Hermes Chypre Sandal Women Techno-sandal Epsom Calfskin Bleu Cristaux H231295Z DF350

Bleu cristaux earns its name: the blue has a clarity to it, a mid-tone that reads clean rather than sweet. On Epsom calfskin the colour sits flat and even across the strap, and the grain gives it just enough depth to keep it from looking painted on.

The construction follows the flat Chypre blueprint – anatomical rubber sole, black rubber outsole, black calfskin insole, adjustable strap, half-inch heel, sizes 36 to 41 – with crystal blue lambskin lining providing the softer, brighter counterpoint inside the shoe.

I took mine on a sailing-adjacent holiday where they spent a fortnight moving between a stone terrace and a beach bar. The Epsom handle dust and dry sand without complaint, and the lining stayed comfortable even on the hottest afternoons. The colour looked brightest against white linen and age-worn stone.

It is a confident pairing with denim, white and pale grey, and stops short of being seasonal because the blue is deep enough to sit under turn-ups with a Breton stripe. The black outsole keeps the whole thing grounded, and the half-inch heel keeps it comfortable for walking as well as looking.

One thing to expect: a saturated blue shows scuffs as pale lines, especially at the toe where glass and stone find it, and the pale lambskin lining takes on a patina from barefoot wear. Neither is damage – but keep them in a dust bag rather than loose in a suitcase, and the colour stays true. The blue plays well with raffia and straw too, if your summer wardrobe leans that way.