Velvet moods

[On cover: Antonio Marras FW 17/18 – Lella Baldi’s shoes]

It’s already time to start thinking about your autumn wardrobe. Following on from last season when velvet clothing was one of the hottest fashion statements around, footwear for the a/w 2017/18 season continues to follow the trend, even in more casual, sportier shoes. So now we not only have court shoes, sandals and slip-ons available in all the various different types of velvet, but also sneakers and ankle boots. Smooth, devoré (burnout) or jacquard, embroidered or combined with other fabrics, velvet is part of the trend to reinterpret classic models in a modern key.  

So in no way can it be seen as a return to the late ‘70s and ‘80s, when velvet had slightly kitsch connotations: today the result is invariably a modern, contemporary shoe, versatile and transversal, suitable for all occasions. The origins of velvet are lost in the mists of time, somewhere along the legendary “silk road” that Arab merchants used to bring it to Europe, winning over nobles, artists and fashion designers throughout the ages. The latest example being the collections for the forthcoming autumn/winter season.