Hermes Chypre Sandal Men Techno-sandal Calfskin Epsom Calfskin Naturel Black

Two leathers on one sandal is a decision that either works or looks muddled, and here the natural and black calfskin read as one object because the split follows the construction. The black sections carry the weight, the natural leather lightens the edges, and the Epsom trim keeps the panel lines sharp instead of soft.

Underfoot, the anatomical rubber sole does the work of a footbed, curving through the arch with a half-inch base and a flat forefoot so you can feel the ground without feeling every pebble. The strap adjusts over the instep through a buckle, and the sandal is made in Italy in sizes 40 to 46.

I like this one for the kind of summer day that starts with a market and ends with dinner outside. It is quiet enough for a restaurant terrace and open enough for hot pavement, and the two-tone leather gives it more personality than an all-black pair without shouting about it.

The honest trade-off sits with the natural leather. It is undyed for the most part, so it darkens where your foot presses and where the strap folds, and it will mottle if it gets soaked and dries in a hurry. Treat them as fair-weather sandals, wipe them before storing, and the two-tone effect deepens rather than blurs. What I did not expect was how well the natural leather handles heat. It breathes more than the black sections do, which my feet notice in August, and the strap has moulded to my instep without any pressure across the top.