Hermes Chypre Sandal Men Techno-sandal Matte Mississippiensis Alligator Etoupe

Etoupe deserves a clearer reputation than it has. The name covers a family of warm greys with brown in their bones, and on matte Mississippiensis alligator it does something useful: the scale grid stops shouting and starts behaving like texture. Newcomers to exotic leather often want their first pair to be invisible, and this is that pair. People notice the quality long before they work out why.

As sandals, these are built for mileage. The rubber sole is shaped to the arch, a black calfskin insole sits on top, the base is rubber in black for grip on wet stone, and a single strap buckles over the instep. They come in mens sizes 40-46. Italian workmanship throughout, with the generous vamp the men’s Chypre line is known for.

I have walked a full summer Saturday in them: brunch, an exhibition, then miles of riverside path before an early dinner. The scales warm and give slightly against the skin after the first hour, which softens the whole shoe, and the etoupe tone never looked wrong against what I was wearing, olive shorts in the afternoon, charcoal trousers at night.

Two things to accept before buying. Alligator in this finish dulls with handling rather than cracking, and the dulling is gradual enough to read as ageing well, provided you keep it clean. Lotion and sun oil leave a film that must be lifted with a proper cream, and serious rain can raise the scales at the edges. Weekly brushing when dry, conditioner a few times a year, and they stay handsome. Mine have taken a heavy season without complaint.