Leather Gloves

[T4phage]

Kidskin: Young goat. I've seen finished hides, and it is small! The usable area is only about 30cm long by about 20cm wide. Incredibly soft and strong.

[TVD]

There may be hope yet!

I have just put down the receiver having called a small glove manufacturer in the Czech Republic. He seemed most friendly and knowledgeable. And best of all, unknown to me they have a shop in central Prague which should be open when I am around on Christmas Eve. I have bought his gloves before, but always from a limited selection at other retailers.

Well, he thought that a bespoke pattern should not be a problem. He also said that he has access to kidskin. While sheepskin is more popular today, traditional kidskin is still available. Apparently the tanneries of old used sheep from the wool part of the business, which had left the hides old and tired. Current sheepskin originates from young sheep for meat production, and is much superior. I shall have a look at some samples they can show me and report back.

It would be glorious to finally find an expert and enthusiast where one can have direct input into the design and manufacture of one's gloves, rather than be at a mercy of retailers which are either ignorant or unbelievably expensive.

[amphius]

So...... out of all the suggestions here, I'm now quite confused....... it seems that good, soft kid leather gloves with cashmere linings are not very accessible!

[rjman]

So...... out of all the suggestions here, I'm now quite confused....... it seems that good, soft kid leather gloves with cashmere linings are not very accessible!

That's been my experience but I'm rather bitter. There are plenty of retailers who will sell you a soft cape, goatskin or nappa glove from $20-$250, but nothing's really compared.

[loungelizard]

Curious to learn which of the previously mentioned glove makers still include fourchettes in their construction.

[rjman]

Curious to learn which of the previously mentioned glove makers still include fourchettes in their construction.

What is a fourchette? CJ is the only maker of gloves I've used (among Merola, Hermes, Aris, BR) who use quirks.

[rjman]

I must add that two days after saying they had lost my gloves and materials, CJ said they had found them and would be shipping my completed order in time for Christmas. Indeed it was, unlike that of a certain Savile Row Master Tailor who is testing my patience. The capeskin cashmere gloves are good, quite good (although gummier in feel than true kid); the alteration fee was truly nominal, and they accomodated my demands for a special pair of gloves as best they could and for a nominal fee so that I have a pair of astrakhan-trimmed tobacco-colored carpincho gloves lined in cashmere. They seem to equate carpincho and peccary, although the two come from different families -- one a rodent and the other a pig. I know that this equation has been made by others, such as Sulka, but nowadays most peccary gloves seem actually to be made from peccary. The gloves are a tad oversized, annoyingly -- I had asked them to make the gloves with some mink I had sent them; they made them in cashmere and did not downsize the gloves.

I've sent my Merola gloves back for repair and will report later.

[edhayes]

marc jacobs in soho has fantastic gloves in bright colors-and they're on sale

[Lookingtoimprove]

Partially because of this post I had a peek on Picketts' website. I then remembered a visit to T&A long ago, where I tried on a pair of silk lined gloves. That memory brought back to mind a question I had:

Which type of lining (silk or cashmere) is warmer/isolates better?



Mark.

[TVD]

There are several lining options: unlined, silk, wool, cashmere, polyester fleece, other artificial membranes.

Traditionally, gloves came unlined (for summer wear, or washable chamois), with a thin silk jersey knit lining (a material similar to those used for ladies' silk T-shirts, best for autumn / spring, or gloves in winter when you want to be elegant, it is not very durable), and wool or cashmere knit lining (winter). Cashmere is warmer and softer than wool, but not as durable. For arctic conditions you can get fur lined gloves.

Today, a polyester fleece material is also available. Rather warm, so beware if you tend to suffer from sweaty hands. It is durable and practical.

A number of mass market manufacturers insert membranes such as gore-tex to improve water resistance. Never saw these used for elegant gloves though.

Pickett should be able to illustrate most of these options (maybe with the exception of the polyester fleece) from stock.

[Lookingtoimprove]

Very interesting. Thank you very much.

Mark

[rjman]

Do tolerate this followup which I hope will be of both interest and edification to fellow seekers.

I returned from London recently where, to keep my hand in, I inquired after gloves at Turnbulls, Picketts, Connolly, Asprey, Vincci, Ballantyne, Swaine Adeney (who are, after all, whip and glove makers to the Queen), Harrods, Selfridges (which had an excellent selection of Dent's -- who have revamped their website, too) and elsewhere. Turnbull and Asser actually did have some kid, mainly silk lined as I remember, and not in many sizes. They could not promise that they would have replenished their stock of it either. None of the others listed above had real kid; most had no idea what I was talking about when I said kid except for Picketts. Ballantyne actually had some gorgeous and soft gloves that looked like peccary. The salespeople all seemed to be Italian and not to understand my inquiries but returned hesitantly stating the gloves were made of calf when I inquired.

I also went to Budd, but they didn't have kid gloves that I remember despite being an excellent place for formal (black- and white-tie) accessories.

Of all places, Aquascutum still has it together. They still carry sized socks and they actually did have white kid gloves (with cashmere lining, surprisingly). I reflected on the practicality of white kid and did not buy. I believed the gloves to be kid by touch; I did not inquire of any salespeople.

Merola has written me that they have finished repairing my deerskin gloves. This is just in time as my Chester Jefferies gloves now have come apart at the stitching between my right index and middle fingers. Mind you, these were made to my measurements. I am not thrilled, as I've owned inferior gloves in similar materials from Aris and Banana Republic which took considerably longer to come unstitched than either my Merola or CJ gloves. I have asked Signor Merola if he makes gloves in real kid as, apart from my small contretemps, his gloves appear to be of extremely good quality.

I paid a visit to M. Gerard Durand, an extremely approachable fellow who told me he had gotten a LOT more visitors since souliers.net mentioned him. He is actually the fellow behind the counter at the Dore-Dore shop at 79, rue du Bac. He carries gloves from France and from Italy and sold me a pair of extremely soft and well-fitting unlined French peccary gloves which he said are privately made in Millau for his shop. He carries peccary gloves for men in grey, red, green and beige. The presence of triangular quirks between the fingers testifies to the quality of construction. Alas, his kidskin gloves are only for women. His prices are reasonable -- 55 euros for sheepskin/lamb lined with cashmere, for instance, and unlike Chester Jefferies, he makes a distinction between peccary and carpincho. Of course, Loro Piana is selling carpincho gloves on vivre.com for a discounted price that is the multiple of what I paid CJ.

[Lookingtoimprove]

Kidskin gloves are worn by men for formal affairs. Much like chamois gloves are as well.

After rereading this topic -hoping to find a more extensive answer to my question- I must ask you gentlemen:

What gloves are worn by gentlemen for which occasions? (I.e. what gloves would go with tails, morning coat, dinner jacket, a city suit, a country suit etc.?)


Mark

[kolecho]

I'm bumping this thread up so that some of you experts may address the questions above as to what gloves should go with what ocassions.

In addtion, should the colour of gloves match that of shoes?

[manicturncoat]

My father has a pair of light grey kid gloves that he purchased from Hermes in the 60's which are the most beautiful gloves I have ever seen, there is just something about them I can't explain, nor can find another pair like them. Unfortunately they are too small for me, I secretly try them on every once in a while hoping something has miraculously changed.