Hermes Orans Review – Pros, Cons, Sizing, and Are They Worth It?

Ever since I began my hunt for a Birkin this spring, Hermes has quickly made its way into different areas of my life. First, I started with a Calvi cardholder since, after all, Hermes is the #1 leather artisan in the world, and now, I’ve purchased the classic Orans! Keep reading my Hermes Orans review to find out the pros, cons, sizing, and whether or not I think they’re worth the money. You can also watch my YouTube review and unboxing here or view my listing for a pair of special Crystal Orans here.

What They Come With

All of Hermes’ shoes come with the classic orange box and two separate dustbags, one for each shoe. I find that Hermes’ dustbags are much higher quality than other dustbags provided by luxury brands; these are durable and will protect your shoes when traveling as well.

Details

If you’re not familiar with Orans, this is Hermes’ most classic sandal style. You can recognize Orans by the iconic “H” cut-out featured below.

I purchased my Orans in the color Granit Rose. This is a seasonal color that’s limited to the summertime, and it’s the perfect rosy-neutral shade for my medium-tan skin. It’s made with calfskin leather, which is commonly known as the comfiest leather for Orans.

You can also purchase Orans in box calfskin or epsom leather. Box calfskin is comfortable but more prone to scratches and overall wear; while epsom is the most durable, hardwearing, and resistant to water and scratches, it’s also known to be the most uncomfortable of the three types of leather due to its stiffness. Calfskin is a nice medium because it’s both comfortable and resistant to scratches.

Sizing

If you have narrow or normal width feet, these run true to size and you can get your standard shoe size. If you have wide feet, I’d recommend going a half-size up. I normally wear a 36, but I sized up to a 36.5. Especially if you’ve purchased Orans in calfskin, the leather will form to your feet over time and become more comfortable with use.

Pros

Style – As mentioned above, the Orans are Hermes’ most classic sandal style, and these can be found in the wardrobes of Hermes lovers and non-lovers alike. Regardless of whether or not you’re familiar with the brand, you can be certain that anyone who loves fashion will appreciate your sense of style if you wear these! The classic “H” cutout and design of these shoes is timeless and will never go out of fashion.

Investment piece – I’m a big believer in investing in a few high-quality pieces instead of buying many low-quality pieces. Not only is this better for the environment (and for your closet space), but this will also almost certainly end up saving you money in the long run. Rather than buying trendy items that will only last a season or two, consider purchasing investment pieces that will stay in your wardrobe for years to come.

Comfort – Many sandals with similar styles tend to be uncomfortable because of how close your feet are to the ground, but these are definitely the most comfortable pair I own. I attribute the comfort largely to the calfskin leather. As with all leather shoes, these do require a short break-in period, but you’ll notice how comfortable they are after just a few uses. If you’re looking for something next-level comfortable, you can read my review on the Hermes Chypre sandals here.

Cons

Cost – I’m not going to lie, the price of these shoes is nothing to scoff at. The retail price is $760 USD without tax, meaning it’ll likely cost you ~$800 USD total.

Wear and tear – While I’ve only had these for a few weeks, I’ve seen plenty of videos of the wear and tear of Orans after months of use. Depending on how rough or gentle you are with your shoes, you’ll see this reflected in the condition of your Orans. If you use them to walk around the entirety of New York City several times a month, you can expect the soles of your sandals to look pretty beat up. However, if you use them for a casual stroll in the park or a 30-minute walk here and there, the wear and tear on the Orans won’t be anything out of the ordinary.

Are They Worth It?

This is a tough question because my own answer to this has changed over the past 12 months. If you’d told me a year ago that I would be paying over $700 for a pair of shoes, I’d have thought you were insane! However, after a couple of spring closet cleanings (and perhaps one-too-many visits to the Hermes boutique), I decided to pull the trigger and invest in shoes that I know I’ll get plenty of use out of. I have so many pairs of shoes that are under $100, but they get beat up and worn down so quickly that I end up needing to replace them every few months anyway. That being said, I do think the Hermes Orans are worth the money.

If you’re looking to purchase a pair of Orans, I’d highly recommend getting them in a special colorway that’s different from your usual black, white, gray, or brown. This Granit Rose color is even more stunning in person, and the Rose Flash shade is perfect for a nice pop of color during the summer!

Orans in special colors are hard to purchase directly from the boutique, so if you’re interested, you can feel free to message me on my Instagram or Facebook page if you’d like to use my personal shopping services to acquire these for you!