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Designer-label shoes are often junk in terms of quality, but consumers may still get value from them for unrelated reasons, such as design. Or perhaps the brand's marketing and image-making make you feel something. Such dimensions should not be discounted when talking about how someone chooses to dress. However, pointing out that two items come from the same factory doesn't mean anything. Factories are set up to produce a wide range of products. For instance, I've known factories where the same assembly line will produce both Men's Wearhouse and Polo Ralph Lauren, or Thom Browne and UntuckIt. These brands aren't comparable. Items can differ across many dimensions: materials, internal construction, design, stitching, etc. If you want to know whether a pair of shoes is well-made, you have to ask: — What type of leather is being used? Is it full-grain or corrected-grain? Full-grain leather shoes will develop a patina and look better with age, whereas corrected-grain leather is lower-quality leather that was sanded down and given a chemical finish. This finish will eventually crack or age badly over time, leading you to dump and replace your shoes rather than repair. — How was the sole attached? Was the sole glued on or sewn on? If it was sewn on, what type of method? Goodyear welted? Blake or Blake-Rapid? Handwelted, maybe? If you buy shoes with glued soles, you will have a harder time replacing the soles when they wear down. Conversely, if the soles are sewn on, they can be replaced more easily, allowing you to wear the shoes for 20 or more years. It's like changing the tires on a car. — What is the internal construction? Does the insole have foam padding? Foam padding will make the shoes very comfortable on the first day, but it breaks down over time. Conversely, if the shoes have a full leather insole, they won't feel as good on the first day, but they will conform to your feet and improve with age. Relatedly, do the shoes have toe and heel stiffeners? If so, are they made of leather or plastic? Plastic stiffeners are harder to repair once they crack; leather stiffeners are much easier to repair. Additionally, how was the heel built up? Is it made from stacks of leather? Or is it made from ground-up leather dust mixed with glue, then formed into the shape of a heel and given faint lines to appear as though it's made from stacks of leather? This will again affect how easy it is to repair the shoes. Notice that many of the dimensions of quality revolve around how the shoes will age and whether you can easily repair them. This is what defines quality footwear, not whether the leather is soft. Qualities like comfort and softness matter less when shopping for quality men's clothing. Quality Goodyear-welted shoes aren't as comfortable out of the box as sneakers or low-end shoes, but they get better with time, and their sturdy construction means they will last long, too. Uber-soft cashmere sweaters often signal low quality, as the softness may mean more breakage in the yarn. Very high-end Scottish cashmere feels more like your average merino. New brands with limited marketing budgets will tell influencers and customers that their products come from the same factory as some luxury label. But if they don't tell you more—specifically, the technical aspects of build quality—they are essentially trying to play a trick on you. If you think they use the same factory, you may assume the quality is identical. But brands can change product quality by adjusting specifications, which the same factory can accommodate. If you want to buy quality clothing or shoes, the easiest way is to identify quality brands and clothiers. Seek out companies that are knowledgeable on technical issues beyond branding and "we give you a good deal." Personally think both shoes below are a bad value because they are trendy. Both rely on a ruched toe made popular through The Row. The chances of you wearing these in ten years is very low, as the design will be associated with status seekers in 2026. It will disappear like all other trends in the past.