Why the gloves are back on
FASHION COLUMNIST AND INFLUENCER JOANNE HEGARTY
All the period pomp and salacious soirées that made Bridgerton one of Netflix’s biggest shows have given us an unexpected fashion trend. Suddenly hundreds of arms, including my own, are itching for an opera glove, that elbow-length finishing touch invariably worn to dressy affairs.
At the forefront of this revival is Genevieve James, design director at royal glove makers Cornelia James, whose bespoke designs have not only adorned the cast of Bridgerton but The Crown and Downton Abbey, too.
In fact, Bridgerton ladies are rarely seen swooning about without Genevieve’s gloves on – from her traditional Lucrezias to her satin Hermiones – while her white Desdemonas took centre stage during one of Daphne’s (Phoebe Dynevor) dalliances with the Duke.
And it’s not just on-screen that Genevieve’s gloves are a hit – her clients include the Queen, the Duchess of Cambridge and, once upon a time, Princess Diana. With the likes of Madonna, Lady Gaga and Rihanna fans, too, she certainly has her own hands full.
‘Bridgerton and The Crown have definitely made opera gloves more popular – the costumes were such talking points with viewers,’ she says. ‘Since the second Bridgerton series, there’s been such a surge in demand we’ve had to hire a new machinist to keep up.’
Genevieve adds that another big factor behind the gloves’ revival is people ‘wanting to live a little’ since Covid. Blake Lively wore rose-gold opera gloves to this month’s Met Ball, while brides are now ordering bespoke pairs for their big day. Queen Elizabeth did the very same thing when she married Prince Philip – only her gloves were designed by Genevieve’s mother Cornelia, who founded the company after arriving in the UK from Vienna as a Jewish refugee in 1939. After the war, the world was drab with rationing, and the bright leather gloves she made became such a hit that Vogue dubbed her ‘the colour Queen of England’.
I ask Genevieve for her advice on pulling off (stylewise, that is) opera gloves. Always follow the less-is-more rule, she says. So if your dress has a busy pattern, opt for a simple pair. But if you’re wearing a simple dress, then go for it: choose opera gloves with ostrich feathers and make them your fashion statement.
Right, I’m off to practise my swooning.
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THE LOOK WE LOVE!
One of the most googled ‘where to get’ wardrobes of late? Sienna Miller’s flawless outfits on Netflix’s Anatomy of a Scandal, from labels including Victoria Beckham and CeFinn. But you know that – you’ve googled it, too.
MOST WANTED
A sellout when it hit the rails 12 months ago, this dark denim zip-up jumpsuit from Anyday at John Lewis has just been restocked – not a bad way to celebrate its first birthday. Buy before it flies! Jumpsuit, €56.50, johnlewis.com
For a fashion statement, opt for a pair with ostrich feathers
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