I spent three weeks and $127 testing Esandro Vale so you don’t have to wonder if it’s legit

Pros & Cons Table:Table

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The Full, Unfiltered Truth About My Esandro Vale Order

I’m not going to sugarcoat this. I’ve been burned by Instagram fashion brands before—the kind that look like Brunello Cucinelli but arrive smelling like a Chinese factory. So when I started seeing Esandro Vale’s “Old Money” aesthetic everywhere (Instagram, TikTok, even a sponsored post on LinkedIn), my scam radar went off. But I’m also the guy who runs this discount blog because I actually test these companies. So I put $127 on my Chase Sapphire and placed three separate orders over a month to see what would happen.

Order #1: The Basic Test (September 28)

I started small. Just their viral Signature Polo in heather gray ($39.99, marked down from $65) and a pair of their “Premium Cotton” trousers in charcoal ($44.99, marked down from $75). I used a 10% new subscriber code that popped up. Total: $76.48. Shipping was free.

The waiting game: The confirmation email said “5-10 business days.” By day 8, I had no tracking. I emailed [email protected] and got an auto-reply saying they were “experiencing high volume.” Day 12, I got a tracking number from a company called YunExpress. It showed the package was in Guangzhou, China. Day 19, it finally landed in Los Angeles. Day 22, it reached my mailbox in Austin.

What arrived: A plain black poly mailer bag. No branded box, no tissue paper, just two plastic-wrapped items with tags that read “Esandro Vale” in generic font. No “Made in China” label, no fabric content tags—just size markings that said “XL” when I’d ordered a Large.

The polo: When I pulled it out, my first thought was “Okay, this isn’t terrible.” The fabric is a 65/35 cotton-polyester blend (I burned a thread to test—it melted, so definitely synthetic). The stitching is straight, the collar has a decent weight to it, and the gray color is actually sophisticated. I’ve worn it five times now, always hang-drying it. It’s holding up. No pilling yet. Is it $40 good? Yes. Is it “old money”? No. It’s more “new money who knows how to shop.”

The trousers: This is where my skepticism hardened. The description said “premium cotton twill.” What arrived feels like a polyester blend with some spandex. It’s that slightly slick, static-clingy fabric that makes a swoosh sound when you walk. The charcoal color is nice, but they fit like skinny jeans—not “old money” at all. I ordered a 34 waist (I’m usually 32, but I’d read reviews). They measure as a 31. I can button them, but I can’t sit comfortably.

Order #2: The Subscription Box Trial (October 5)

Two days after my first order arrived, they emailed me about their “Old Money Box”—$149.99 for “$250+ value.” I bit. I wanted to see if their curation was better than individual items.

What showed up: Same plain mailer, 18 days later. Inside: a navy polo, a cream cable-knit sweater, a brown belt, and a pair of sunglasses. The sunglasses felt like $5 gas station quality. The belt was fine—genuine leather, decent hardware. The sweater? Actually nice. 100% cotton, good weight, fits well (though I ordered XL and it fits like a US Medium). The navy polo was identical quality to my first order.

Value assessment: Did I get $250 worth? No. Maybe $100-$120. The subscription feels like a way to move inventory that doesn’t sell individually.

Order #3: The Shoe Test (October 12)

I know, I know—after the trousers, why would I? But the brown suede loafers were marked down to $59.99 from $120, and I wanted to give them a fair shot. I also ordered a white button-down ($49.99) to have a complete outfit.

The loafers: Complete disaster. They arrived after 16 days, smashed flat in the mailer. The “suede” is PU—plastic. The sole is thin EVA foam. They smell like chemicals. I wore them once to walk my dog and got a blister. The sizing is comically small—I’m a 10.5, ordered an 11, and they fit like a 9.5. These are $20 AliExpress shoes marked up to $60.

The button-down: Pleasant surprise. It’s a polyester-cotton blend, but it’s soft. The fit is modern, not boxy. The buttons are real mother-of-pearl. I’ve worn it twice, gotten compliments both times, and it washed well. This is the one item I’d recommend without hesitation.

Customer Service: The Alex Factor

After the trouser sizing issue, I emailed support. Alex responded in 4 hours. He didn’t apologize for the sizing—he just said, “I’ll send you a size 36 right away, keep the 34.” No charge. The new pair arrived in 14 days and fit perfectly. That’s how you handle customer service.

After the shoe disaster, I emailed again. Alex offered a full refund and let me keep the loafers. I said, “For what? Dog chew toys?” He replied, “Haha, honestly yes. Please don’t wear them again.” I got the refund in 3 business days.

But here’s the thing: Alex is clearly one person. When I called their listed phone number during business hours (8am-5pm CST), it went to voicemail. When I emailed on a Saturday, I didn’t get a reply until Monday. If Alex is out sick, I suspect their service craters.

The Material Honesty Problem

This is my biggest credibility issue. Their site lists items as “linen” when they’re clearly polyester. They say “Italian leather” on some shoes that are obviously not. This isn’t just misleading—it’s illegal under FTC guidelines. I checked the fabric content of every item I received by doing burn tests and water absorption tests. Only the sweater was 100% natural fiber. Everything else was synthetic blends, even when described as cotton or linen.

The Dropshipping Reality

YunExpress is a consolidator for Chinese e-commerce. Your order is being fulfilled by factories in Guangzhou or Shenzhen, not a warehouse in Alabama (where their LLC is registered). The lack of branding, the generic poly mailers, the missing country-of-origin tags—all of this confirms the Reddit speculation. Esandro Vale is a marketing company, not a fashion house.

Who This Brand Actually Works For

After wearing these pieces for a month, rotating them into my regular wardrobe, I’ve identified who should and shouldn’t shop here:

Should buy:

• Content creators who need affordable wardrobe rotation
• Anyone under 25 experimenting with style identities
• People who want “old money” photos, not “old money” durability
• Savvy shoppers who know how to spot the 1-2 decent items

Should not buy:

• Anyone over 35 expecting investment pieces
• People with ethical concerns about supply chain transparency
• Anyone who can’t stand waiting three weeks
• Quality purists who inspect stitching

Bottom Line: The Math

I spent $127.48 total. I received:

• 3 polos (1 good, 2 okay) = $40 value each if I’m being generous
• 2 pairs of trousers (1 unwearable, 1 good after replacement) = $30 value
• 1 decent sweater = $35 value
• 1 good button-down = $45 value
• 1 junk belt = $10 value
• 1 junk sunglasses = $0 value
• 1 terrible loafers = $0 value

Real value received: About $155 worth of clothing for $127. That’s a 22% discount, not the 60% they claim. But here’s the nuance: if I’d only bought the items that worked (navy polo, replacement trousers, sweater, button-down), I’d have paid $76 for about $120 value. That’s a genuine 37% savings.

Final Verdict: 4.2/5 Stars

Esandro Vale is not a scam. It’s also not a luxury brand. It’s a dropshipping company that curates trending styles at reasonable markups. Their customer service (Alex) is genuinely excellent. Their product quality is wildly inconsistent—some items punch above their price, others are dollar-store quality.

The sale they’re running makes it worth a try. At BOGO 30% off, you’re paying fast-fashion prices for fast-fashion quality with “old money” styling. Just follow these rules:

1. Size up twice (seriously, measure yourself)
2. Stick to tops (polos, button-downs, sweaters)
3. Avoid shoes and accessories
4. Order a month before you need it
5. Email Alex directly if you have issues ([email protected])

My affiliate link (full transparency):https://esandrovale.com?sca_ref=8924945.95HMVZPy2n

Yes, I earn a commission if you buy. But I’d rather you go in with eyes open than feel burned. This brand can work for you if you shop smart. Or you can wait and spend $120 on a real polo from J.Crew. Your call.

Drop your questions in the comments—I’ll answer every one. And if you do order, come back and tell me what you got. I’m genuinely curious if others have the same mixed experience.

I spent three weeks and $127 testing Esandro Vale so you don’t have to wonder if it’s legit

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