Velvet for that luxurious look

vogue

From blouses to salwar-kameez and coats to sherwani, velvet is the latest fad of the season. Bollywood celebrities like Vidya Balan, Anushka Sharma, Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan have been, very often, flaunting elegant velvet attires during award shows and parties.

Quick on the uptake are the City’s  fashionist­as, who are found sporting the trend at weddings and evening parties.

It is the rich and luxurious look that makes velvet the hottest trend this season. Men, women and teenagers; people of every age groups are inclined towards this fabric.

“Velvet has a vintage allure and anything that is vintage looking is quite a rage these days,” says designer Amit. “Our traditional wear looks great in velvet. If you are using velvet in some attire, co-ordinate it with sheer fabrics in order to give a less bulky look,” he says.

The designers who have been known for their couture collections like Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani and Ritu Kumar have widely used velvet in their outfits.

Designer Pernia Qureshi, who used velvet in her show at Lakme Fashion Week, says, “Velvet is extremely trendy and easy to incorporate into Indian as well as western wear. It’s very delicate and feminine. It played a big role in shaping my summer collection for Lakme Fashion Week in the form of one sleeves black dresses.”

When it comes to experimenting with velvet, Pernia says, “Velvet as a fabric screams luxury. Drape yourself in a fitted velvet sheath dress or go bold with velvet pants or a blazer or even wedding outfits without being overwhelmed. Be experimental.”

This sound interesting but those who are cautious about experimentation can go for simple option. A hint of velvet at the borders of the sarees or the lehngas can give a rich look to the attire. It can be also added to hemlines. To avoid the entire outfit from getting too heavy, pair a saree with velvet blouse. Even black little dress in velvet can add extra charm to the look for an evening party. 

This shiny and soft fabric is gaining popularity among fashion conscious men too. “When it comes to blazers there are plenty of colours to choose from,” says designer Anupama Dayal. “The velvet maroon, aqua-blue and bottle-green jacket is a refreshing change from the  classic black wool tuxedo jacket. One can give a sharp look with a rollneck.

Velvet loafers are also the latest trend. They are a must-have for the party season. Those who are experimental can also go for velvet bow tie.”