Disclaimer: Oliver Cabell was nice enough to send The Peak Lapel these sneakers for free for the purposes of this honest review.
It’s not secret that white leather sneakers are quite a stylish shoe. If you don’t own a pair, you should. They are an excellent final addition to any outfit. They look just as great with chinos and a polo as they do with jeans as they do with, yes, even a suit. They’re minimalist, sleek, and clean, and are, perhaps, the ultimate footwear.
The question, of course, is which to get. We’ve looked at Common Projects before, but they are super expensive and not within everyone’s budget. While they are the kings of the white leather sneaker, there are a few options that are lower priced but also provide that great clean silhouette and a high quality leather. That is where Oliver Cabell comes in. Today we are looking at the Low 1’s from Oliver Cabell — this is their take on the clean white sneaker, and it comes in at only $178. For the price, this could be quite the value. So, let’s get into it.
Shipping is quick and easy, and comes in a standard shoe box. Nothing super special here in either direction.
The shoe itself is super sleek and clean. Of all of the “not Common Projects” white sneakers we have taken a look at, Oliver Cabell gets the closest to the super slim silhouette of the original. These look super clean on the foot together with an outfit, and are not really clunky at all, as some similar shoes can be. And, if you would like, they come in a whole bunch of other colors also if that is more your taste.
The quality and construction is very solid, though as is expected, not to the level of a shoe two or three times the price. There is a slight creasing in the leather even out of the box, and not every detail is perfectly finished. These are all, though, not details that matter much once you’ve worn them a couple of times as these things tends to happen with wear anyway. Overall, the make and feel of the shoe is extremely solid and comfortable, and for the price is quite excellent.
The fit was rather small. I usually wear a size 11.5 or 12. With these sneakers I needed to go up to their 13. This produced a rather good fit for me, something which I could not seem to find with similar brands in this price range (or even above).
In conclusion, for the $178 you would pay for these shoes, it is quite a deal. When you consider the fact that higher end white leather sneakers could cost two or three times as much, it makes you wonder what you’re paying for there, and why they could possibly be worth $400+ when this shoe is almost just as good at a fraction of the cost. Even when compared to other affordable white leather sneaker brands at the $200 and up price range, these sneakers still seem to come out ahead. The quality is only slightly less, but the sleek design is superior and, overall, it’s still a great product. Sure, if you’re not accustomed to spending this much on sneakers then even $178 could be a lot. But these are not your Adidas. These are quality leather that will last many years, and go with just about any outfit. See them as a modern man’s loafer. And get yourself a pair!