If you’ve been reading here for awhile you know I’m a pretty big fan of St. Agni mules (if you’re not familiar with this ethical brand you can read about their values and production ethics here). This is my third pair of leather St. Agni mules. My first two were the non-woven leather Saul Babouche and the woven leather Paris mules. Both of my first two leather mules were purchased secondhand from The Real Real in mint condition, which made them a great value and 100% worth it. But this St. Agni Ciao woven leather mules is my first pair that I purchased new. They were on sale at Bloomingdales, where I also had a gift card (so they were $40 out of pocket—definitely worth it to me).
But I would say these Ciao woven leather mules are not worth it at their full retail price of $260. And that’s because IMHO the quality of the Ciao mules is significantly lower than my other two mules. I’ve done several side-by-side comparison shots. And as you can see the two shoes are quite different even though they are both woven leather mules from the same brand. The Paris mules (in black on the left) have a much more supple leather while the beige Ciao mules uses thinner leather strips for its construction. So the Ciao mules are stiffer with a lot less stretch across the top of the foot. The Paris mules fit like a glove but the Ciao ones do not. The footbed for the Paris mules are also more cushion-y and feels more comfortable, especially if you’re walking a lot.
The reason why the two mules are so different is because they’re made by two different factories. The Paris mules are made in Indonesia while the Ciao mules are made in India. If you’ve ever tried Mohinder shoes, that is what the Ciao mules feel like. Oh, and I should note that looking at the third picture above, the Ciao mules look more worn out even though I’ve definitely worn the Paris mules more (and I even got them used). It looks like the soles of the Ciao mules wear out faster.
But I’m not saying that the Ciao mules are all bad. I like the v-cut at the top of the foot and the wider footbed. I still had no break-in period with this shoe, and they were comfortable from the get-go. But like I said above, they are definitely not worth $260. Maybe it’s worth the $140 I got it for. But I just wouldn’t expect the same understated luxury that you get from the Paris mules with these new Ciao mules.
Despite the Ciao mules not being as luxurious as the Paris mules, I still reach for the Ciao mules quite often. I like the light colored leather and it goes well with a lot of my summer clothes. They’re comfortable when walking around the grocery store or doing my other essential shopping. But this is likely my last pair of mules I’m purchasing from St. Agni. So it’s quite an aptly named shoe because tbh I think it’s time to say Ciao to St. Agni for me.
But if you’re interested in the brand, I 100% recommend getting an older style used from the Real Real. You can find their current selection of St. Agni shoes here. Or just go for new St. Agni shoes made in Indonesia instead of India.
P.S. If you’re tempted to get the look-alike Liberte leather mules, don’t. I purchased them and reviewed them here but they ended up being a waste of money. Go with the originals from St. Agni.
[February Update: So I have to say I like these shoes a lot more now than I did when I first got them. Yes, compared to the Paris mule they did feel slightly inferior. But I’ve continued to wear these Ciao mules and I love their neutral color and their light weight. I find myself reaching for them often because they’re comfortable to wear and the light neutral goes with everything. I have since changed my opinion and think they are worth getting if you’re ok with the less luxe feel. I still wouldn’t get them at full-price but if you can find one secondhand or on sale, I would say they are 100% worth it.}
{May 2023 Update: I just wanted to update this review to let you know that I’ve sold these shoes. After awhile the leather started rubbing on my foot which made it considerably less comfortable. I’m pretty sure I got water on these and that’s what made them stiffen and shrink a bit. Anyway the only pair of St. Agni mules that are still going strong (even after 3.5+ years of wear) are the non-woven leather Saul mules.}