I rarely go through fashion fixations, but when I do, they hit hard. With the winter 2025 trends, I've become obsessed with getting my hands on—or, rather, in—a pair of leather gloves. They're the cold-weather accessories of Old Hollywood starlets and '60s-era Swans, and while I'm neither, their divadom is what I hope to emulate this season. Who What Wear's Jasmine Fox-Suliaman tells me, "When I wear my pair, I feel like I should be married to a billionaire,"—and that's the exact vibe I'm after.
Upper-echelon attitudes aside, leather winter gloves are also easy, elegant additions to a winter outfit. Marie Claire's very own editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike writes in her Self-Checkout newsletter that leather gloves are low-lift outfit finishers that are "a little more glam; a little more…extra." Look to Altuzarra's Fall 2024 show, where luscious opera-length lambskin gloves added a girl-on-the-go nonchalance to sequins and cable-knit sweaters.
Like Ogunnaike, the celebrity set also uses luxe leather gloves to polish off their outfits. At Dior's Spring 2024 couture show, Rihanna's black leather elbow-scrunched pair mixed her Bad-Gal glamour with classic Parisian refinement. There's also "It" girl to end all "It" girls, Chloë Sevigny; when attending the Feud: Capote vs. The Swans New York City premiere, Sevigny paid homage to her role as the ladylike C. Z. Guest in a frothy, bow-adorned Christopher John Rogers gown and slim leather gloves that scooped just below the wrist.
But, again, I am not a mega-watt diva of Rihanna, Seivgny, or Guest's ilk. So, are leather gloves a winter trend that I can actually wear in my non-Fashion Week and red carpet day-to-day?
Paula Rowan, a leather gloves designer to the stars, with fans including Princess Kate, Lady Gaga, and Dua Lipa, says unequivocally yes. "There is a glove for everyone, whether it is an understated classic, an exaggerated bow detail, or a shoulder-length exuberant design with tulle, ribbon, and feathers," she describes. Just as there's a trendy coat or winter boot for all shoppers, finding the right leather glove is merely a matter of personal style and preference.
Rowan, who solely designs gloves, finds them to be much more than just a cold-weather accessory. "They're not just gloves: they're couture for the hands," she expresses. "We do so much with our hands: we talk and communicate, touch and hold. We form bonds through a handshake, so why not dress and adorn them in exuberant, beautiful designs?"
Rowan had me at "couture." Ahead, I break down the different categories of leather gloves, from short to long to texting-friendly, and rounded up the pairs on my to-shop list. Here's to the ladies who lunch—in leather!
Short Leather Gloves
Considering this is my first foray into the world of leather gloves, a shorter silhouette appeals to me as a wearable, easy-to-style introduction. Agnelle's studded pair caught my eye, as did Paula Rowan's burgundy style with an angular notched wrist.
"Leather lasts a lifetime, and each glove is made by master craftsmen in the South of Italy," Rowan describes of her designs that are made in Italy and take three months to produce. "These leathers literally mold to the shape of the wearer's hands," she details.
Long Leather Gloves
Fox-Suliaman, the proud owner of a sleek, opera-style pair by Jil Sander, explains she feels transported by her long-length gloves. "I'm transported back to a different era—when people cared about dressing up again. My long leather gloves add a touch of elegance to the everyday banality," the fashion editor shares. If you are also interested in unleashing your inner mid-century muse, consider the options below.
Lined Leather Gloves
Warmth, of course, should be a priority when shopping for any cold-weather accessory. Lined leather gloves combine both fashion and function, making them an all-around savvy investment.
Tech Leather Gloves
While wearing a luxe all-leather pair of gloves makes me feel like I'm Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis waving down to a crowd of American citizens, I'm addicted to my phone (sigh: I know, I'm working on it!) and enjoy being able to use it while keeping my fingers cozy— hence, why tech-friendly leather gloves are on my radar.
Jordan Goldberg, managing editor at Editorialist, shouts out her texting-friendly pair by Echo New York. "Leather gloves feel like the grown-up version of the mittens I wore when I was younger," she tells me. "They keep me just as warm as mittens, too, and have 'texting fingers,' so I can scroll my phone when it's cold out."
