Hermes Oran Sandal Women Swift Calfskin Marine H202230Z I2365

Navy is the colour I wear most in summer, and it is also the one people forget when they shop for sandals. Marine is a true navy with depth rather than brightness: dark enough to pass in the evening, blue enough to look like a choice. This pair carries it everywhere, upper, leather edge and calfskin lining, with only the natural sole left pale.

Reference H202230Z I2365, made in Italy, sizes 36 to 41. Swift calfskin is smooth and supple and does not need breaking in; the H cut-out lies flat over the instep straight away. Heel height is about a centimetre with a five-millimetre drop to the front, so the sandal sits low and stable, even on cobbles.

I use navy sandals with white trousers, with pale denim and with striped shirts, the classic summer combination, and they work better than black in daylight because the blue lifts the whole outfit. On holiday they are the pair that can handle lunch and dinner without looking dressed down. Set against a tan, the navy stays crisp rather than heavy.

Honest note: dark navy leather shows dust and dry salt lines quickly, and the inside lining can darken where the sole of the foot rests. Both clean off. Keep a cloth in your bag, avoid wearing them into the sea, and the navy stays deep for a long time. Stored away from a windowsill, they keep their depth rather than fading to grey.