Happy Clothes and Happy Gloves: The Rise of Seymoure Gloves in Fashion
Happy Clothes and Happy Gloves | A Perfect Fit
Dive into the world of Seymoure Gloves and their rise to fame in the fashion industry, led by celebrity stylist Patricia Field. Learn how they are transforming the accessory game and becoming a staple in wardrobes everywhere.
Who is Patricia Field? Wait, you don’t know? Impossible! But even if that were true, you’d no doubt be familiar with her many styling offerings to film and TV—we’re talking Carrie Bradshaw’s tutu in “Sex and the City,” Rebecca Bloomwood’s vibrant ensembles in “Confessions of a Shopaholic” and most recently the luxe Seymoure Gloves seen on the show “Emily in Paris” Season 2. This latest iteration is a fingerless leather driving glove fondly known as the Emily Glove, which actress Lily Collins’ character, Emily, wears in Taxi Yellow. If you’re obsessed with the clothes featured in a television show or movie, Field might have something to do with it.
If you’ve been paying attention—and how could you not? With the flagrant vibrancy of Patricia’s costume creations, you can see the careful accuracy she delivers to develop each character’s style. It’s not easy, but she makes it look effortless. Somehow she innately crafts a concept into a character’s reality. Field has a talent for stylishly arousing our senses, visually and emotionally, transporting us from a mundane atmosphere to a lively and spectacular world. A world that we can not only visually experience but also physically.
No doubt, many of us have mimicked her signature playful and colorful stylishness without even trying. Inspiration has a way of embedding itself into our psyche without us even thinking too hard about it at all. I know because it happens to me. Occasionally, I love to sport chunky jewelry, rich color schemes, and funky sunglasses, straying away from the innocuous neutral tones that might be safe but don’t express my inner “fashion girl.” If I could thank Patricia Field personally, believe me, I would.
For now, I, like many, will have to wait to entertain my Field musings. Although the new documentary, Happy Clothes: A Film about Patricia Field, screens today at the Tribeca Film Festival, it is not yet available for streaming. Here’s hoping some platform I subscribe to picks it up. This new film, directed by Michael Selditch, chronicles Field’s extraordinary journey from boutique owner to costume designer on various film sets throughout the eighties and nineties. Her contribution to the 1995 film Miami Rhapsody with Sarah Jessica Parker led to a longstanding friendship. It primed her entrance to a game-changing position when Parker again requested her expertise for Sex and the City. Scoring a coveted slot in a show that would eventually become a fan favorite launched Field into the go-to stylist extraordinaire responsible for many of the trends and fashion notions we know and love her for.
One is the penchant for luxury leather gloves, notably the Seymoure Emily Glove. The fingerless driving gloves are handmade from fine butter-soft Italian leather in the US. And those privileged to view the film will recognize them as she wears them throughout the movie. Field has designed gloves in the past, and her collaboration with Seymoure is the culmination of her style influence and the exquisite craftsmanship of the Seymoure brand. Patricia Field is a composition of person, artist, and brand, and when these two powerhouses joined forces, the result was sheer genius.
But why gloves? Well, why not? The Emmy-winning costume and fashion designer Field partnered with Melissa Meister, a celebrity stylist in her own right, because of their shared admiration for gloves and the unique element they bring to an outfit. They bonded over the idea that what was once a staple and revered concept of elegance had, over time, shifted, and they ventured to bring it back to the forefront with a modern-day delivery.
Gloves are no stranger to the fashion accessory club—we’ve worn them for years. Although they are traditionally seen in formal settings like weddings, proms, and debutante balls, to those in the fashion arena, converting an item with one purpose and reutilizing it in a modern and accessible way is part of the sport of styling.
This notion brings on flashbacks of Madonna in her lace gloves circa “Like a Virgin” to Billy Idol’s black leather, Marilyn Monroe in her white satin opera gloves, Billy Holiday in a fingerless hybrid opera style, and, most recently, Justin Bieber, who also dons Seymoure Gloves from the men’s collection. Seymoure Gloves are a true standout in the accessory game. They range in striking colors, including the citrusy Taxi Yellow and my favorite, Devil Red, inspired by Miranda Priestly from the film The Devil Wears Prada.
Meister’s move to start this line was a bold one but one with purpose. During the Covid fallout, she found herself restless with energy, energy to create something, and a desire to shift the stagnation draining her artistic fuel. She found her inspiration in an object that had brought her fond memories. Lingering on recollections of her mother and grandmother wearing gloves on various occasions, she plotted the course for Seymoure Gloves with enlisted help from two associates, Monica DeSalvo, who specializes in knitwear, and Tiffany Anderson, whose expertise in art and brand development helped get the ball rolling. The first iterations were a knit line, designed from a practical standpoint, sanitation. People were wearing gloves to protect their health. So Seymoure came out with a stylish and functional product. The gloves did well, and that jumped started the next phase, catering to a more luxurious and fashion-forward direction. The Seymoure Glove has now evolved to feature Italian leather, and the artisanal handmade aspect puts them on par with other luxury brands like Missoni (Seymoure Classic) and Gucci, and The Row (Seymoure Maison).
So while gloves may not be as commonplace an accessory as a handbag, belt, or sunglasses, they are an accent piece with a place in your wardrobe. I would even go as far as to say gloves are a fixture that is having a moment and quickly becoming a movement. How we view them has changed from an item solely reserved for special occasions to an everyday wearable piece that compliments a bevy of style options. We can credit Seymoure Gloves and Patricia Field for leading the charge.
Written by Linda Jamison
