Review: Svensson – Classic Low White
Rumoured to be made in the same factory as some other legendary white leather sneakers, we’re taking a closer look at the Svensson Classic Low White.
The Specs
| Brand | Svensson |
| Model | Classic Low White |
| Colour | White |
| Retail Price | $197 USD (plus shipping) |
| Size Reviewed | 42EUR |
| Fit | Runs 1 size large |
| Upper Material | Full grain calf leather |
| Sole Material | Margom rubber sole |
| Lining | Leather lining and insole |
| Laces | Flat laces |
| Made | Hand made in Italy |
| Extra Detail | Padded tongue and collar |
The Look
When you receive the Svensson Classic Low White, you’ll notice that there is absolutely no branding on the box, it’s white and it’s plain. Take the shoe out and you’ll find the same, no branding on the outside, white and plain.
The only branding is actually on the insole and on the underside of the tongue, so when you’ve got the Svenssons on you’re not advertising anything. People might ask “what are those?”… don’t answer those people.
If we look at the bottom of the shoe, a Margom rubber sole keeps you connected to the ground. It’s durable, reliable and generally a great sign a if this sole is what the shoe is built on.
The full grain calf leather upper looks the part, it’s soft and looks high end. There was a tiny, tiny area of either creased or loose grain leather near the heel tab, but nothing major at all. The hand stitching is also what you expect from a shoe made in Italy, not a stitch out of place.
The heel tab takes a page out of the Adidas Stan Smith’s book, it’s more pronounced than other minimalist sneakers, but it also has more padding.
Overall the shoe is just slightly wider, which is noticeable in the toe box. The silhouette height of the shoe is taller as well, especially because of the heel tab. But this isn’t a bad thing, it’s still minimal and proportional.
The Feel
The shoe runs one size larger than your sneaker size. We’re a US10 and purchased a EUR42. But since this sneaker uses a Margom sole, if you’ve tried any other Margom sole sneaker the same size should fit.
Because the toe box is slightly wider than other minimalist sneakers, people with wider feet will notice the difference straight away, your toes will have room to breathe.
Also, the insole is not glued down so you could potentially remove it and replace it with another one if you choose.
The leather upper is just as soft as that other legendary white leather sneaker and feels smooth and consistent.
The leather lined interior adds to comfort on foot too. The padded heel tab and tongue are welcome additions, especially when breaking it in. We’ll report back on break-in times and wear in the future.
Is it Affordable?
Yes, at half the price of Common Projects and arguably the same materials being used, down to the same sole, it’s hard to pass this one up.
It’s still an expensive sneaker, but you’re getting a whole lot of bang for your buck. There are other ‘luxury’ sneakers that cost around the same as the Svensson that claim to be affordable luxury, but fall short.
Svensson doesn’t fall short, we kinda wish we bought the suede ones too.
So if you’re in the market for high quality low leather white sneakers, but don’t want to pay $400 USD, Svensson are a great buy.
