Hermes Chypre Sandal Men Techno-sandal Epsom Calfskin Black

Epsom in black is a leather that behaves like nothing else in a summer shoe. It is pressed and firm rather than supple, which means the strap keeps a clean line across the foot from the first day, and it resists the light scuffing that soft calfskin collects on kerbs and steps.

The Chypre build suits it. A wide vamp covers most of the forefoot, the single strap adjusts over the instep, and the anatomical rubber sole curves through the arch so the foot is supported rather than left flat. The sandal is made in Italy in sizes 40 to 46, and the rubber base keeps a low, half-inch profile.

I wear this pair the way I wear a plain black leather shoe: with dark trousers at dinner, with shorts on a hot weekend, with everything in between. Because the leather has no visible grain pattern to catch the eye, the sandal reads formal enough for a smart restaurant, which is not true of most open shoes.

One thing to expect: Epsom does not crease the way softer leathers do, but it can develop a faint sheen at the point where the strap folds through the buckle, and black sandals hold heat in direct sun. The first is manageable with a barely damp cloth; the second is geography, not quality. Modest upkeep, long service. After a full summer these are the pair I reach for before anything else, and the Epsom has held its shape better than any soft calfskin sandal I have owned.