Hermes Oran Sandal Women Shiny Java Lizard Rouge Cinétique H242281Z U7350

Kinetic red is a summer red — brighter and lighter than a winter burgundy, with a bit of orange in it. On shiny Java lizard, which reflects rather than absorbs light, it looks lit from within instead of painted on. In sunlight it looks lighter than it does indoors.

This is the flat version: the Oran silhouette, 0.4 inch of heel with a 0.2-inch drop to the front, the H cut-out on the vamp, a natural leather sole with a red edge and kinetic red lambskin inside. EU 36 to 41, made in Italy, reference H242281Z U7350. It is the red of a beach towel or a coral, not of a lipstick.

I wear mine with white, with straw, with a tan, and they work as the only colour in a holiday suitcase. Because they are flat, they also take on long lunches and uneven streets that a heeled pair would resent. The flat sole makes it the most walkable of the red sandals I own. With navy and white it looks nautical; with black it looks urban. I have worn them to markets, to ferries, to a long lunch by the water.

Two caveats. Bright red on shiny leather shows scuffs as dull grey lines, and lizard is not something to repair at home. And the natural sole keeps these a dry-weather shoe; wet pavements will quickly undo the finish. A dry, soft cloth after wear is the only routine the shine needs.