Ritu Beri adds drama to a military-style jacket by decorating it with metallic embroidery

In the hallowed halls of fashion this winter, velvet is everywhere. With the heady mix of decadence and glamour that it brings to an ensemble, velvet promises to be the luxurious cover-up of the season.

“The rich sheen of velvet makes it the chosen fabric for winter. Add to it the fact that it is durable,” says designer Ritu Beri. For Beri and a host of other designers, velvet is the de rigueur fabric this season. Designer stores are brimming with velvet in different silhouettes — from jackets and corsets to saris with heavy velvet pallus and gowns. Velvet is also proving to be a perfect way to accent an outfit and designers are using it on undersides, as detailing and accessories.

Yet how should you wear velvet without ending up looking like a shiny ball in a disco? Take a cue from the Bollywood divas who are nursing a velvet fetish and slipping into kurtas, saris and bodices lavishly flaunting the fabric. The men too are not shying away from the dandy touch by donning velvet sherwanis and blazers.

For an effortless glamourous look on winter evenings, the perfect answer says Sabyasachi Mukherjee, lies in a few yards of velvet. “My couture collection includes lehengas, Mughal anarkali kurtas and sherwanis that come either with piping and trimmings in velvet or whole bodices in the fabric,” says Mukherjee who embellishes them with antique zardozi embroidery.

Sabyasachi Mukherjee roots for antique zardozi to embellish velvet ensembles; (below) Siddharth Tytler gives a jaal effect to a sari pallu using velvet appliqué

Designer Manish Malhotra has gone with an ethnic range of kalidar kurtas and lehengas that come with broad velvet borders. He doesn’t think twice about giving his men kurtas and ornate sherwanis with velvet borders and Jodhpur jackets in combinations of brocade and velvet.

Then there are designers who are rooting for velvet to give a period look to their outfits. Take fashion designer Payal Jain’s holiday collection for winter called Vintage Rouge that’s heavy on velvet styling for a vintage feel.

“I’m aiming for the romance of the ’50s when the mood was unabashedly sexy post-World War II. Cinched waists, voluminous skirts, low waistlines, plunging necklines and full skirts complete the feel of the era,” says Jain whose line ranges between Rs 6,000 to Rs 40,000.

Short dresses or fully sequinned ones, camisoles and jackets in silk and stretch velvets add sheen to her very feminine line. For men, she offers jackets and waistcoat in the luxe fabric.

Siddharth Tytler has taken the ’50s Hollywood glamour forward by making velvet an integral part of his bridal collection. His sherwanis and pallus on the saris are appliquéd with velvet for a jaal effect while his bridal lehengas, big skirts and taffeta gowns flaunt velvet trimmings. The velvet kurtas, kaftans, gowns come with his trademark pearl and crystal embroidery. “Try the high-waisted pants with velvet knots at the waist and quilted, velvet jackets,” he suggests.

Tytler’s high-waisted pants are priced at Rs 8,000 and the quilted jackets come for Rs 16,000 to Rs 17,000. Velvet ghera (umbrella cut) skirts are pegged at Rs 10,000. Men’s sherwanis cost upwards of Rs 60,000.

Velvet appliqué motifs on coats are an integral element of the Abraham & Thakore winter collection; (below) Payal Jain’s line for men this season is replete with velvet jackets and waistcoats

Niki Mahajan meanwhile has used velvets in patches with other fabrics like handwoven silks, tussars and cottons in her collection that is inspired by Victorian fashion. Mahajan has gone creative with velvet in a big way by dipping the fabric in acid to create a burnt velvet look for a vintage feel. For the sake of subtle glamour, she fashions bags, shoes and bib necklaces out of velvet. Her line is priced upwards of Rs 7,000.

To wear velvet with élan you need to keep an eye on a few thumb rules. Designer David Abraham suggests that you wear the fabric in dark, rich jewel tones. So, he stays with aubergine, chocolate, black and burgundy red in his winter collection (pegged between Rs 15,000 and Rs 18,000) in which silk velvet has been used as trims on shawls and as appliqués on pure wool coats.

Mukherjee’s colour palette is about teals and burgundies, emerald greens and blacks while Jain uses tones of reds to deep amethysts and purples.

Beri’s winter line of dresses and sari blouses (prices are on request) come in bright colours like fuchsia, turquoise and red. She says: “For the jackets, however, I have used earthy colours like chocolate brown, olive green, beige and steel grey.”

Besides fashioning entire military-style jackets from velvet, Beri is using the fabric for sari borders, appliqué motifs and yokes in kurtis, along with sleeve details and edging. She further embellishes them with crystals apart from rich silk and metallic thread embroidery.

But keep in mind that you have to tone down the look rather than play it up. Abraham suggests wearing velvet with a rough texture. He says: “Break the look of a coat by wearing denim lowers.”

Mukherjee recomm-ends delicate jewellery and strappy shoes with velvet gowns, but bans a big bag.

And Tytler who pairs his velvet ghera skirts with safari jackets, says: “If you wear it well, there’s nothing that can look as stunning. No wonder velvet comes back every three seasons. It’s one of those stubborn fabrics that’s not going anywhere.”