I Found a Shoe So Similar to the Hermès Oasis Sandal I Blinked Twice—and It’s One-Third the Price

Fast Facts

• Material: calf leather
• Size range: US 3.5 to 14
• Available widths: medium, narrow, wide
• Colors: 6

How I Tested the Shoes

I evaluated the MX 35 sandals on the PW100 for five attributes: quality, versatility, comfort, durability and value, for a total score out of 100 points. I’ve been wearing them for months across New York City as I commute to work and go out with friends, often walking for long stretches.

Comfortable Heel Height

The MX 35 features a 1.5-inch walkable heel. (The MX sandal, $265, is a closer match for the Orion.) I took these out on the town when my friends and I went wine bar hopping the night the Knicks won the NBA finals. We probably walked a good three miles, minimum, through East Village, and my flat, bunion-addled feet had no complaints. I crossed uneven sidewalks, shuffled through dark bars and danced in the street singing Frank Sinatra and Alicia Keys with the rest of the city, and my feet were an afterthought.

Familiar, Classic Design with a Twist

While the MX 35 does evoke the Oasis, the criss-cross design makes it Margaux’s own. I love wearing clothing and shoes that feel like they should be predictable but have a little spin on them. They’re also easy to style. I’ve worn these sandals as easily with dresses as I do with jeans or a skirt. It’s nice to have a slip-on shoe I don’t have to think about but will always look good.

The Break-In Is Tough

Of all the Margaux shoes I own, the MX 35 sandals will definitely go down as one of the toughest pairs I’ve had to break in. I spent about a week wearing these shoes intentionally to break them in. First, I walked around my block every day wearing a thin pair of socks. Then, I eventually started applying a ton of lotion to my feet and doing the routine all over again. It took a few weeks for me to feel like they were completely broken in, and even now, I still put on lotion before wearing them.

The Sole Wears Easily

I’ve had the MX 35 sandals for less than three months and the leather soles already look like they’ve gone through it—and not in a “I stepped in a puddle on accident” sort of way. At the top of the toe box there is visible wearing down. Many people I know take leather-soled shoes to the cobbler to have a protector put in place; I eschew this and just head in when the sole is worn. It remains to be seen how long it will take for me to make an appointment. (Though bear in mind I often walk two miles a day just running errands, before I’ve even left my neighborhood.)

At $315, the MX 35 sandals are a splurge, but when compared to the Oasis’s $980 price tag, they feel like a steal. Margaux handmakes all their shoes in family-owned Spanish factories, and I think the craftsmanship shows. They are well built and made to last; these are the types of shoes that do well at the cobbler. (Not something you might do with a $50 pair of shoes from a big-box store.) With a timelessness and ease, they lend themselves well to pretty much any summer situation, social or professional, and I, for one, will be wearing them on repeat.