Glove love on Madison Avenue

Gloves can be sexy, practical and comfortable. There aren't too many accessories that can claim all that. When I was little, I remember seeing the women in my life -  my mother, grandmother and aunt -  wearing gloves and it seemed like a very elegant and grown-up thing to do. My grandmother, Bootsie, wore white gloves with her suits when we went shopping in downtown New Orleans; my mother wore elbow-length black leather gloves when going out to a party with my father (I still have them and wear them on special occasions); my cool California-casual aunt had an air of sophistication when she wore black leather gloves to ward off the Pacific Coast wind. 

I'm always on the lookout for the perfect pair for me. Often, when I see a pair of beautiful gloves worn in a fashion shot in Vogue, W, Elle or just about any other fashion magazine, it seems they are usually from Sermoneta.  Their shops are in Europe, Chicago and on the East Coast. I recently had an opportunity to visit the NYC shop located on Madison at East 58th when hubby Matt and I were there in November. 

We were there on a chilly, grey day and the small shop was busy. General Manager Kara Lee Kelly, the blonde woman in the middle, helped me find the perfect everyday gloves. She asked me to hold up my hand and in a second proclaimed my size as six-and-a-half. The gloves are organized by style and strapped together in bundles. 

Driving gloves, evening gloves, quilted, woven, suede, lambskin, wild boar (which is so strong the gloves will last a lifetime or three), Sermoneta has a huge variety. Kara says if you have something specific in mind, just give them a call. 

Founded in the early 60's by husband and wife Giorgio and Manuela Sermoneta, it is still a family business and everything is made in Italy. For the quality and style, the prices are very reasonable. I selected a classic pair: mid-length cashmere-lined black leather for under a hundred dollars. I've seen gloves at the department stores for that price and more and not nearly the same quality. 

Not much fur is worn on the West Coast, but I can imagine some Manhattan or European women wearing these. Warmth, elegance, style (and even protection against urban germs)...beautiful Italian-made gloves do it all.