If the Shoe Fits…
Contributed by Joy Grassman, 2005
Flamenco shoes are, as far as I know, ALL hand made in Spain. Since, chances are, you will not have the opportunity to see the product “in person” before you buy, I recommend you stick with the two most reputable companies:
Menkes- Check the Menkes website to find the nearest Menkes dealer to you and call and deal with them directly. You will get a significantly better price than if you order from a third party dealer. Flamenco shoes are NOT cheap and there’s no reason to pay for a mark-up if you don’t have to. When I ordered from Marissa at the Menkes store in NYC shipping was very prompt because the item I ordered was in stock. She was very helpful and answered all my questions. Be flexible because if they don’t have your item in stock it can take weeks for it to come from Spain, so have several choices in mind when calling.
Gallardo- Many online retailers such as Flamenco-World.com sell Gallardo shoes and you can now order direct from Gallardo. Gallardo shoes are much little less expensive than Menkes but most people agree Gallardo are better quality shoes.
On Flamenco-World.com you can design shoes to your specifications on-line. If you order direct from Gallardo you will deal with the company via email. Visit the website first to get an idea of what you want before you inquire by email. The only problem with Gallardo is they take 3-4 months to be constructed and shipped whether you order them direct from Gallardo or from a retail outlet like Flamenco-World, you will have to wait. A lesson learned:
I recently order a pair from Gallardo, and they were really beautiful (seen right.) But, Gallardo’s are sized a little different than Menkes, and they ended up being too big. š I had to sell them on E-Bay at a loss. Still, I would definitely recommend the Gallardo shoes because the craftsmanship is incredible. Gallardo also has dresses and skirts for sale, but I have no experience with their clothing.
Gallardo quality: Gallardo shoes have a skid proof sole. Many other manufacturers do not include this detail.
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