[rowing_freak]

Has anyone heard of the flamenco shoes brand "Flamencista". In this recent article on their website (article attached), they claim the quality and price of their Elite and "Ultimate"shoes are competitive to the famous brands such as Menkes and Gallardo. However I google around and have not found any other website that have reviews on their shoes. Also not sure how good their handing when it come to online international order.

Can anyone shed some light about this? The article makes their shoes very attractive to try but since I do not know anyone who has worn their brands, I am reluctant to order a pair (esp. the Ultimate and Elite level shoes).

Thanks.

[catllar]

I've never heard of them but that doesn't mean much! I would say that compared with say Gallardo and Begona Cervera's websites the Flamencista site appears a bit sparse on the construction details and the options - heels, colours, skins, level etc. Makes me wonder if they are a maker or simply an intermediary. Pricewise there doesn't seem a great deal of difference at the top end of the ranges. I should say that I'm a big Begona fan, with several pairs and several heel heights, but I've also got a pair of Menkes.

[rowing_freak]

Thanks for your comments. will check the brand "Begona Cervera"! Gracias!

[rowena]

I heard from somewhere that you have a right when internet shopping, to return goods if you are not happy. It may be that they can keep their prices lower if they are offering less variety. If you own elite/professional shoes from Menkes or Gallardo then you would be able to compare the quality, no? If they were not the same quality or standard then certainly you'd be entitled to a refund under UL consumer law. I'm really not sure how this would apply across borders though!

Intersting, I love my Menkes the most, then Gallardos, then Begona least. Everyone's different eh!

That does seem to be a very good price, I am tempted to try a pair. You really can't have too many shoes, can you?

[rowing_freak]

I agreed that one can't have too many pair shoes …of any categories!

I have both a pair of Menkes and Gallardo. I prefer Gallardo.

However I was intrigued by the good customer service and reasonable price that Flamencista claims they provide.

So I have just ordered a pair of the ultimate collection which is cheaper that Menkes and Gallardo Elite shoes.

So far I am very impressed by the customer service. I had 6-7 email correspondences with the same rep for the past week to clarify feet measurement and appropriate shoes options (e.g. suitability to dancing needs of their various collection, leather color, heel preferences). My rep was highly responsive and knowledgeable. I will provide an update after my shoes arrive in a few months!

[juliep]

Rowing_freak I am sorry if this post comes a bit but you may find it useful for the future. I own both Elite and Ultimate flamenco shoes by Flamencista. I had many other flamenco shoes in the past but since I bought their products I never looked back.

To answer to your question, I use the Elite shoes for long practice sessions as they have double sole. A bit of warning thought, they are not the lightest shoes, but they will last forever. The Ultimate is an absolutely superb all rounder. They just feel amazing to wear and to dance in (apparently they have been designed by Manuela Carrasco). I would not use them for very long practice sessions but if you own other pairs it should be fine as you would swap between them.

Overall here is my feedback on Flamencista

Positives
• Value for money. The price is very competitive for the quality offered.
• Quality: Perfect fit, very durable with beautiful tapping sound and they need no time to break into (even the leather shoes).
• As rowing_freak mentioned above, they have amazing customer service and believer me I am NOT easy to please They are also happy to change the shoes if the size is not right first time, which is very handy.


Could improve:
• The shoes take 35-45 days to make, which I personally find very long. Ok – fair enough, I know it is fairly typical time for custom made shoes but as I mentioned before, I am not easy to please . It would be good to see them offering “express” shoes like some other companies and personally I would not mind paying a bit more for this.
• Promotions: It would be good to see bundled offers for us who buy more than 1 pair at a time or buy both Flamencista flamenco shoes and flamenco skirts (which by they way are amazing).
• Product variety: Although their shoe variety is great I would like to see more products like dresses and tops as I want to buy everything from 1 supplier and ensure the colours match.

I hope this helps.

Julia

[rowing_freak]

Hi Julia, I am happy to hear from you. I have already placed my order for a pair of the Ultimate since I do have another pair to swap with for practice and performance. However knowing someone else is happy with their shoes is a good vote of confidence for me. It makes me feel good that I gave them a try. Now I am looking forward to my red leather shoes arriving in a few weeks!

I am also absolutely pleased with their customer service. I asked so many questions over a few weeks almost on a daily basis. They were extremely patient and made extra effort to provide the best answers to my inquiries especially with my shoes measurement. If the shoes fit as well as they should be when they arrive, I will definitely recommend them to my friends and fellow dancers. The price of their shoes are a lot cheaper than Menkes and competitve to Gallardo (which I have a pair).

I totally like your pros and cons....maybe if many of us provide them feedback, they will do something about providing discount to encourage more shopping. I am tempted to get a pair of Elite as well (bec of the durable double sole). I will decide once my Ultimate arrive.

thanks again for providing me with your thoughts and comments. Much appreciated. happy dancing! Ole!
Gracias

[juliep]

Hello rowing_freak,

Just saw your post. I guess by this time you must have received your shoes? I am curious to know what you think. If they do not fit you can always exchange them for another pair. Have you ordered the Elite collection as well? What about the skirts? Highly recommended!

I dropped them an email with my feedback and they said that the bundling of offers cannot happen yet as their system does not have this capability. However, they said that in the next 2-3 weeks they are planning to introduce express flamenco shoes that will be ready in 2 weeks!

I am so looking forward to it

Happy flamenco!

Julia

[ihath]

Never heard of them. But these days I am a fan of artefyl

[rowing_freak]

Hi Julia, yes I have received my Flamencista "Ultimate" shoes over a month ago and I love them. I just noticed their flamenco express shoes. I am happy that they are listening to the buyers feedback. I am going to create a new post about my shoes experience with them as well as two other vendors. Let me know what you think after you read it.
Cheers