She arrived in London a refugee, but soon set up a business making gloves, founding her own brand in 1946. In 1947, she was asked by the dress designer Norman Hartnell to make the "going-away" gloves for the then-Princess Elizabeth to take on her honeymoon, following her marriage to Philip Mountbatten. James additionally made several pairs for the Princess's trousseau, beginning her lifelong association with the British royal family. In 1948, she became known as "the Colour Queen of England" after launching her leather gloves range in 100 different shades.