582 Pricing of Tango Shoes in Buenos Aires
Date: Sun, 2 Jun 2002 08:02:24 -0700
From: Andrew Allison <Andrew@AALLISON.COM>
Subject: Pricing of Tango Shoes in Buenos Aires
Fattomano, a popular tango shoe factory and store in BsAs responded to the
floating of the peso by changing its prices from pesos to U$S. This means
that, at current exchange rates they are charging three times what they did
last December and what other good BsAs shoe stores which retained peso
pricing are still charging.
Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2002 20:00:25 -0700
From: William Blakeney <twotango@POSTOFFICE.PACBELL.NET>
Subject: Re: Pricing of Tango Shoes in Buenos Aires
I just returned from BA and bought 3 more pairs of shoes from Fattomano ( I
usually buy at least 3 to 5 pair each time I go). Yes they do charge US
dollars, but if they didn't, they would be taking a 67% reduction. They would
not be able to continue to make the quality of shoes they do and stay in
business if they lowered their price. Actually I paid about five to ten
dollars less than I did two years ago. Fattomano doesn't charge extra for
making shoes custom fit to your feet and minor changes in the styles. If you
could find a place in the US to custom fit shoes and they were half the quality
of Fattamano, you would be charged at least three or four times more than you
would pay at Fattomano.
Patricia Blakeney
Andrew Allison wrote:
> Fattomano, a popular tango shoe factory and store in BsAs responded to the
> floating of the peso by changing its prices from pesos to U$S. This means
> that, at current exchange rates they are charging three times what they did
> last December and what other good BsAs shoe stores which retained peso
> pricing are still charging.
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 00:45:18 -0300
From: Janis Kenyon <jantango@FEEDBACK.NET.AR>
Subject: pricing of tango shoes in Buenos Aires
The shoemakers in BsAs have been satisfying foreign customers with tango
shoes for many years. They have been paid in dollars by tourists who are
happy to dance in Argentine shoes.
Now that the peso is devalued, why shouldn't they maintain the same price?
They want to make a living. If dancers do not like the prices, they can try
to find the shoes elsewhere for a lower price.
I stopped by a shoe store today where I have bought several pairs of street
shoes. The shoemaker arrived with 8 pairs of shoes he had made for two
Argentine tango dancers living in Italy. They sent pictures of what they
wanted and he made them for the owner of the store to sell. A friend of
theirs will be carrying the shoes to Italy this week. They are buying them
in Buenos Aires because they can't find what they want in Italy. I tried on
a pair of these shoes and ordered a pair. They were comfortable and
beautiful. I'm going to talk to the shoemaker about selling the shoes for
him in BsAs and the US. I haven't been able to find a good pair of tango
shoes anywhere in BsAs, and today I found them.
Private tango lessons in the US are about U$S100 with Argentine teachers and
last one hour.
A pair of custom-made tango shoes by an Argentine shoemaker are $100
dollars. They will last more than an hour and you'l have the pleasure
dancing in them. Forget the exchange rate--he's not getting rich.
Pichi de Buenos Aires
Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2002 14:49:17 -0500
From: "Frank G. Williams" <frankw@MAIL.AHC.UMN.EDU>
Subject: Re: pricing of tango shoes in Buenos Aires
Pichi and Friends,
Janis Kenyon wrote:
>
> The shoemakers in BsAs have been satisfying foreign customers with tango
> shoes for many years. They have been paid in dollars by tourists who are
> happy to dance in Argentine shoes.
>
> Now that the peso is devalued, why shouldn't they maintain the same price?
> They want to make a living. If dancers do not like the prices, they can try
> to find the shoes elsewhere for a lower price.
I've been thinking of this question and Pichi's reply and thought
I'd waste a moment to tell you why I agree with her.
I really appreciate fine shoes. ...of all kinds - for the
sports I engage in, for everyday wear, and particularly for dancing.
I am tremendously spoiled by custom made tango shoes from Bs.As.
My shoe maker is a younger tanguero. He makes shoes for many of the
top dancers. Basically, he is an artist in leather. I am amused by
the attention some tangueros pay to their shoes. One very reknowned
stage dancer ordered 6 pairs of a particular custom style with the
agreement that the shoe maker wouldn't make that style for any other
dancer! Importantly, shoes made for dancing BY A DANCER are going to
work! A follower friend who was always SO unstable suddenly became a
pleasure to dance with once she got a fine custom pair of tango heels.
Details ARE important. And the next time you get turned down for a
dance, guys, look at her shoes. Are they *really* special? Maybe she
prefers that only the bottoms of those shoes get walked on! ;-)
What do the top brands of men's street shoes cost in the US? I like
Allen Edmonds and they sell for about $240 - $300. The Italian imports,
which are constructed more like a dance shoe, can easily cost even more.
What do good quality men's dance shoes cost from Robin T.? Let me
check...
$160 plus $10 shipping ...and I know those to be good shoes - though
stiffer than my favorites...[https://www.22tangoshoes.com/menshoes.html]
Dealing directly with my shoemaker, I get a nice price. So, how many
pairs of custom made, designed-to-order tango shoes can I buy for the
price of one pair of nice US-made dress shoes? Four or five**! Let's
hope that the exchange rate doesn't fall to 4 or 5 pesos/U$S! On my
recent trip, I went leather shopping for shoes (in the BA neighborhood
with many shoemaker's supply wholesalers and leather dealers) then took
the leather to the shoemaker. Really, my dancing doesn't warrant shoes
like the reptile or the ostrich-and-suede wingtips I now have. But they
are a pleasure to wear and nobody else has shoes like them!
**That doesn't include shipping [if necessary, which can run $20/pr,
but there are ways to avoid that - what are friends for? ;-) ]
My point is this: What would it cost to indulge in this kind of vanity
here in the US (or in your country)? I shudder to imagine!
Does $75 - $100 U$S for this product seem too much? Then good luck
shopping elsewhere!
Happy feet!
Frank - Mpls.
Frank G. Williams, Ph.D. University of Minnesota
frankw@mail.ahc.umn.edu Dept. of Neuroscience
(612) 625-6441 (office) 321 Church Street SE
(612) 624-4436 (lab) Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 281-3860 (cellular/home)
