Review: Italian Oliver Cabell – Low 1 White
I’m revisiting the Low 1 made by Oliver Cabell. I reviewed this shoe last year and it left me far from impressed. But since then, they’ve made a lot of changes behind the scenes, including moving production to Italy and slapping on Margom soles onto the shoe. Let’s see if the changes have made a difference in the final product.
The Specs
| Brand | Oliver Cabell |
| Model | Low 1 |
| Colour | White |
| Retail Price | $188 USD (approx $305 AUD) |
| Size Reviewed | EUR42 |
| Fit | True to dress shoe size |
| Upper Material | Italian 3oz full grain calfskin |
| Sole | Margom |
| Lining | Italian calfskin leather |
| Laces | Italian waxed cotton |
| Made | El Marche, Italy |
The Look
Italian Oliver Cabell (left), Orginal Oliver Cabell (right)
There are lots of people out there that think a white shoe is a white shoe, they’re going to get dirty easily and every pair looks the same. But the look, shape, silhouette of any shoe is important.
Even looking at this new pair of Low 1’s, I can see the overall aesthetic ideas are the same as the old model. But now they look way more streamlined.
The heel tab with the gold ‘Oliver Cabell’ branding is still there, but the heel cup of the shoe is more angular compared to the previous curved heel cup. The whole shoe is definitely more sleek than before. The sole is more flat and the toe box isn’t as rounded or bulbous like other Common Projects alternatives, but quite narrow.
In terms of looks, the silhouette is actually great, it’s a low cut shoe that isn’t chunky at all. Calf skin leather upper looks fantastic and there aren’t quality control issues like I’ve seen in the past, there are no issues with the finishing of the leather or stitching. Even up close.
I don’t know if this is just with the pair that I received, but it seems like a lot of the quality issues I’ve seen in the past have been addressed.
The Feel
The shoe fits true to (dress) shoe size, which is also my Margom sole size (EUR42). I’ve got other shoes with Margom soles, so I chose the same size here. The leather upper is pretty super soft and supple and still feels like a quality calfskin leather. While the leather lined sole and cushioned heel tab feels great on foot.
Some people complain about squeaking coming from the shoe when wearing it, but we didn’t experience squeaking on the old or the new pair.
The waxed laces, also felt great and didn’t feel like they would come undone easily. But you don’t get a spare set anymore.
The usual break in period for a leather sneaker is required, but so far it’s been quite comfortable.
Is it Affordable?
Yes, it’s affordable for what Oliver Cabell are trying to accomplish. It’s actually $10 more expensive than their first model and you don’t get extra laces this time around.
But this time around, I didn’t see or experience any of the quality control issues from before. The quality of the shoe actually got better, it’s now made in Italy with Margom soles, it looks and feels high quality.
I think the extra $10 is worth it for the shoe you’re getting. There are a lot of Common Projects competitors out there, but so far this pair by Oliver Cabell has the slimmest silhouette I’ve come across and has quality materials to match.
Note: Oliver Cabell reached out to me to review this pair of shoes. I was given them under the proviso that I would be reviewing the shoes honestly.
