Allen Edmonds vs Carmina [Which Luxury Should You Choose?]

Whenever we think of buying dress shoes, we get stuck between Allen Edmonds & Carmina. Both of them are excellent in quality, texture, and outlook.

Consequently, it becomes daunting when you have to select one between Carmina and Allen Edmonds due to budget issues or any other limitations.

So, I decided to make a comparison between these formal shoes and mention their pros & cons.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

What is the Difference Between Allen Edmonds & Carmina?

The comparison table directly represents the dissimilarities between Allen Edmonds and Carmina. Have a look at this, then jump to the detailed section where the features and comparable things are broadly explained.

1. History

The European legacy of Carmina has separated it from American Allen Edmonds. AE is a USA craftsmanship-based footwear brand that started a century ago. Elbert Allen with his team commenced making handmade dress shoes in Belgium, Wisconsin.

Besides, they offered boat shoes, loafers, sneakers, rugged boots, and other clothing apparel. For the top quality products and American standards, Allen Edmonds is always of great value.

Carmina is more ancient in terms of emergence. They are from 1866. At that time, production was limited to a workshop. In 1905, the steersman founded Carmina’s factory in Spain.

With extensive lasts, elongated style, and large volumes of Goodyear welted shoe manufacturing, Carmina owns the heart of worldwide shoe enthusiasts.

Still, their brilliant artisans draw all details, such as buckles, tassels, medallion positioning, eyelets, etc, on the wooden last before moving into production. Thus, Carmina is a reflection of flawlessness and longevity.

2. Material

If you compare the collection of materials, Carmina remains at the pinnacle. It has 33 varieties of premium leather. Among them, box calf leather, full grain leather, patent leather, cordovan leather, and suede are the most popular.

Besides, they source leather from Russian calves, crocodiles, lizards, alligators, caiman, and peccary.

For almost all of the very formal shoes, such as Oxford and Opera Pumps, the artisans use patent leather, which has a mirror-shine finish.

Similar to the upper, Carmina has diversity in its sole materials. Rubber, hevea milk, and tanned leather are mainly used in Carmina’s sole. Depending on the variety of core ingredients, 11 kinds of soles are available for men’s shoes and 5 types for women’s shoes.

Allen Edmonds is based on full-grain saddle leather, fine-grain premium leather, supple suede, and nubuck. It has eco-friendly shoes, too, which are fabricated from vegetable-tanned eco-leather for these sustainable pairs.

Though AE doesn’t have a bunch of variations in leather and sole type, they have amazing footwear lasts on which the shoes are built.

3. Price

Considering the dress shoes of both brands, I’ve found that Carmina is more pricey than Allen Edmond. And none of them are budget-friendly.

AE’s sale begins at nearly $300 and ends at $750. Yet you can get shoes for $100 if a discount goes on.

For example, I have recently seen the final sale of Park Avenue Oxford Dress Sneakers for only $99, while the actual price is $295. Such a great discount, right?

But I guess catching these opportunities blindly isn’t safe. Because such products are categorized as ‘Final Sale’ with no return option. So if you notice any issues or unexpected damage in the pair, there’s nothing to do!

The price of Carmina Oxford fluctuates between $450 to $3360. The most expensive Oxfords are crafted from genuine alligator leather; that’s why they claim such an incredible price tag. And these precious dress shoes last about a decade.

When I asked the salesperson at the Carmina outlet about the highest-priced footwear, he showed me the Alligator Full Strap Penny Loafers 80585 Uetam EE.

I noticed the loafer features a bark-tanned leather sole with a rounded and narrow toe box. The upper simply reflects pure black alligator, which is the main inciter of such a hefty cost.

4. Variety

Carmina has various elegant styles, including Cordovan shoes, men’s oxfords, derby, monk straps, loafers, boots, and exotic skin shoes.

Their Oxford has four designs depending on the toe formation and cut. Those are cap toe, plain toe, wingtip, and whole cut oxfords.

Wingtip and cap-toe designs are also present in Allen Edmonds. Along with this, you will get impressive slip-ons, casual wear, sneakers, boots, and formal shoes at AE. Due to the attractiveness of Allen Edmonds, they’re also comparable with Gucci loafers.

So, in terms of variety, both of them are the winners. They equally satisfy their consumers with unique styles.

5. Size

After using Allen Edmond’s Park Avenue and Fifth Avenue, my opinion regarding its sizing is – it runs true to size. Moreover, it produces numerous sizes (US size 5-16) and widths from 4A to EEE to accommodate all kinds of feet.

Since Carmina’s footwear range is very wide, no single comment on its sizing is possible. But the derby shoes, oxfords, and loafers I tried in the store fit true to my size. However, the toe space offered a different feel due to the diverse structures.

So, I recommend visiting the nearby outlet and picking the correct-sized Carmina footwear to avoid any sizing issues.

Pros and Cons of Allen Edmonds & Carmina

Allen Edmonds

Carmina

Verdict

Before I suggest you a suitable pair, let me remind you that Allen Edmons and Carmina are equally worthy in performance and durability.

Additionally, both of them are capable of offering the most iconic vibe. So, when it comes to choosing any one of these masterpieces, compare them on the basis of price, variety, and materials.

Carmina is likely your best pick if you’re:

– passionate about Goodyear welted yet handmade shoes.
– curious to explore more options of leathers, colors, and lasts.
– ready to invest thousands of dollars.

Otherwise, Allen Edmonds can be your favorable gait companion if you:

– desire timeless designs with American heritage within a maximum of $800.
– and be okay with relatively less diversity of core materials and lasts.

FAQs

Is Carmina better than Allen Edmonds?

Carmina is better than Allen Edmonds when it comes to the finest quality and wide volume of diversity.

Who is Allen Edmonds’s competitors?

Alden, Carmina, Beckett Simonon, TAFT, Thursday Boots, and Florsheim are pretty identical to Allen Edmonds. Hence they are among AE’s most renowned competitors.

Where are Carmina shoes manufactured?

The highly skilled artisans manufacture well-crafted Carmina shoes in Mallorca. It is one of the Balearic Islands of Spain.

Closing Thoughts

I have got you covered for the important aspects of Allen Edmonds and Carmina. They are worth trying when your wallet is choke-full.

Now I wanna hear your thoughts regarding these incredible luxuries. Add your opinion in the comment box.

Adios!