Hermes Chypre Sandal Men Techno-sandal Epsom Calfskin Gold

Gold leather is the one warm colour that consistently works on a male foot, and on Epsom’s matte grain it stops short of anything costume-like. It reads as a deep tan in winter light and a honey tone in the sun, and it works with white, navy and olive trousers without a moment of doubt.

The sandal itself is the classic Chypre: a wide calfskin vamp, one adjustable strap that closes over the instep, and the anatomical rubber sole that curves under the arch to keep the foot supported. Sizes 40 to 46, made in Italy, with a low rubber base and a grip that handles cobbles better than a smooth sole would.

This is the pair I pick for holidays where photographs get taken. Against a white shirt or pale stone it has presence without looking loud, and the leather lightens gradually at the strap where sun hits it, which gives it a lived-in look by August.

What to know: gold-tone leather shows water marks more readily than black, and sunscreen transfer is real on this colour. Keep them out of swimming pools, let rain dry naturally rather than wiping it in, and clean with a dry cloth rather than a wet one. Follow that and the tone deepens evenly; ignore it and you get dark spots at the toe line. Looked after this way, mine have warmed into a proper tan, and the Epsom has kept its matte surface across the vamp and the strap. I would buy the same pair again without changing a thing.