Velvet

Velvet has long been associated with wealth and refinement. Its dense pile, rich appearance and ability to take strong colour made it particularly suited to luxury interiors and decorative furnishings. 

Velvet can be woven from several different fibres, with silk velvet traditionally regarded as the finest. During manufacture, two layers of fabric are woven simultaneously and connected by additional warp threads. These connecting threads are then cut apart, creating the raised pile characteristic of velvet.

The direction of the pile affects the way light is reflected, producing the distinctive changes in colour and shade that are especially noticeable in silk velvet.

From the late eighteenth century and throughout the nineteenth, velvet was extensively used to line dressing cases and jewellery boxes. Cotton velvet offered a durable and less costly alternative, while silk velvet was favoured for the finest and most elaborate interiors.

Popular nineteenth-century colours included red, burgundy, purple, dark blue and green.