tlb Mallorca

TLB Mallorca is a shoe brand increasingly drawing attention from shoe aficionados around the world, and with good reason. I have been promoting them to friends since I first became aware of these shoes, and as I have now accumulated enough samples to more thoroughly gather my thoughts, I recon it’s about time I would give the brand some well deserved attention.

I was introduced to the brand through the guys at Skolyx which is where I ordered my first pair. Seems only fitting, seeing as Jesper Ingevaldsson had a hand in designing the Artista line. 

First of all, I have to give credit to the guys at Skolyx. They have an incredible customer service and go above and beyond to help their customers. 

Starting up in 2018, TLB Mallorca is a rather new brand, but this should not be held against them. Quite the contrary. TLB, the name comprising the initials of founder Toni Llobera Barceló, brings years of experience to the table. And the result is most easily described by the brands motto; settling for nothing less but the highest standard of excellence. 

They have successfully set a new standard for the mid range priced ready to wear shoes and I must say, I do not envy other manufacturers whom will be struggling to compete with what TLB are offering.

My experience with TLB started two years ago when I ordered a pair of brown, quarter brogue oxfords from the Artista line. Honestly, upon receiving the shoes, I was just blown away.

Here shown with the standard single leather sole

At the time the price point for the TLB Artista range, which is about €425 (€350 excl. VAT), was towards the upper limit of what my shoe-budget allowed. This is also a good reference with regards to price and budget for anyone reading, finding themselves in the same budget range, for whether my thoughts are relevant in your decision to buy a pair of TLB Artista or not. Although it’s already obvious I think you should.

Just a heads up, disregarding boots, the models I own are limited to oxfords and loafers, and one pair of monk straps. They are all in the Goya last. Thus, any statements made are based on the former in a Goya last.

Buying online, I must admit I was a little anxious about the quality and fit. From what I had gathered, the model I chose should be a good fit and as for quality, I had confidence in the knowledge and reputation Skolyx is known for. 

With regards to fit; I don’t have big feet, but they are quite wide relative to their length and yes, I know that sounds incredibly sexy… 

Also, the arch of my right foot is slightly higher than the left.

This has always been a big obstacle in finding the right fit because even with a wide last and correct measures there is no guarantee I won’t end up with shoes causing pain around the MTP joint. 

As for the TLB Artista, I can now with relief say that my worrying was a waste of energy. They fit like a glove, or, well, as a shoe. I will expand on the topic of fit in my review coming soon.

Looking at the shoes in general, first of all, the over all quality is really good. Actually great.

I say over all because there are some parts that are seemingly great, like leather quality, but I don’t have expertise in this field and can only determine based on impression. Then there are some details exceeding anything I’ve seen at this price point. 

And that’s the key here. The price point. If you are someone whom can afford a pair of Edward Green or Gaziano & Girling shoes, you probably already expect most of the key features (and more) that the TLB Artista line offers. In general, bear in mind that we are talking about a brand that prices itself closer to Allen Edmonds, than say Carmina or Crockett & Jones, albeit still relatively close to some models from the latter as well.

Yet, for me personally they look miles apart in therms of aesthetics compared to Allen Edmonds.  

For reference, I only have Carmina and C&J to compare with, as I never really liked Allen Edmonds or anything coming out of the US for that matter.

So, unfortunately in terms of build and leather quality I’m not comfortable siding with one or the other, and honestly I’m anything but an expert on the matter.  

But I’m sure there are others out there whom have made the Allen Edmonds vs TLB comparison. 

As for a comparison with Carmina and C&J, the Artista are in my opinion at same level as the former and at least with the shoes I have owned from C&J - which I’ve always found to have a very sturdy construction.

Of course, the leather used comes from well known tanneries. I can attest to the fact that the leather holds up great over time. I’ve had some unfortunate encounters with the rain and ended up in random hiking trail-like environments, but they have passed the test on every occasion. 

As for the last the Artista comes in two (now three) lasts, the Picasso and the Goya. As I tend to prefer a somewhat more rounded toe shape I’ve chosen the Goya last for all my shoes. If you are more of a proponent of a chisel toe, the Picasso last and now also the Van Gogh last offers this. I feel like there should be some remark made on adding Van Gogh to the rank of Spanish masters, but seeing as I enjoy the works of all three I’ll let it slide.

One can not mention TLB Artista without talking about the bevelled waist. I mean, what a beauty, and at this price point. I can’t remember having ever seen anything with this level of refinement within this price range.

I have had people stopping me on the streets complementing my shoes several times, and although I know this becomes something like a theme throughout my articles, I can’t overstate how big of a deal this is for a foreigner in Japan. If a Japanese person foregoes his passiveness (as to not be a nuance to others) and builds up the courage to talk to a foreigner whom is a complete stranger, you really know he is passionate about what he’s seeing. 

Must have been a hilarious spectacle, seeing two random strangers stopping in the middle of the street in Kyoto, one with his foot twisted, up in the air, while both looking at the outsole. 

As if the bevelled waist wasn’t enough the outsole is finished off with closed channel stitching. The shoes are of course goodyear welted with a fairly high SPI. Also, a somewhat overlooked feature that really shows the integrity of craftsmanship, the shoes are made with leather heel stiffener. 

Shoes from the Artista collection mainly comes with either a single leather sole or a rubber sole called the “city sole”. As I myself lean towards the beauty of leather outsoles I prefer the former but don’t be discouraged from going for the city sole if you prefer a rubber sole, as it does not compromise anything with regards to the bevelled waist. Personally, I’ve opted for their standard leather sole or JR soles in most cases and for all shoes with brown leather. I chose the rubber city sole for a couple of pairs which I’ve dedicated as “work horses”. Both, or, all three are perfectly good alternatives. 

Of course, TLB offers a range of different variants of oxfords, derby’s, loafers, monk straps and boots in both their Main collection and their Artista line, but you can also customise any shoe in both series through their custome service.

The MTO service is really easy to manoeuvre. In my case I haven’t ordered anything radical, but having this option even just for choosing which outsole you want, adding brogueing or changing the type of leather is really nice. If there is anything not available in the MTO menu, don’t hesitate to shoot Toni (Toni Llobera Barceló, the owner) an e-mail. He’s really passionate about what he does and usually more than willing to help accommodate your needs. 

Needless to say, I highly recommend TLB. Although, to some it might still be a high price point, and to others not, if your budget puts you in the former group, I would definitely save up a little more if you are already planning to purchase a new pair in the €200-300 range.


Stay tuned if you are interested in seeing examples as I’ll be posting both reviews and pictures of the oxfords and loafers soon. 

If you are interested in a pair or further explore what TLB has to offer, have a look at www.tlbmallorca.com