Opinion of Magnanni and Mezlan?

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

I know European shoes aren't as popular on here. But I was wondering if anyone had any insight on the Spanish shoemakers Magnanni and Mezlan. As I can't seem to find a whole lot about them?

How do they compare to say Allen Edmonds quality wise? I picked up a Magnanni and a Mezlan that were at a store once and they felt alot lighter then say an AE or an British made shoe. I assume they are probably use Blake or bologna construction instead given where they come from. Leather quality from what I saw seemed ok but it was hard to judge.

I mean all I know is that I see a ton of Magnanni's at Nordstrom all the time.

 

[Dhaller]

Magnanni I've always felt was just a shoe to snare people with the "ends in a vowel" name; they're like something Macy's would sell.

Mezlan - for the price, it's better just to pay a bit more and buy Carmina (sticking with the Spanish theme), which IS a good shoe (and has some of that Spanish design ethos). Mezlan is probably an okay buy if you get it on sale, but they over-detail their designs (IMHO) to the point of fussiness. I actually have a black Mezlan monkstrap which I got a lot of use out of, so my personal experience has been good, but whenever I pop in to the Mezlan boutique (here in Atlanta, which happens to be adjacent to Nordstrom), nothing ever quite grabs me, at least for the past few years.

I know there are Carmina devotees here on the forum; it's worth a search. It's an elegant shoe (far, far more elegant than a clunky Allen Edmonds or the like).

DH

 

[SG_67]

I don't care for either as I believe they are horrendously over priced and can be had at a discount more often than not.

However, I would probably give the nod to Magnanni for styling if nothing else.

 

[StephenRG]

Magnanni has a number of lines, and above the lowest, they're fairly decent. I own 4 pairs and find the quality of the leather and the overall construction more than acceptable and the coloring of the leather is very good. Are they as solidly built and as long-lasting as AE? No. But nor are they some designer ripoff brand made in the 3rd world. They lack the GY welt cachet of Carmina or Meermin, but we know now not to take Spanish manufacturers lightly.

Further, they have some excellent designs, notably in monk straps - particularly the Efren and Beltran. From a design perspective I think that they stand comparison with shoes significantly more expensive.

My one concern is the Magnannis sold at places like Saks Off Fifth - they have rubber soles, and, more oddly, Saks do not sell Magnanni, so what are they doing in Off Fifth? Presumably they're made just for Off Fifth, and so might not be the same quality as Magnanni sold at Nordstrom (not Rack).

At full retail they are a little over-priced - but on any kind of sale, if you place a value on design per se, then they're a good enough purchase.

They run narrow and sometimes long, fwiw.

 

[Tribal]

I've had two pairs of Mgananni - one great, one terrible. The cap-toe Oxfords got me through law school and my first five years of practice. They weren't full-grain leather and started to scuff, but still looked better than most other people's shoes. The bonding held up until the end, too, even after being worn in rain and snow. Oddly, the same model was being sold by both Nordstrom and Dillard's at the time, with the former made in Spain and the latter in Morocco.

The second pair were loafers, and they became uncomfortable very quickly, digging into the tips of my pinkie toes. Also, the leather began to scuff. I don't think these were made in Spain, but I couldn't say where.

I'd still consider a pair on heavy sale, but my thinking is usually that for a similar price I can get AE on sale, so why bother?

 

[upr_crust]

Magnanni, from what I've seen, can make better shoes as a private label than they sell under their own name, as they make a lot of the private-label shoes for both Paul Stuart and for Bergdorf Goodman (and, ironically enough, Florsheim, where their line is Florsheim Royal Imperial). Of course, at Stuart's and at Bergdorf's, the Magnannis are their low-end shoes, and at Florsheim, they;re the high-end (at least by price point).

Having Magnanni shoes from all three sources, I can say that they're usually OK - seemingly well-constructed - but can vary in quality a bit. Whether they're Goodyear or Blake/Bologna welts depends on style as much as anything.

As for Mezlan, they are inferior in construction to Magnanni's, in my experience, though also at a lower price point. Their styles also can be rather outre, some of their more extreme examples ending up at DSW.

 

[Guest-244974]

I recently purchased a pair of Mezlan, the customer service they have doesn't come close to their quality.

I purchased them from their website, the site stated to order a half size down, so I did. I received the shoes and they were tight in the width. I sent them back and I had to pay $30.00 to return them, then two weeks later, I didn't get my refund and when I called to check the status, the guy said the shoes have been worn out side and in a car, I never wore them out of the house trying to see if they would fit better.

I have purchased Mezlan shoes from numerous places in the past, I will never spend another dollar with them.

 

[Guest-933853]

With all my respect everybody , but you are missing a lot..magnanni and mezlan shoes are very stylish , are very comfortable and using a very high leather quality with special colors..they are not just a name..for me , if it was italian or spanish made it is the same high quality and much better than american shoes brands..

 

[SG_67]

With all my respect everybody , but you are missing a lot..magnanni and mezlan shoes are very stylish , are very comfortable and using a very high leather quality with special colors..they are not just a name..for me , if it was italian or spanish made it is the same high quality and much better than american shoes brands..

In an attempt to be a better person in light of current circumstances, I’ll say that most here likely don’t agree with your assessment. Certainly when it comes to Mezlan.

I know Magnanni makes shoes for BG under their house label, but again at retail I don’t think the value is there.

 

[triklops55]

Both are decent, introductory brands. Magnannis have more conservative styling and, as others have said, can always be had on sale so don't pay full price for them. I've never owned a pair but they seem made of decent leather and construction.

I think Mezlan is OK. The quality of the leather is pretty good, and styles are a little more fashion forward and distinctive. Not too bad if you can pull it off.

There's a Mezlan store near me but I don't know how often they go on sale. I've never seen them in department stores, but come across them often while thrifting, so you can probably get them at a bargain secondhand or on eBay.

 

[EclecticSr.]

Franco's in VA. used to carry Mezlan, may still do.

Purchased a pair about 15-20 years ago, mild looking cap toe. Decent leather and quite comfortable.
Can't speak to their current range.

 

[Guest-795617]

I don't care for either as I believe they are horrendously over priced and can be had at a discount more often than not.

However, I would probably give the nod to Magnanni for styling if nothing else.

I don't care for either as I believe they are horrendously over priced and can be had at a discount more often than not.

However, I would probably give the nod to Magnanni for styling if nothing else.

I'm sure that the quality of the shoe is not your biggest concern . I have several Magnanni and Mezlan Shoes that are both stylish and comfortable. And I'm sure you have in your closet at the least several pairs of DiBianco or Berluti to compare them too.

 

[Mute]

They're ok. I wouldn't pay full retail on them. And no, they're not in the same category as Allen Edmonds. For the money, I'd get something from Meermin before I buy either of these two brands.

 

[StephenRG]

For the money, I'd get something from Meermin before I buy either of these two brands.

I have a couple of pairs of Meermins and they are not as well made or finished as almost all my Magnannis, They are more solidly constructed, granted. However, Meermins are a little cheaper, nor would I pay full price for Magnanni unless it's the only way I can buy a pair of Efrens. And Magnanni make some very stylish looking and comfortable Chelseas and chukkas.