Few fabrics announce
themselves as quickly as velvet. Its surface
catches light at one angle and absorbs it at another. A velvet coat
therefore changes shade every time the wearer turns. The effect
comes from the construction rather than the fiber. Weavers produce
velvet on a double loom, creating two layers at once. A blade then
slices them apart. Consequently every one of those tiny upright
threads stands cut and exposed, and that pile is what the hand
reads as softness. The process also consumes considerably more
material than a flat weave, since two cloths must be made to obtain
one. Velvet has therefore always carried a price. This season it
returns across tailoring, eveningwear and accessories alike, helped
by a palette of chocolate, burgundy and deep green that suits it
particularly well.
A Fabric With a Police Record
Velvet reached Europe along the Silk Road. By the fourteenth
century the Italian cities had taken control of it.
Venice built an entire guild around the weave,
while Genoa developed a denser version for furnishing that still
bears the city’s name. The expense was such that governments began
legislating. Renaissance sumptuary laws restricted who could wear
velvet, reserving it for nobility and clergy. Anyone who
overstepped received a fine. Painters recorded the hierarchy
obligingly, because a sitter in velvet announced rank before anyone
read the caption. The fabric later crossed into menswear and
settled into the smoking jacket. Yves Saint
Laurent then borrowed that garment for women, and velvet
arrived in the modern wardrobe with its authority intact.
The Five Velvet Pieces to Buy Now
Begin with the blazer, which does the most work for the least risk. In black or chocolate it replaces wool for evening without further adjustment, and it behaves perfectly well over denim during the day. The skirt follows, ideally a midi with some weight, since heavier velvet hangs rather than clinging. Wear it with a plain knit tucked in and the proportions settle themselves. A velvet dress, meanwhile, handles the holiday season single-handed. Choose a simple cut and let the fabric supply the drama. The bag offers the smallest point of entry, because a velvet clutch adds texture to an outfit that has gone flat. Finish with the trousers, cut wide and fluid, which turn a plain cotton shirt into something that belongs out after dark. One velvet piece per outfit remains the rule worth keeping. Wear two and the light has nowhere left to land.
Zadig & Voltaire, Vavy
Velvet Blazer, $ 598
Valesque, Velvet Shoulder Bag, $
260
