Hermes Izmir Sandal Men Epsom Calfskin ck10 Craie Brown

What do you wear when you want a sandal that is neither black nor loud? This pair is my answer. A chalk-white Epsom upper is paired with brown detailing, and the two tones work the way a pale shirt works with a dark leather belt: quiet contrast, no competition.

Epsom is the practical choice for the pale half. Its grain is embossed rather than natural, so it resists picking up dust and does not darken the way plain calf will, while the brown sections give the sandal a grounded, leathery anchor at the edges. The H cut-out sits at the vamp.

The size range is 40 to 46, and the leather’s firmness means the fit you feel on day one is the fit you keep. If you are between two sizes, take the larger; Epsom will not give the way softer calfskin does, and the strap across the instep has to do the work of adjustment.

Honest note: the white portion still expects a wipe after wear, and any scuff on the nod to brown shows as a pale line until it is brushed out. Neither has been a problem in rotation, but this is not a sandal for muddy paths.

I wear them with navy, olive or stone, and the brown keeps them wearable at dinner where an all-white sandal can look unfinished. Two seasons in, the contrast has stayed as crisp as it started, and the brown sections have deepened slightly with wear, which only makes the pairing better.