This will be a long post, as this is one thing that I actually happen to know a lot about!
Vivobarefoot is the best if you want stylish minimalist footwear. They are also my preferred brand, as of my sneakers and boots are supplied by them. I'm a huge fan of their casual and winter boots. You can wear their winter boots barefoot in the winter and still keep your feet warm as long as it isn't extremely cold. US$100-$300.
Xero makes good, affordable minimalist footwear. I'm not a fan of their designs, but they are increasing in popularity enough for it to possibly become an acquired taste for me. I wonder how their collab with the NBA helped sales. They also make great huaraches and minimalist sandals (which is how they got their start, actually), including a DIY kit which you can use to make sandals that match the shape of your foot. US$20-$150.
BOHEMPIA makes hemp minimalist sneakers in the Chuck Taylor All-Star design. Because they are hemp, you can wear them without socks and not worry about your shoes smelling. They look almost EXACTLY like Chucks. Highly recommend. (US$150)
There are lots of options for minimalist sandals:
- Xero, as stated above. (US$20-100)
- Luna makes really good ones, especially for trail running (so I've heard). They also have a traditional, upstyled huarache (Vibram rubber sole instead of car tire), though I found the leather laces to be extremely uncomfortable on my cramped toes. (US$50-150)
- Shamma Sandals is good also. I really like their leather Numa Warriors; these are part of my daily rotation. I hacked them so that I could use Earth Runners straps instead of the adjustable lacing system they come with. Super solid, though I have to adjust my heel strap every few hours because of how my feet pronate while I walk (having flat feet's the best! /s). (~US$100)
- Earth Runners are similar to Shammas, though I haven't bought from them because I've been happy with my Shammas. Lots of people seem to really like them, though.
- More that I haven't mentioned.
For dress shoes, many (Vivobarefoot, Lems, etc) make "dress" shoes that are really sneakers with an Oxford design. They'd look terrible with a suit.
For _real_ dress shoes, there are only two real players in town (that I know of): Carets and The Last Shoemaker.
Carets look fine, and I tried to order from them two years ago, but they were having major logistical issues that caused them to push my order indefinitely _without telling me_. They seem to have sorted this out, as they now have plenty of options in stock now. (US$250-$500)
I ended up going with The Last Shoemaker. It's run by two Brits working out of Vietnam. They are handmade with high-quality leather. I LOVE their shoes. Reminds me of the Allen Edmonds I used to have. Aside from the widened toe box, you can't tell their minimalist at all. I've also gotten custom dress boots and loafers from them that look spot on. They take a while to get, but I can't recommend them enough. (US$350-$500+)
Apologies at not thanking you earlier, I really appreciate your comment, thank you very much!!
Vivobarefoot had massive quality issues many years ago. I owned many pairs of their shoes, and most of them eventually had the sole flake off in 1-2 years. I don't know if it's because I live in the tropics with extremely high humidity, but I think their shoes are poor value for money.
Lems is my go-to now. I have a few pairs since 2022, and none of them have spoilt on me yet.
For those in the states, Vivos occasionally show up on sierra.com and can be bought at a pretty good discount. Around 60% of retail is about the price point where I can tolerate the long term delamination issues.