Armour was purpose-specific. Parade armour was ostentatious and showy, governed by the same aesthetics that shaped, distorted and adorned contemporary clothing. The armours associated with these gauntlets were designed to be worn with rich velvet hose and silk stockings which combined to create a single outfit. Brightly coloured plumes atop the helmet completed the impression of other-worldly magnificence. A very rare survival on these gauntlets is the crimson silk velvet lining decorated with gold and silver thread. Its presence provides a soft contrast to the hard steel and reminds us that the combination of rich fabrics and virtuoso metalworking turned the armoured body into a work of art.