up wasn't a big deal since I was getting them for free, but now this info kind of pisses me off. I'm supposed to receive my package tomorrow, and if these things aren't "Handmade in the U.K." as posted, I will at the least be giving Bonobos a call. I'm not usually a picky patron, but these two things combined kind of irk me about Bonobos.

[Albert]

@Waste, no judgments here, man. Grenson makes good shoes. However, if they were misrepresented by Bonobos that's on them. How exactly do you know they were made in India? Does it say it on the package?

[trash]

I read somewhere that the leathers are made in India, but the shoe is assembled in England. Could be wrong, though. Either way it seems the Rushden line that Bonobos carries is not entirely made in England so the copy on some of the product pages is misleading. If you got a pair during the 50% off sale using vouchers you also bought for 50% off, I'd say it's a decent deal. The shoes look good (at least in the pictures) so unless the quality is atrocious I'd say it's worth it

[waste49]

Lest I be accused of rumor mongering, here's part of a quote from Grenson's Tim Little that I found on styleforum (after not finding a "made in" stamp anywhere on the shoe itself): http://www.styleforum.net/t/212207/grenson-website/30


"To keep the brand fresh we then make G2 in a partner factory in India,

(remember that we have been making shoes in the same beautiful factory there

for over 40 years). We design the shoes, buy the leather and materials in

Europe, (almost all of the materials are the top grade shoe making materials

such as Steads suede), make prototypes in our factory and then fly

technicians to India to show them exactly how we want them made. These

shoes are superb quality, made the same way, from the same materials and

allow us to keep the brand fresh and relevant and moving forward so that we

don't die like so many have done in the last 50 years."


(It's actually quite a lengthy response, but the overall context seemed pretty clear.)


Part of that's PR-speak, sure, but for the most part it sounds reasonable. If they just owned up to it with a few pictures of this "beautiful factory" on the website I doubt we'd even be having this discussion. Because haven't we all considered some of the made-in-India Florsheims featured on Dappered at one point or another?


I do like the shoes a lot and think they're a pretty fair deal (and factoring in tax and shipping from grenson direct, the markup isn't so high).

[waste49]

Also, just so we move out of the realm of internet forums, there's this features story on Tim Little from The National: http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/fashion/sole-awakening


"Aware that, as Little puts it, "there are not that many men willing to pay £300 or more for a pair of shoes", he introduced a more accessibly-priced range made in India from designs and materials provided by Grenson, and returned the domestic factory to making only top-flight Goodyear-welted classics, strong on the claim of being 100 per cent genuinely British-made, rather than merely finished in the UK. Customers of the Indian products are now aspiring to trade up."

[Thekillabeejc]

Well, after all that complaining, the shoes don't even fit. I sized down as recommended on Bonobos, but I can't even fit half my foot in there. I wonder what the return policy will be. Hopefully I get the full $345 back in Bonobos credit, but I doubt I will.

[trash]

I was thinking of ordering a pair of shoes myself and exchanging it for the right size when it came back in stock, but that seemed a bit unfair so I didn't, but in your case you followed their sizing advice and it just didn't fit. try emailing them, I know I've done exchanges for different sizes once or twice before and they were done as even exchanges even though I had used a discount code.

[waste49]

Hm, I followed that sizing advice and they actually fit me just fine. But is it just me or are shoe sizes all over the place these days? I just picked up some Clarks desert boots (made in Vietnam!) one size down at 8 and I'm thinking I could've even gone to 7.5.


No email response yet from Bonobos re: country of origin. Oh well.