After longing glances and a yearning lasting for as long as I’ve worked at Clutch, I finally bought the Alden x Clutch Cafe Cordovan A0607s, and wallet be damned, I have not been disappointed! It’s a beautiful shoe which has proven to be extremely comfortable and wearable. Beyond an incredible shape and design with their distinctive split-toe, the appeal of the A0607s comes from their cordovan leather in Alden’s unique colour #8. Cordovan is a rare, oil and wax rich leather with a luster that isn’t overpowering, allowing for casual and formal wear. They age remarkably in the deep burgundy of colour #8, developing rolls and ripples rather than creases with the leather’s rich colour coming through with wear, and after having them for only a couple of months this characterful patina is already developing.
When it comes to care, worry not! Versus other leathers such as suede or nubuck, cordovan is comparatively durable and easy to look after. This is thanks to a very tight grain and poreless structure which is much more water-resistant than other leathers. Combined with the oils and waxes imbued in the extensive tanning process, it all culminates to make cordovan better suited to a simplistic care regime which aims to cultivate and spread those oils and waxes as opposed to continually adding more layers of oils, creams, polish or wax.
Regardless, to me this care is the joy of cordovan shoes, as their real beauty comes through as they age and develop their character from you and how you wear and look after them. So with periodic updates I will be taking you with me as we see how these shoes age and how to care for them. Having only bought my pair in late November, I have polished them once and now in this article we will be covering how they’ve aged so far and a their second polishing with a step-by-step guide:
