Hermes Oran Sandal Women Swift Calfskin Rose Cancan

I bought this pair for a garden party in June, on a day when I had already decided my outfit would be entirely white. Rose cancan did the rest. It is a clear, saturated pink with no coral and no purple in it, and against a white dress it carries the whole look without any jewellery at all. That is a lot of work for one flat sandal.

The upper is swift calfskin, smooth and light and flexible, with straight-cut edges that give the outline a crisp finish. The H cut-out runs across the instep exactly as it should. The sole is natural leather with a leather edge, the lining is lambskin, and the heel is low at roughly a centimetre. Italian-made, and sized 36 to 41.

Since that first outing I have used them more casually than I expected: with cropped white jeans, with a striped shirt and shorts, and once with a navy dress, where the pink suddenly looked more grown-up than it does in daylight. They photograph beautifully in sunshine, which is not something I can say about every colourful shoe.

A pink leather sandal demands a little discipline. Colour can transfer onto the pale sole edge on a hot afternoon, and sun will fade any bright dye over years, so I keep mine out of the car and away from windowsills. Clean with a soft dry cloth and they will hold their tone far better than you would think.