On my recent trip to Europe I was able to stop by not one, but TWO Carmina storefronts – one in Barcelona, the other in Paris. The Spanish footwear brand has exploded in popularity over the past few years, so I’ve been curious to see more of their product line in person for a while. The company has a handful of retail locations around the world – along with being sold at a fair number of botiques – and I was fortunate to visit stores that are directly connected to the factory in Mallorca (and had a great selection of shoes because of it).
Carmina has done a great job of taking classic footwear styles, building them out of great materials and on wonderful lasts, and letting the designs speak for themselves. Although they will occasionally dabble in more avant-garde styles, the large majority of their collection is classic and handsome, and (to my eye) much more staid and British in design as opposed to the louder Italian style (which isn’t so say that the Spanish don’t have their own style of footwear, of course).
Of the two stores I visited, the Paris one is a bit larger with a slightly broader selection, although the prices can be slightly higher. Both carry most of the core collection along with some models that I’d never seen online. Carmina’s pricing structure has changed so that the shoes are now more expensive in the US market, so while the shoes aren’t cheap anywhere, they’ll be a bit cheaper when bought in Europe. That, along with the ability to try them on, is a great reason to leave some room in your luggage if you’re heading abroad.
I don’t have too many images from the shops, but here are a few to enjoy!
Suede shoes in Barcelona.
Horween #8 shell cordovan.
Carmina’s ever popular string loafers – a unique take on a classic style.
A wall of shoes in Barcelona.
Lizard chelsea boots – an example of Carmina’s versatility.
A wonderful window display in the Paris store.
