Cornelia James founded her glove making company in 1946 in her namesake. As a Jewish woman in Austria, Cornelia James had fled her home country to arrive in Britain as a refugee, where she carved out an impressive and hugely successful business. Her first workshop in Hove, England, opened in 1947. In the same year, Cornelia was asked to create the ‘going away’ gloves for the then-Princess Elizabeth to bring on her honeymoon after her marriage. Cornelia’s work for royalty continued from here, and Cornelia became known as ‘the Queen’s favourite glovemaker’, earning the appointment of a Royal Warrant as the Queen’s official glovemaker in 1979. The company became world-renowned, catering to all of high-society including royalty from across the globe. During the 1950’s, the brand’s factory in Brighton had between 250 and 500 workers at a time, highlighting just how in-demand these gloves were.
As the years have gone on, the popularity of wearing gloves for fashion has decreased, though Cornelia James designs remain prestigious and well-respected. Cornelia herself passed away in 1999, and her daughter Genevieve James Lawson has managed the company ever since.
Today, Cornelia James still uses age-honoured techniques that have been working exceptionally since the brand’s beginnings. Each glove is made by in-house teams from start to finish, to ensure exquisite quality. Beautiful and luxurious fabrics of merino wool, supple leather, soft velvets and opulent cashmere are offered, as well as lighter cotton or lace styles. Although the wear of fashionable gloves has declined since the 1950’s, a pair of Cornelia James gloves will last a lifetime, whether for function or elegance or a mixture of both. Bespoke services are available, catering to any design, style, colour or fabric, and the brand also creates occasion styles, for bridal or opera needs. Whether looking for leather or wool gloves to protect from the elements, or elegant satin gloves to compliment eveningwear, Cornelia James is unrivalled in style, cut and finish.
Cornelia James designs can be purchased from the brand’s online store.