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| The boots – after five months |
A long overdue update, to say the least.
@shirtingfantasy had every intention of bringing you the second post in the series on Meermin Shell Cordovan Wholecut Chelsea Boots much sooner, but as they say, life happens! Between unexpected busy work and other unforeseen circumstances, time simply slipped away. Now, @shirtingfantasy is back and ready to dive right into Part II of our review – the virtual factory tour.
The credit for their existence goes to a "secret agent" at the Meermin factory, who went above and beyond to secure approval from the bosses at Mallorca for a sample pair to be made and sold to a dedicated shirt fan on a sole search. Remarkably, this fan had never before been a customer of Meermin. The generosity and dedication of this "secret agent" and the Meermin team are truly admirable, and @shirtingfantasy is honoured to have the opportunity to share this heartwarming story with you.
@shirtingfantasy actually had his first pair of wholecut cordovan chelsea boots made by the ingenious Italian shoemaker Antonio Meccariello (another long story). However, his curiosity was piqued when he heard that Meermin's family rival, who claimed to be a cordovan expert, was accepting orders for a similar style. This prompted @shirtingfantasy to issue a challenge to Meermin to create their own version of the boots.
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| Antonio’s rendition of the shell wholecut chelsea – a nice patina developing on the bourbon cordovan after about 2.5 years of wear |
In late 2021, the production team at Meermin began testing the "blocking" process and the making of the wholecut shell cordovan chelsea boots. They used Meermin's exclusive heritage shell cordovan as the initial material for testing. The team was meticulous in their approach, ensuring that every step of the production process was optimised before moving on to the next.
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| First prototype in Meermin’s heritage shell cordovan – blocking complete |
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| Undisclosed premium calf prototypes in the background |
The Meermin Shanghai factory displayed impressive efficiency in producing the prototype pair of these boots, even with the challenging chained Norwegian stitching. However, there was an unexpected turn of events when Meermin's headquarters in Spain demanded that the first finished prototype be sent to them for inspection in February 2022. It turns out that the prototype was not sent back to Shanghai as expected. As a result, the Meermin factory attempted to make another pair for @shirtingfantasy. Unfortunately, the continued COVID-19 outbreaks caused further delays in the production process, which was frustrating for everyone involved.
When production finally resumed at Meermin, the "secret agent" made another incredibly generous offer to @shirtingfantasy. He was given the choice between the famous Horween #8 cordovan or Meermin's heritage shell cordovan for his boots. At this point, the production technique had been optimised to the point where even the more expensive Horween cordovan would not be "wasted" in the process. This was a remarkable gesture of goodwill and a testament to the dedication of the Meermin production team. It also allowed @shirtingfantasy the opportunity to choose the exact material that he wanted for his boots, ensuring that they would be truly an “object of desire”.
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| The “secret agent” retrieved all Horween shells of suitable XL size from the factory warehouse and selected matching shells for this pair |
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| The wholecut chelsea pattern projected on the shell by the automatic clicking machine |
After clicking of the cordovan, the blocking, lasting, Norwegian sole stitching, and outsole stitching all proceeded uneventfully. The "secret agent" who had been so instrumental in the creation of these boots sent @shirtingfantasy factory shots of the key steps, demonstrating the meticulous attention to detail and craftsmanship involved in their production. While some steps were withheld to protect trade secrets, these images provide a fascinating glimpse into the intricate process behind the creation of these exceptional boots.
It is wonderful to see Meermin raising the bar of factory shoemaking with their exceptional attention to detail and craftsmanship. @shirtingfantasy hopes that the new model will stimulate other shoemakers to master the technique of making shell cordovan wholecut chelseas, making this technically demanding model accessible to sartorial enthusiasts around the world.
The dedication and passion of the Meermin production team are evident in every step of the production process, and @shirtingfantasy is grateful for the opportunity to own a pair of these exceptional boots. The attention to detail and expertise that goes into creatingeach pair is a testament to the quality and durability of the Meermin brand.
Overall, @shirtingfantasy is excited to see the Meermin shell cordovan wholecut Chelsea boots out in the world and hopes that they will inspire other makers to push the boundaries of factory shoemaking.
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| Lasting done and with insole prepared |
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| Chained Norwegian stitching being performed |
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| Sole stitching by hand |
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| Outsole attached |
Meermin
www.meermin.es
Minimum order: 1 pair of shoes
Price range: HKD 1,500+ for basic Goodyear-welted shoes, HKD 2,300+ for "Heritage" shell cordovan, HKD 2,400+ for handwelted shoes with JR sole, HKD 3,500+ for Norvegese / Norwegian stitched shoes
Handmade option: What is not done by machine is by hand
@shirtingfantasy 本來打算很快就帶給大家有關 Meermin 馬臀皮整皮切爾西靴的系列文章的第二篇，但你知道，人生就是會遇到意想不到的事情！在忙碌的工作和其他無法預料的情況下，時間就這樣溜走了。現在，@shirtingfantasy 回來了，準備繼續深入探討我們的評論 —— 虛擬工廠之旅的第二部分。
這雙靴子的誕生要歸功於 Meermin 工廠裡的一位“神秘特工”，他竭力從馬略卡的老闆那裡得到了批准，讓他們製作一雙樣品，出售給一位熱衷於襯衫的粉絲，尋找獨特鞋底的人。值得注意的是，這位粉絲以前從未成為過 Meermin 的客戶。這位“神秘特工”和 Meermin 團隊的慷慨和敬業精神實在令人敬佩，@shirtingfantasy 很榮幸能有機會與大家分享這個感人至深的故事。
事實上，@shirtingfantasy 的第一雙整皮馬臀皮切爾西靴是由才華橫溢的意大利鞋匠 Antonio Meccariello 製作的（那又是另一個漫長的故事）。然而，當他聽說 Meermin 的家族競爭對手，自稱是馬臀皮專家的 Carmina，也接受了類似風格的訂單時，他的好奇心被激起。這促使 @shirtingfantasy 向 Meermin 發起挑戰，要求他們也創建自己版本的靴子。
在 2021 年底，Meermin 的生產團隊開始測試“塑型”過程以及製作整皮馬臀皮切爾西靴。他們使用 Meermin 獨家的傳統馬臀皮作為最初的測試材料。團隊在方法上非常謹慎，確保在進入下一步之前，每一個生產過程都經過了優化。
Meermin 上海工廠在生產這款原型靴子時表現出令人印象深刻的效率，即使在具有挑戰性的挪威鏈式縫合過程中也是如此。然而，當 Meermin 西班牙總部要求在 2022 年 2 月將第一個完成的原型寄送給他們進行檢查時，事情出現了意想不到的轉折。事實上，原型沒有按預期送回上海。因此，Meermin 工廠嘗試為 @shirtingfantasy 製作另一雙靴子。不幸的是，持續的 COVID-19 疫情使生產過程進一步延誤，讓所有參與者都感到沮喪。
當 Meermin 的生產工作最終恢復時，“神秘特工”向 @shirtingfantasy 再次提出了非常慷慨的建議。他可以選擇著名的 Horween ＃8 馬臀皮或 Meermin 的傳統馬臀皮作為他的靴子材料。此時，生產技術已經優化到即使使用更昂貴的 Horween 馬臀皮也不會在過程中“浪費”。這是一個顯示善意並見證 Meermin 生產團隊敬業精神的驚人舉動。它還讓 @shirtingfantasy 有機會選擇他想要的靴子材料，確保它們真正成為一個“令人嚮往的物品”。
在馬臀皮的裁剪、塑型、楦模、挪威鞋底縫合和鞋外底縫合過程中，一切都進行得很順利。在這些靴子的創建過程中起到關鍵作用的“神秘特工”向 @shirtingfantasy 發送了關鍵步驟的工廠照片，展示了生產過程中對細節和工藝的精細關注。雖然有些步驟被保密以保護商業秘密，但這些圖片讓人得以一瞥這些卓越靴子背後錯綜複雜的創作過程。
能看到 Meermin 通過他們出色的細節關注和工藝水平提高工廠鞋類製造的標準是一件非常美好的事情。@shirtingfantasy 希望這款新型號能激勵其他鞋匠掌握製作整皮馬臀皮切爾西靴的技術，讓這款技術要求很高的款式為全球的時尚愛好者所接觸。
Meermin生產團隊的奉獻和熱情在生產過程的每一步都表現得淋漓盡致，@shirtingfantasy 感激能擁有這雙卓越的靴子。每雙靴子的製作過程中所投入的細節關注和專業知識，都見證了 Meermin 品牌的品質和耐用性。
總的來說，@shirtingfantasy 熱切期待 Meermin 馬臀皮整皮切爾西靴在世界各地亮相，並希望這款靴子能激勵其他製造商挑戰工廠鞋類製造的界限。
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