Happy 25th to the Hermes Oran Sandals! 1997 is full of many quarter-of-a-century birthdays … I’ve been planning my 25th celebrations for the end of this year and to say I am excited is an understatement. It’s just over 4 months away, which, for a big celebration means that party planning has commenced! Today’s post shines the spotlight on the signature Hermes Orans, deep diving into the history behind the sandals, and features a selection of pre-loved Orans from Luxury Promise.
HISTORY
Jean-Louis, Artistic Director of Hermes at the time, chose “Africa” as Hermes’ 1997 annual theme. Creative Director for Footwear, Pierre Hardy, then debuted the Orans, named after Oran on the Algerian coast.
The sandals took inspiration from the African Ndebele tribe, with the first Oran pair featuring wonderful geometry and colour, much like the tribe’s artistic homes. His vision was to create a sandal “like a bare foot with something painted on it”. Indeed, this simple and understated, yet iconic, sandal with the signature H brought Hardy’s vision into reality. Rumour has it that Jackie Kennedy wore these sandals 3 years prior to their release in 1997.
Rose Jaipur Suede Goatskin Orans with Rhinestone detail available here (c.£950)
Brun Fauve Orans in Ostrich available here (£1,100)
FEATURES
The House’s most highly requested shoe, and the one with the highest sell through rate, the Oran sandals are a classic and staple Hermes piece. The iconic cut-out H initial graces the top of the sandal, creating the shoe’s signature stamp. The Orans are elegant and minimalistic, yet iconic– a truly difficult combination to get right, but, surprise surprise, Hermes gets right. Here’s a few pink pieces to wear on Wednesdays:
Epsom Rose Sorbet Orans available here (£510)
Box Calfskin Rose Boisé Orans available here (£510)
Suede goatskin sandal with crystal detail in Bois De Rose available here (c. £900)
Box Calfskin Rose Cotinga Orans available here (£510)
Easy to slide on, light and with a flat 0.6cm heel, the Orans are great for leisurely activities. They’re a staple shoe to wear for weekend groceries, coffee dates, leisurely strolls, and are a beautiful pair of house shoes.
The Orans overall run true to size and are a slimmer slide than most thick and chunky slides. The elegant sandals elongate the foot. If you have wider feet, I’d recommend opting for a .5 size; the .5 sizes are slightly wider than the full sizes, whilst the length is very very similar. For example, the 38.5 is a very similar length to the 38, but it is noticeably wider. The Orans do give a little as the iconic H strap moulds to your feet.
Box Calfskin Bleu Pinède Orans available here (£510)
Woolskin Oran in Vert D’eau available here (£670)
Epsom Vert Embrun Orans available here (£510)
Epsom Vert Pomme Orans available here (£510)
Box Calfskin Bleu Émeraude Orans available here (£510)
Notice the shade difference! 50 shades of blue- because you’ve got to match the Santorini buildings perfectly!
Box Calfskin Bleu Velvet Orans available here (£510)
Notice the shade difference! 50 shades of blue- because you’ve got to match the Santorini buildings perfectly!
In my personal opinion, if you have very narrow feet like me, I would recommend the Egerie Sandal over the Orans. Whilst they are entirely different shoes, the Egeries contour narrower feet more and fit like a glove.
Box Calfskin Granit Rose Orans available here (£510)
Epsom Calfskin Jaune Curcuma available here (£510)
Add a bright pop of colour to your Italian summer outfit
Epsom Calfskin Jaune Sable available here (£510)
Suede Embossed Goatskin in Beige Sable available here (£510)
Previous Oran sandals had a two tone inner sole– tan and the colour of the sandal. For example, the white sandals had a tan and white colour. However, the inner sole of the updated design is one colour and one continuous leather, making it marginally more comfortable too.
Metallic Madame calfskin Orans in Vert Bronze available here (£510)
Metallic Nappa leather Orans in Rose Doré available here (£510)
COLOURS AND MATERIALS
The Orans have been created in a multitude of colour ways and materials – from classic Box Calfskin and Epsom to denims, suede, velvet and furs, there’s an Oran for all!
The Gold Piqûres Écrues Orans in Box Calfskin are *the* prized Hermes slides. The contrasting white stitching is a welcome design feature. Hermes’ Orans have been created with a variety of materials. The Box Calfskin Orans are the creme de la creme – made with the finest Italian Calfskin, and is the oldest leather used in Hermes bags. Whilst comfortable, they’re an elegant addition to your weekend outfit. Team with white jeans and a loose-fitting blouse for a relaxed and refined spring outfit.
A pricing point – the classic Orans are £510 in London and €510 (c. £427) in Paris and this is without the tax deduction. In contrast, the classic Orans are £627 in Dubai. Thus, if you’re planning a Paris trip, I’d recommend holding out and trying your hand at buying them on your holiday.
Box Calfskin Gold Piqûres Écrues Orans available here (£510)
Box Calfskin Blanc Orans available here (£510)
Epsom leather has more of a grainy feel and is more hardwearing- I’d recommend these if you plan to go on longer strolls!
Epsom Calfskin Étoupe Orans available here (£510)
Metallic Nappa Orans available here (£510)
If you love to wear your personality on your feet, then let the Orans with intricate prints do the talking whilst you’re walking.
Calfskin Oran with “Brides de Gala en Desordre” print in multicolour Rose Aube available here (£600)
Calfskin Oran with “Brides de Gala en Desordre” print in multicolour Noir available here (£600)
Marine/ Rouge Oran with “Op’H” print available here (£590)
Calfskin Blanc/ Orange Oran with “Peinture Fraiche” print available here (£600)
Calfskin Oran with “Cavalcadour” print in multicolour Bleu Velvet available here (c.£600)
Calfskin Rose Flash / Orange Oran available here (£590)
The two-way contrasting colours are another great twist on the classic colours.
Calfskin Marine/ Rouge Oran available here (£590)
Epsom Naturel Oran available here (£590)
Another gorgeous pair are the Noir Patent Orans. These create a totally different look to your outfit – they are great if you prefer to always have a sleek and polished look.
Suede and denim also feature in the Oran collection:
Denim Canvas Orans in Bleu Clair available here (£510)
Green Suede Goatskin available here (£510)
The iconic Orans in classic Box Calfskin, but adorned with studs creates a shoe with a “rock n roll” twist. Team with a black leather jacket and small bag with silver hardware for an edgy look.
Black Calfskin Oran with studs (£730) available here
Naturel Calfskin Oran with studs (£730) available here
The woolskin Orans have been gracing our feeds recently and are a true fashion statement piece! The Cognac colour makes the sandal more versatile. However, if you’re looking for a true statement piece, I’d recommend the bright orange colour.
Woolskin Oran in Cognac available here (£670)
Woolskin Oran in Orange available here (£670)
If you’re looking for an elegant and sophisticated evening shoe for an evening summer meal by the Greek coast, then the suede Orans with rhinestone detailing are a glistening pair made for this very occasion ! I love the beige macrame pair with light rhinestones – it adds a subtle pop of colour to an evening outfit.
Beige macrame suede goatskin Orans with rhinestone details available here (£950)
Noir suede goatskin Orans with rhinestone details available here (£950)
And we have saved the best ’til last. Hermes Orans have also been crafted in a selection of exotic skins and I cannot keep my eyes off the lizard pair in the bright fuchsia colour – this shoe screams my name, and would make a welcome addition to my accidentally pink wardrobe !
Fuchsia Orans in Lizard available here (c. £1,200)
Noir Beige Orans in Moire Calfskin available here (£620)
SISTER SANDALS
If you love the fit of the Orans, and would like them in a variety of heels and styles for many occasions, then here is a small helpful guide. Oran…
- + 5cm stacked wooden block heel = Oasis (here)
- + 5cm stacked wooden block heel + strap = Encens (here)
- + thin ankle support + closed heel = Santorini (here)
- + elegant wedge = Legend (here)
- + espadrille + chunky wedge = Elda (here)
- + 8cm medium thick heel = Eternite (here)
- + 10.5cm thin heel = Ella (here)
- + velcro strap + thicker sole + chunkier = Chypre (here, but unavailable online)
PRE-LOVED: LUXURY PROMISE
As always, Luxury Promise have a selection of gorgeous Hermes pieces. Whilst you’re “Workin’ for the Birkin”, (as their iconic pink neon sign exclaims), why not purchase a statement pair of slides to match your future dream bag?
Epsom Orans in Vert Embrun 36.5 available here
Blanc Orans 36 available here
Founded by Sabrina Sadiq in 2017, Luxury Promise have Live Shows everyday, where you can shop your favourite Hermes pieces and beyond. They truly are disrupting the luxury resale market through creating these interactive shows which bring high-end pieces to their community. The Live Shows are a great way to directly ask questions about the bags on offer – this is a good way to learn more about the pieces, and see the bags, especially if you do not live close to central London!
Their cute store on South Molton Street (*the* side-road between Selfridges and Bond Street- IYKYK) is home to a selection of gorgeous bags – make sure to arrange an appointment so you can have a tailored experience with Sabrina and her wonderful team. However, do note that if you would like to view the Hermes collection, please email Grace: grace@luxurypromise.com
Metallic Nappa leather Orans in Rose Doré 36 available here
Metallic Epsom Orans in Silver 41.5 available here
A fun finance fact for you (bc I’m still a banking girl by heart) … Luxury Promise recently raised $11m and is now backed by Pierre Denis, former CEO of Jimmy Choo and Francois Delage, former CEO of De Beers.
Which Hermes Orans are on your bucket list? What’s your favourite colour-material-combination? Let me know! Lots of love, Jo xoxo
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