Hermes Chypre Sandal Women Techno-sandal Calfskin Gris Argenté H261072Z 52340

A metallic sandal is easy to get wrong: too much shine and it belongs in a nightclub, too little and it just looks dusty. This gris argente goatskin lands in the useful middle – a soft pewter sheen that catches light as you move without ever glinting like foil.

The finish is applied over goatskin, which keeps the surface supple, and the rest of the build is the familiar Chypre recipe: anatomical rubber sole, black rubber outsole, black calfskin insole, black lambskin lining, adjustable strap, a half-inch heel and sizes 36 to 41.

I wore mine to dinner on a warm evening with black linen and silver jewellery, and the sandal picked up the metal tones without competing with them. In daylight it behaves like a grey with depth, which means it works outside the evening too, unlike most metallics I have tried.

Logistically it is a flat sandal that happens to be dressy, so it covers more ground than the description suggests – I have done a full day of galleries in them before changing nothing but a jacket for dinner. The anatomical footbed keeps the walk comfortable in a way heels rarely manage. Because the sole is flat, the sandal reads as an accent rather than a centrepiece, which is what I want from a metallic.

The honest warning: metallic finishes are less tolerant of abrasion than plain leathers. Rubbing against rough steps or grating the strap over the side of a bag can dull the shine in one spot, so store them flat and keep them away from hard edges. Handled well, mine have held their finish.