The world of style | accessories

There was a time, not so very Over the next decade and long ago, when almost every- a half (which he fondly calls thing a fashionable woman put “The Hollywood Years”), on was custom-made. France’s Storto honed the craft of small but much-loved world of glove making to something Thaute couture—and Italy’s long approaching conceptual art, tradition of artisanal craftsman- making contributions to movies ship—still provide a vestige of like Dick Tracy, Batman and that era, but most cultures have Death Becomes Her. He also had thriving industries devoted made custom items for celebri- to various local specialties: ties, including long black gloves Japanese kimono artists, Indian that were part of ’s sari manufacturers, Belgian ensemble the night she won an lace makers, English cobblers. Academy Award for her role in In upper New York state, the Moonstruck. Suddenly, he was town of Gloversville was once fashion’s go-to glove maker, home to hundreds of glove and designers from around manufacturers; by the early 20th the world came calling. Dries century, it was producing, by one Van Noten and Alexander estimate, one out of every three McQueen were particular fans: gloves in the world. Today, For several years Storto travelled Gloversville has just one custom between Antwerp, Paris and Los glove maker—but his work is as Angeles. He also established a fine as (and in some ways, more long-term working relationship extraordinary than) that of his with the late , French or Italian peers. who sent him fabric swatches for Daniel Storto comes from each collection and placed no a family of dressmakers, tailors limits on his creativity. and shoemakers, but he found Ultimately, though, all of his way to Gloversville by a Storto’s roads led to Gloversville, circuitous path. He hails from which he stumbled upon in the Toronto, Ontario, and by his late ’90s. Although the town was teens he was already making a shadow of its former self, glamorous “evening swimwear” Storto sensed potential and (accessorised with his own decided to settle there. He gloves, and meant for lounging opened a storefront atelier; around a pool, not for going in scoured sales and local auctions the water). He often travelled by to build up his collection of bus to New York City, where he original 19th-century and early went from magazine to maga- 20th-century tools; and now zine hoping to catch the eye of runs a small global business influential fashion editors. One from America’s once-mighty regular stop was the office of { style } glove making capital. Shoppers (then at New can stop in at the world’s only York); he also met Women’s glove shop with a glove maker at Wear Daily’s Bobbi Queen, who work on the premises and buy a gave him significant coverage in hand-sewn pair. Or for a custom the trade paper. However, as his pair, clients meet with him to swimwear business started to have some 15 different measure- grow, the far-sighted young man Glove ments taken of their hands, realised he’d be better off wrists and arms. Others may building his label in sunny correspond with him by e-mail Southern . By the early or telephone and send him ’80s he was in Los Angeles and tracings of their hands. Either running with a well-connected Affair way, it’s a lengthy process, not crowd that included Rudi A custom glove maker travels the world only to settle least because Storto still makes Gernreich (designer of the first in a tiny community called Gloversville. everything himself. We suggest topless bathing suit), American contacting him immediately, as By Mark Grischke | Photography by Stephen Piersanti 40 couturier (a there’s already a waiting list. favourite) and www.danielstorto.com 4S the irrepressible (the costume wizard behind so Mark Grischke has for 20 years many sight gags on The Carol covered the world of luxury goods Burnett Show). as an editor and writer.

issue four 2009 | FOUR seasons magazine