By Homai Sagar
Velvet is the new 'it' fabric for fall 2010! It is stepping on silk’s toes this winter. And all the Indian design doyens love it, so it can never be far from a catwalk comeback. It's no wonder then that velvet would claim its place as this season's most beloved material. Since fashion is generally moving away from the bold and the beautiful and more into the minimal and sleek, this fabric adds the dimension of texture.

It also has an unmistakably gorgeous way about suggesting the female body's shape as the velvet twists and turns on a human body.
And there are many types of velvets in cotton, silk and satin varieties. Of these, silk velvet is considered best for making dresses. Firstly let us recognise that velvet is often confused with velveteen, panne velvet (crushed velvet) and corduroy. To these names you can also add finishing processes known as devore and burnout velvet or flock and embossed velvet which can confuse even more.
In India, the name for velvet is makhmal, which travelled with the moguls from the Middle East. The velvets currently available in the market are often a mixture of rayon and acetate. They have a nice feel but certainly do not match the feel of silk velvet. Many knit fabrics with pile added can resemble velvet, and are sometimes mislabelled as velvet. Velveteen is often confused with velvet but differs because of its shorter pile, which originates from extra loops in the weft. Velour is also similar to velvet in both texture and weight. But it is made form cotton rather than silk or synthetic fibres and in the same manner as velveteen.
Basically these are all pile fabrics that stand up from the back of the cloth. The surface of the fabric is a series of loops which can be cut or left uncut dependant on the method of manufacture or end product. An uncut pile fabric will have a pile surface whereas a cut pile fabric will have a nap surface.
One advantages is that velvet has deep and rich colours like violet, purple, wine red, black, dark brown, Moroccan blue and olive green. While a wide variety of imported velvet is available, the Indian velvet is also very commendable. As fashion designer Umesh Jiyani states, the Indian velvet compared to foreign velvet has a two-toned shadow effect and gives one’s dress a vintage look in a positive way. But the imported velvet has solid shades. Recently designers have turned to flocking velvet, a sort of satin material with velvet motifs embossed on it.
Fit to Flaunt
Luckily this fabric, especially in jewelled hues, really suits Indian skin tones. However it tends to make you look larger. So go for a velvet jacket or skirt. Wear a full velvet suit only if you’re slim, recommends fashion designer Payal Singhal and advises, “It’s a thick fabric and suits petite people really well.”
For the Gals
Want a classy look for an evening date? “Try a velvet skirt with an antique sari border and team this with an asymmetrical georgette off-the-shoulder top, for a delicate feminine look,” says fashion maestro Raghu Naik. Alternatively, he recommends stitching velvet appliqué on a pair of jeans or even denim skirt, and teaming this with a lycra or chiffon top. A sari with a velvet embroidered border or even tassels can look great as per fashion maestro Manish Malhotra. Designer Meghna K suggests a velvet blouse with a lace or netted sari and opines that flowy georgettes, lace and chiffons can be mixed and matched with velvet to get that great vintage look that’s in right now.
For the Male Mode
Raghu Naik recommends a velvet sherwani for weddings and festivals. Jivani suggests innovative combinations with velvet: Try lining you material he says and adds, “These jackets can be teamed with smart corduroy pants. Just one rule to be kept in mind, if you are wearing a shiny velvet jacket then stick to a cotton shirt. But if your jacket is more sober one, you can wear a shirt that has a bit of sheen to it. An ethnic outfit that is more suitable for a casual event is a printed mulmul kurta teamed with jeans and a velvet jacket. A rounded shirt with a velvet jacket is also a good casual option for an evening do.”
Caring for Velvet Items
Velvet picks up fluff, lint, dandruff, threads. So often all these bits show to the detriment of the fabric and it is only beautiful when the appearance is pristine and plush. Velvet outfits can be gently and lightly vacuumed with the special upholstery brush provided with your cleaner. You can also cover the nozzle end with some pantyhose leg and use that if you have no special attachments. Finally either use a special lint remover, a band of hooked Velcro or wrap scotch or Sellotape around your hand generously and carefully run the tape down the garment to drag off stubborn fluff. If you use the hand method be generous with the tape and throw away and renew it to get efficiency and a clean lint free surface.
Having a velvet garment is great but maintaining could be a pain… the ironing of velvet is a specialised process as a regular hot iron and board could permanently flatten the textile. One needs special ironing boards and a steam iron to remove the creases. Also dry cleaning is a more sensible option over regular washing. The current synthetic velvets could be safely washed in the washing machine and drip-dried.
Oh, I forgot to add, what ever you do, do not wear the tops with the same colour velvet pant, please! MF