Hermes Chypre Sandal Men Techno-sandal Matte Mississippiensis Alligator Lapis Lazuli Blue

Lapis lazuli blue is the deepest of the blues, with a trace of purple in the shade and a stone-like weight to the colour that matte alligator renders almost literally. In this finish the scales look like lapidary work rather than leather, and the black calfskin insole and black rubber sole hold the whole sandal down.

Function stays Chypre: an anatomical rubber sole that rises under the arch, a wide vamp, one adjustable strap over the instep, and a low black base. It is made in Italy in sizes 40 to 46, and the sandal weighs little for how substantial it looks on the foot.

Where I wear mine is evenings, mostly. Dark stone terraces, restaurants with low light, a hotel bar where the floor is marble and the music is quiet. It is the pair that makes a plain shirt and dark trousers look deliberate, and it works with denim without fuss.

The trade-off is that this is a material asking for attention. Alligator stiffens when it gets wet and can lift at the edges of the scales if it dries too fast, matte finishes need conditioning to stay supple, and dark blue shows pale scuffing on the grooves. Water only on a cloth, never directly; conditioner twice a year; no direct sun when drying. Do that and it ages slowly. Two seasons in, mine have deepened slightly in the creases of the strap, which reads as character on a colour this saturated, and the scales have stayed flat along the edges.