Hermes Oasis Sandal Women High Heel Sandal in Swift Calfskin Hermes Red

Red is the colour people either commit to or avoid entirely, and soft leather is what makes committing easier. This Oasis in swift calfskin is a deep Hermes red, pliable across the vamp, with the H cut-out and an ankle strap rather than a slip-on. It is red with a brown undertone, less scarlet than the Epsom version, and softer on the eye. At night it looks deeper, almost like wine.

The heel sits just under two inches with the toe area close to the ground — a height I can wear from afternoon until late without thinking about my feet. Sizes 36 to 41, Italian-made. The ankle strap stops the foot sliding forward when the leather warms up. They are also the sandal my sister borrows most.

I take mine on holiday as the single colour in an otherwise neutral suitcase: with white shorts, with a black dress, with a tan. Red also reads festive in a way that pink and orange rarely manage. On a grey day in a resort town it is the warmest thing in the outfit.

An honest note about soft red leather: the vamp marks where the foot flexes and the colour lightens slightly with sun exposure. Keep them out of a hot car and they will hold their depth through several summers. Red likes shade, so I keep them in the box away from a sunny window. A damp cloth handles dust; cream should be colourless to avoid streaking.