EUROPE TODAY / Clothing

Leather glove making in Millau

Supple leather is stretched, cut with a glove-shaped die, lined, sewn and polished into a close-fitting pair.

Making leather gloves by hand — official video cover — Produced by Onisep TV, this French-language film follows glove maker Jean Strazzeri through a complete leather-glove sequence. He selects skins, stretches the leather, bonds a silk lining, cuts the components with a glove-shaped metal hand, sews the pieces and polishes the finished surface. Close views show leather, cutting equipment, stitching and finishing tools instead of a retail campaign. Onisep published the film in December 2019 and supplies its official player and matching cover. Municipal and French cultural sources confirm that glove making remains active around Millau. The film records Jean's practice, and GARDEN does not claim that products sold here were made by him or his workshop. Watch the original film ↗

Where it is practised: Millau, France
Materials & tools: Selected leather skins, silk lining, glove pattern and metal cutting hand, adhesive, thread, specialist sewing machines and polishing tools
Used in: Clothing

A working craft, today.

Leather glove making remains an active specialist craft around Millau in southern France. The maker selects and examines skins, stretches the leather to understand its give, then cuts matched components with a metal glove form. A fine lining can be bonded before the fingers and body are sewn with specialist machines or hand stitching. Turning, shaping and polishing refine the fit and surface. Millau's current workshops continue to make fashion, driving, ceremonial and performance gloves, linking precise leather handling with sewing skills developed specifically for this close-fitting accessory.

Inside the process.

An introduction to the sequence. Materials, tools and working methods vary with the project.

Select and stretch

Choose compatible skins, inspect their surface and work the leather to understand and control its stretch.

Line and cut

Add the selected lining where required, position the glove pattern and cut the leather with the shaped metal hand.

Sew the components

Join fingers, gussets and body with the appropriate specialist stitch, keeping seams fine and consistent.

Turn and polish

Turn and shape the glove, refine the fingers and seams, then polish the leather and inspect the pair.

THE DECISIONS BEHIND THE DETAIL

Where the skill shows.

The maker must read the leather's direction and stretch before cutting.
Accurate cutting keeps the two gloves balanced and the fingers correctly proportioned.
Fine seams and careful shaping determine comfort, movement and the finished silhouette.

Made for use.

Fashion and city glovesDriving and performance glovesCeremonial, uniform and costume gloves

Follow the craft.

PHOTOGRAPHS, FILMS & CREDITS

FILM · Jean, gantier

Produced by Onisep TV, this French-language film follows glove maker Jean Strazzeri through a complete leather-glove sequence. He selects skins, stretches the leather, bonds a silk lining, cuts the components with a glove-shaped metal hand, sews the pieces and polishes the finished surface. Close views show leather, cutting equipment, stitching and finishing tools instead of a retail campaign. Onisep published the film in December 2019 and supplies its official player and matching cover. Municipal and French cultural sources confirm that glove making remains active around Millau. The film records Jean's practice, and GARDEN does not claim that products sold here were made by him or his workshop.

Original film · Onisep TV ↗