Customer Reviews Stuart Weitzman Blog

I ordered the Black Crystal Snake in an 8N and traditionally wear a 7.5N or 8N (occasionally 8AAA). This is a visually beautiful shoe, and the first of a huge number I have tried recently that actually fit my foot perfectly right out of the box. I had even talked myself into the price. So it breaks my heart to have to return it, but return it I must. I am sorry to have to report that the materials in the pair of shoes received were NOT what is described in the text and were in general appalling for the price category of the shoes. Text proclaims: brushed leather sole, leather lining and implies that the "snakeskin" is a stamped leather. The sole may be in fact be leather, but it is not brushed but painted over -- which may lengthen life but kills the ability to grip the ground. The "snakeskin" is beautiful but somehow feels like plastic, but I think I could have gotten past that. But the "leather" lining --- well.... the heel counter is some sort of fibrous synthetic material/paper product and certainly not leather of any kind. The vamp lining and insole appear to be ultrasuede. Without cutting a section out and subjecting it to a burn test, I cannot be certain, but the material certainly does not react to a gentle scratch with the nail or rub with the finger as suede would. Furthermore the interior smells faintly of mildew and something else -- chemical? urea? The ultrasuede notion is NOT far-fetched as I did find another S. Weitzman shoe description (Puffystuff) which stated that it did have an "ultrasuede lining for ultimate comfort," the ultimate comfort being for the stock holders I presume, as neither the heel contour material or the ultrasuede is going to breathe or release moisture or odors. To re-enforce the comment on releasing odor, my one other pair of S. Weitzman shoes from about 4 years ago -- which also fit like a glove and cost the mint -- retained foot odor after one short wearing -- that with clean feet in clean hose and a short wearing. I notice a comment here by another Zappos customer mentions this same problem. Ultrasuede lining in the rest of the interior would only exacerbate the problem. For the prices S. Weitzman charges, why would he not use genuine suede counter lining and genuine suede, pigskin or leather insoles and vamp lining? Personally, if I am going to gulp and pay this much for a classic pump that fits and is well designed, I would prefer to go on up a little extra and have high quality leathers throughout. As it is, I find myself very saddened by having to return a visually beautiful shoe that actually fits like a glove. Phooey.