Gloves Are The Star Accessory Of The Season

In 1961, Audrey Hepburn wore very long black gloves in Breakfast at Tiffany’s designed by Givenchy, giving the actress one of the most iconic looks in cinema history. More recently, it was Margot Robbie who, on the red carpets, presented her form of Barbie, imitating some of the doll’s famed looks, gloves included. If in the Hollywood of recent past they were a distinctive sign of grace and elegance, today putting on gloves does not only refer to evening wear. On the catwalks, within the fall-winter 2023-2024 collections, they were the real stars. A trend adopted by almost all brands, which sends them to the top of essential accessories of the winter. The season’s most polished evening version is offered by Schiaparelli, with very long black velvet gloves in the timeless style of a 1960s diva; while at the opposite end are the more relaxed and colorful versions of Anrealage, which also braves a fascinating layering with wool and crochet.

For the other designers, it’s a real crossover between satin, organza and leather. On the sporty side, there were the micro versions from Gucci which, by covering only the fingers, push the concept of less is more to the extreme, as well as those from Louis Vuitton in a sporty mix of blue, red and white.

Driving gloves, those worn by drivers of the past, were especially popular: short on the hand and revealing the wrist, they were redesigned, in leather, by Del Core, Balmain, Giorgio Armani, Marc Jacobs and in organza by Givenchy, with very fine laces to attach them to the arm. Organza is also used by Chanel, Alberta Ferretti, Dolce & Gabbana and Rodarte, particularly on very long gloves and sometimes covered with pretty polka dots. But the winter material that wins is nappa leather, the one that made Bottega Veneta well known (which has also re-offered its version of fully braided gloves). Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello and its very 70s version, Alaïa, Chloé, Christian Dior, Jil Sander, Max Mara as well as the colorful version of Lanvin have all chosen leather. The hope for cool days? Dig through drawers and bring back vintage accessories that you’ve left aside for years. It’s no longer a secret: in fashion, everything circles back.