Charles & Keith vs. Aldo vs. Pedro vs. Guess: Which Brand is the Best? (History, Quality, Design & Price)

• Charles & Keith

Charles & Keith Brand History and Origin

Charles & Keith is a fast fashion retailer that has achieved much international success. Founded in Singapore in 1996, Charles & Keith started out as a shoe store in Amara Shopping Centre. The brothers opted to design their own shoes while selling them at affordable prices. By 2000 and within just 4 years, all its products were designed in-house. As the business grew, the company cut out the middleman and began working directly with production factories. In 2011, luxury goods conglomerate Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH) acquired 20% of the brand.

Now Charles & Keith is a fast-fashion retailer of high-quality, stylish footwear and accessories including bags, eyewear and costume jewellery catered to modern Asian women. Within a mere 20+ years of inception, it is operating more than 600 stores with over 5,000 employees across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America and Africa. The brand is recognised for its curated collections of relevant fashion designs available at affordable and accessible price points.

Prices: $7 -$166

Charles & Keith Design & Style

Charles & Keith positions itself in the “affordable luxury” market. It caters apparel to mainly 2 customer segments: Women and Kids. It was founded with a vision to empower women around the world to express themselves freely through fashion. The brand pushes the boundaries of modern footwear and accessories by constantly reinventing fashion with its curated collections.

It is well-known among fashion-conscious shoppers for their distinctive designs and quick in-season turnaround that offers 20 – 30 new designs in stores every week. The brand produces an average of 1,000 new designs each year – over 750 footwear designs and over 300 bags and accessories designs. Charles & Keith has expanded its product range to also include bags, belts, shades, tech accessories and bracelets, evolving from a footwear brand to a lifestyle brand. 

Charles & Keith Quality

Co-founder Keith Wong currently leads a design team of 70 designers - mainly Singaporeans, Malaysians and Chinese. The brand places a huge focus on maintaining the high standards of its designers, ensuring that they are well-trained and well-informed of consumers' changing demands and tastes. Their products are made of genuine leather; synthetic fabrics and materials; and metallic accessories which can react to humidity, salt and atmospheric agents.

Where to Buy Charles & Keith for the Cheapest?

charleskeith.com/us (2.5-3% cashback)

charleskeith.com/ca (12-15% cashback)

charleskeith.co.uk/gb (10-12% cashback)

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• Aldo

Aldo Brand History and Origin

The ALDO Group branded as ALDO, is a Canadian multinational corporation retailer that owns and operates a worldwide chain of shoe and accessories stores. The company was founded by Aldo Bensadoun in Montreal, Quebec, in 1972, where its corporate headquarters based in the Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent, Quebec remain today. 

It has grown to become a worldwide corporation, with nearly 3,000 stores across 100 countries, under three retail banners: ALDO, Call It Spring/Spring and GLOBO.  Stores in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and Ireland are owned by the Group, while international stores are franchised. ALDO provides an unparalleled selection of the latest footwear and accessories for both men and women, with on-trend styles at a fair price. Customers can enjoy the same quality and affordability in accessories as they have come to expect in footwear. 

Prices: $8-$199

Aldo Design & Style

Aldo is a company that offers a wide variety of high-quality products for a reasonable price. In addition to contemporary footwear, Aldo also offers accessories such as bags, belts, and scarves. Customers will find many stylish pairs of shoes, flat sandals, wedges, heels, boots, and ballet flats. As a company that holds itself to the highest standard when it comes to delivering the newest trends in fashion for customers to enjoy. 

Aldo has an eye for style and modern trends. Most of their footwear is fashionable and they have a wide variety of shoes to choose from. From its classic leathers to the special fabrications to the unique details, ALDO bags are designed with a fresh sensibility that we refer to as the ALDO Look.

Aldo Quality

In their early years of operation, Aldo used faux leather when making footwear. However, as the market changed, in 2010, Aldo introduced the use of real leather in their production.

This brand uses high-quality leather that has been treated and dried for an extended period. At Aldo, you can get shoes made from both real and fake leather. Of course, the latter is cheaper but it won’t last long. So you need to be aware of this factor before making a purchase.

According to statistics, Aldo shoes can last for 2 to three years, if worn regularly. However, if worn occasionally, they can last for much longer than that. They may not be the most durable, but according to their price tag, they will offer you value for your money. Of course, you have to take care of your Aldo's if you want them to live longer.

Where to Buy Aldo for the Cheapest?

aldoshoes.com/us （5-6% cashback）

aldoshoes.co.uk （5-6% cashback）

• Pedro

Pedro Brand History and Origin

Pedro is actually an offshoot of Charles & Keith. HARLES & KEITH Group is headquartered in Singapore and operates more than 600 stores worldwide under two brands specialising in fashion footwear and accessories - CHARLES & KEITH and PEDRO.

PEDRO launched in Singapore in 2006 offering collections for the modern working man. In 2008, a line of versatile and fashionable footwear and accessories for women was introduced. PEDRO operates roughly 100 stores in the Asia Pacific, the Middle East and China, and is also available online at PEDROSHOES.COM.

Prices: $26 - $179

Pedro Design & Style

The embodiment of sophistication and style is exuded in the line of footwear and accessories from PEDRO. An international influence for both men and women focused on the versatility of today, heightened fashion acumen is channelled each season. The collection for men offers contemporary footwear, bags, belts, wallets and an array of small leather goods; whilst the women's collection offers a diverse line of footwear, bags and petite accessories exuding femininity with confidence. 

It's the classic, slightly more luxe version of the original brand and offers the types of shoes that are great for non-fashion minded traditionalists. 

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Pedro Quality

Pedro is accessible luxury. That's the brand expression and positioning. They are confident that they are premium and luxury. Pedro focus more on quality, less on price: For Charles & Keith to effectively compete and maintain its strategic advantage and differentiation, the focus needs to shift away from price but towards quality. 

Charles & Keith to start positioning on the quality of its fashion products and aggressively communicate this. It has successfully done this with its sister brand Pedro, which is highly known for encapsulating modern luxury and contemporary style through elegant and sophisticated product designs. The materials they use for both men and women have genuine leather at really affordable prices.

Where to Buy Pedro for the Cheapest?

pedroshoes.com/us (4-5% cashback)

• Guess

Guess Brand History and Origin

Guess (styled as GUESS)  began in 1981 as a book of styles by Georges Marciano. It's an American clothing brand and retailer.  In addition to clothing for both men and women, Guess markets other fashion accessories such as watches, jewelry, perfumes, bags and shoes.

The brand holds a special place in '90s pop culture, all thanks to the keen eye of the Marciano brothers for pairing previously unknown models with their iconic aesthetic, practically catapulting their careers overnight. It's the highly-stylised black and white campaigns featuring feisty femmes and a film noir-esque aesthetic that made Guess so distinctive, and firmly rooted it as the 'it' brand of the era.

Prices: $14.50 - $458

Guess Design & Style

The '90s was a seminal moment for fashion, and the enduring popularity of Guess in 2020 shows that this original 'it' brand is still very much 'it'. Guess is known for its sexy, bold and youthful aesthetic, which blends European chic with a carefree Californian attitude. The NEW collection draws from the hallmark trends of the decade, adapting current styles and aesthetics yet still retaining what we know and love about Guess. The crop tops, sleek long skirts, and body con dresses that make up the range are some definite must-haves in these warmer months.

Guess Quality

Better fibers and water-saving technology have been two areas of focus for Guess. Smart Guess collections products are made with exceptional quality and with the environment in mind. Their soft organic cotton jogging pants, sweats and tees are quite popular, especially given that comfort is top of mind as customers spend more time at home right now.

Smart Guess denim, which uses less water during production and is made with materials that are better for the environment, is also a top seller. This is not just because of its eco appeal, but also because GUESS have added performance qualities as well such as four-way stretch, and cool, antimicrobial fabrics that are lightweight and soft to the touch. Recycled polyester dresses have a gorgeous look and the fabric feels completely high end. You would never know this was a more sustainable product if we didn't tell you that each dress is made with an average of six recycled plastic bottles.

Where to Buy Guess for the Cheapest?

guess.com/us (3-4% cashback)

guess.com/ca (3-4% cashback)

macys.com (2.5-3% cashback)

• Conclusion

Charles & Keith vs. Aldo vs. Pedro vs. Guess: which brand is the best? 

Charles & Keith 

Charles & Keith has managed to transform from a single shoe store in the Singapore heartlands to a global fast fashion company located in several fashion cities. By clearly defining its brand promise to provide high quality, stylish and affordable fashion at affordable prices, and by running a robust and efficient supply chain to produce its footwear, bags and accessories. The brand's purpose encapsulates a clear message: to transform the latest trends into accessible fashion. It's the go-to brand for anyone who is interested in getting a pair of nice shoes or bags but is on a budget.

Aldo 

Aldo is a brand for the trend-conscious, self-aware shopper with a chic and bold fashion sense between ages 16-45. The brand stays updated with the latest trends from the fashion capitals around the world with an emphasis on quality and craftsmanship. Not only do their footwear meet current fashion trends but they are quite affordable. This shoemaking company offers a wide range of shoe designs and styles for men and women. 

Pedro

Pedro is accessible luxury. That's brand expression and positioning. Pedro focus more on quality, less on price. Charles & Keith has successfully done this with its sister brand Pedro, which is highly known for encapsulating modern luxury and contemporary style through elegant and sophisticated product designs.The prices are still affordable, and Pedro does really great timeless shoe styles for women, men and kids. 

Guess

GUESS is considered a luxury designer brand, even if it's not at the standard of the top tiers of fashion of Gucci, Prada, or Hermés. GUESS's design and quality are very good. While its products boast considerable price tags, they're dramatically more affordable than some of its close competitor's products. Celebrities love it, and from time to time, it does push out exclusive products.

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