I love ecco shoes, buy them all the time, probably own 30 pairs so I am no novice to their typical quality. I always wish they would do more browns and tans, and gladly ordered these. But the color  is like it started as a nice brown, then got coated in a light coating of grey or black. I studied it for some time trying to determine if I had been sent a used pair. Even the bottom/sole of the shoe appears, 'pre-street dirt coated.&#34; I tried soap and water, and a little bleach on the sole to see if it was dirt on the cream soles. It is just like they made it to look dirty. I've never seen anything like it.