A pair, or two, of genuine-leather fashion gloves is one of my best bicycle-babe secrets. They protect your hands from sunburn, handle bar chafe, cold wind, and in the unlikely event of tipping over, they protect your skin from scratches.
So it was to my utter delight when I discovered some of the world’s best bicycle-babe leather gloves in Belgium!
I was about to give up on Brussels in the bicycle fashion department because despite the Belgians all riding funky fold-up bicycles, the Belgians are not renown for their bicycle fashion sense!
However, on my last day I discovered that they do one essential fashion item for bicycle babes very well!
In a tiny shop, Ganterie Italienne, tucked away in the Galleries Royales St Hubert, is the underground workshop of expert glove-maker Pauwels Donat.
The shop and workshop have been run by the same family since 1890 and Donat, the third generation, has been making delicate hand-made leather gloves since 1985.
Fine leather gloves, as opposed to synthetic sports gloves, make for the prefect bicycle-babe choice because they breathe and after a few wears mold perfectly to your hand so it’s almost like wearing nothing at all. And they can be worn all seasons and in any weather.
What makes Pauwels Donat gloves so special is that he has a pair for every season and in any style: summer gloves with crotchet backs for extra breath-ability, winter gloves with wool lining and a range of colours to match your outfit, your bicycle or just your personal preference.
Pauwels Donat was kind enough to show me the secrets to making the finest leather gloves in the land!
What do you think?