Since her first annual collection dropped 15 years ago, Paula Rowan has conceived and designed each and every glove in her Dublin studio. Her creative method is a patient synthesis: of an artist’s playful processing of inspiration, on the one hand, and a leatherworker’s expert eye for what materials are capable of, on the other. Each year her collection spans from subtle variations on classic forms to wildly imaginative couture conceptions. She is proud of both, and works with a variety of specialist ateliers in Naples to bring her different forms to life.

Southern Italy – Naples in particular – has long been the global capital of traditional glove making, and the craft is as vibrant in the city today as it has ever been. Over the years, Paula has developed close relationships with five of the finest leather-working houses, to realise her designs in hand-dyed, hand-stretched, hand-stitched glove leathers. These supplest of leathers are infamously difficult to work with, but result in a glove which over time conforms to the unique shape of the wearer’s hand. (“Fits like a glove” is a hard-earned truism.) Finally, trims are selected and added: from buttons and studs to silks, cashmeres and furs. All of Paula’s materials are ethically sourced and Furmark® certified.