Hermes Izmir Sandal Men Epsom Calfskin Noir Orange

One orange line in the right place can do more than a whole orange shoe, and this colourway is the proof. The sandal reads black from a metre away, while the orange note keeps it from disappearing into a crowd of identical black flats, and on a bare foot the combination looks warm rather than sporty. It is the pair I pack when there is one evening out and no room in the bag for two pairs of shoes.

That balance is down to the leather. Epsom calfskin has an embossed grain that keeps black matte and even, so the orange is the only thing with any life in it, and because the leather is firm the H opening at the vamp holds a crisp edge season after season. The sole sits at fourteen millimetres.

It comes in 40 to 46, and I would order the larger size if you sit between two numbers, since Epsom barely gives. My pair fitted from the first afternoon and has needed nothing since but an occasional wipe over the strap.

Fair warning: the orange detail is also the part that draws the eye to scuffs, and a black Epsom surface shows dust in bright sun. Ten seconds with a soft brush after a dusty walk keeps the whole thing looking deliberate rather than tired.

With plain black, white or stone clothing it is the easiest way to wear something that is not quite black, and it has quietly replaced my plainer pairs on most evenings out.