Advice on finding and maintaining the best shoes
NO one, least of all me, was surprised when my Temu shoes rubbed abrasions into my ankles. At $13, they were an honest failure. I had no respect for the designer boots that did the same. For advice on finding and maintaining the best shoes, I spoke to Komey Takemoto at Diane B, Maya at Bergdorf Goodman, and Jose at Elite Shoe Repair NYC.
“You can’t tell a shoe’s quality online,” Komey says. “You have to feel the leather in person. Good leather is pliable. Even patent leather, which is stiff, should have some give to it.”
Maya demonstrates by taking a shoe off a shelf. With the toe part on the floor, she bends the heel up. “This is how the shoe bends when you walk,” she says. “It should be easy to do this with no resistance.”
All experts agree that the best leather comes from Italy, followed by Spain and then Brazil. These countries have trade counsels that are very protective of their proprietary rights and regulate the quality of their exports. If a shoe says “Made in Italy” and is sold by a reputable vendor, it is more likely to be a high-quality item.
Create a free account to keep reading.
