Quality materials but uncomfortable arch area.
I really wanted to love these shoes! They came in their shoebox with a little carrying bag and they were well wrapped in the tissue and it was a nice experience opening them. I love getting expensive shoes because it really does feel like a lot of work goes into the presentation and it makes opening them and using them feel special. So I was very impressed when I opened the box, then I took the shoes out and they look like something my grandmother wore in the '80s. I really had thought they would be less granny-ish in person. But no. Also what's up with these bizarre bolts stuck to the side of them? I looked and they call that a signature thing, but it's so out of place and random. Plus it's so tiny. It's not like people would look for them to tell the brand. This is not a signature soul color or a logo, it's just two weird bolts on each one.These are the flattest shoes I own. I love Italian leather flats so that's saying something! They're even flatter than my Tieks! And these ones have a weird bulge inside them. I know it's supposed to be arch support but it's just randomly there as a bump. There's no lead up to it, it's just suddenly there! This bump is hard and digs into your foot when you walk. I imagine if you had a foot whose arch was the exact height of this lump it would be perfect, but what's the chance in that? If you have a different height arch then these are going to be uncomfortable.As far as what I like about the shoes, the leather is buttery soft! They seem to be a little small compared to other similar shoes of the same size. The leather across the foot does seem to stretch after a few days, but it doesn't exactly stretch to the right size and then stop, it keeps stretching till your toes are sliding through to the front. But maybe that's just my feet? I also just read something about how you should only buy these if you have narrow feet and I have averaged a slightly wide ones so maybe that has contributed to them not fitting right?I'm really trying to give them the benefit of the doubt because they are a nice shoe and the company seems very good and reputable. I just don't really like them that much. It's that weird arch thing that makes it difficult to walk. You feel like you have to grip the shoe with your toes because of that weird arch bump. But I have been wearing them for a few days and they're not showing any wear other than this piece across the toes getting a little looser. They're standing up well to all types of surfaces that I've walked on and other than feeling like I'm going to fall off the back of them, they fit pretty well. Again, I love the presentation when I opened them and I also love the fact that they don't show wear easily. If you have the kind of arch that likes that lump underneath it and you have narrow feet then, these shoes will probably work.Finally, after twisting and turning them, wearing them and looking over them as best I can, I do actually believe they're worth the price. I have a lot of expensive shoes, and just because I wouldn't buy some of them again does not mean they're not worth it and these shoes are high quality! With the way they are wearing so far, I imagine you could wear these for years before you need to replace them! They seem like they're worth the money.