Hermes Izmir Sandal Men Epsom Calfskin ck10 Craie

Craie means chalk, and that is precisely the tone of this leather: white with a warm, dusty cast rather than the blue-white of a fresh sheet of paper. On a bare foot in summer light it comes across as soft and quiet, and it flatters darker skin especially.

The hide is Epsom calfskin, which is pressed with a small even grain during tanning, so the surface stays level and the colour does not pool or darken unevenly. The edges run straight, the H opening sits at the centre of the vamp, and the sole is a flat fourteen millimetres. It is also the leather that asks the least of you, because creams and conditioners have little work to do on a pressed grain.

The model is offered in 40 to 46. Craie is easier to live with than a pure white because small marks read as part of the tone rather than as stains, and the firm Epsom grain means the sandal keeps its outline instead of relaxing into a shapeless flat over a season.

Where it asks for care is at the strap, which is the part that takes on skin oils over months of hot wear, and a wipe at the end of a day keeps that from settling. Some buyers will find the leather firm under the toes for the first few outings.

With stone, oatmeal or pale grey the chalk tone blends into the outfit, and against a tan it looks almost cream. It is the least loud sandal I own and the one I wear most.