As a child, my festive wardrobe was largely made up of Laura Ashley velvet dresses, complete with puffy sleeves, frilly collars and little bows. My mum loved dressing me in the plush fabric, always insisting it was terribly elegant. I wasn’t quite so convinced. Once I hit my tomboy phase, I wanted nothing to do with frills or dresses, so the velvet frocks were swapped for a pair of stretchy velour tracksuit bottoms.
As a teenager in the 2010s, my velvet pieces came in crushed finishes, sourced from Urban Outfitters and worn with creepers and distressed T-shirts – like every angsty teen at the time. In adult life, however, I haven’t dabbled in the fabric for quite some time. That is, until this season, when plush velvet has found its way back into my festive party-dressing lineup.
Shop Vogue’s top velvet pieces at a glance:
Alexa Chung’s recent collaboration with Reformation convinced me to introduce some velvet into my winter rotation. Among the highlights were plunging, bias-cut gowns in chartreuse and magenta, collared jackets in dusty purple and floral jacquard, as well as a particularly covetable classic black dress coat with the mother-of-pearl-effect buttons.
“Vintage shopping, which has always been a pleasure for me, is also inspiring. I went to Rockstar Boudoir in Crouch End and found this beautiful 1930s velvet coat. I love the sort of elegant eveningwear that feels slinky and luxurious, but you can still style it with denim. I think this set the tone,” Alexa told ’s Joy Montgomery at the time of the launch. “If this collection had a time, it’s 9pm, you’re with the gals, and it’s cocktail o’clock.”
Indeed, it doesn’t take much for velvet to feel vintage – even when buying it brand new – particularly given the abundance of aged-looking finishes and archival-inspired silhouettes on the market. The trick to make velvet feel modern is less about the fabric itself and more about how you choose to wear it.
The autumn/winter 2026 runways offered plenty of inspiration for rethinking the texture. We’ve already shouted out the ’90s-inspired, Tom Ford-for-Gucci-era velvet trousers that made a comeback this season, from Burberry’s rock-star-ready crushed velvet versions to Zimmermann’s sweeping wide-leg cuts. Elsewhere, Ulla Johnson offered crushed teal velvet suiting styled with pussy-bow blouses and Peter Pan collars, while Dolce & Gabbana, Etro and Alaïa all sent black velvet blazers down the runway.
As for eveningwear – perhaps the most obvious way to embrace the texture – Givenchy kept things simple with a square-neck, spaghetti-strap gown in Klein blue, while Lanvin draped velvet around the frame in high-neck, asymmetrical styles in smoky grey and wine red. Victoria Beckham’s one-shouldered, deep-blue velvet designs, meanwhile, came with full-skirted bubble hems.
Lanvin AW26.
Launchmetrics.com/spotlightFor a slightly more unexpected take on the texture, you could also consider velvet flats. Jennifer Lawrence recently wore a pair alongside a matching velvet housecoat from Colleen Allen, while Dakota Johnson gave the plush shoe a more pared-back treatment, styling hers with a leather trench and a simple white T-shirt.
While velvet can certainly be dressed up for a festive evening out, it need not be saved for one. Whether styling plush textures against cotton shirting, relaxed denim alongside something decidedly more decadent, or an otherwise understated outfit punctuated by a velvet accessory, there are many ways to wear velvet in your everyday, too.
If, like me, you’re reconsidering texture this winter, scroll on to discover eight -approved ways to wear velvet now.
The velvet dress
The velvet trousers
The velvet flats
The velvet coat
Good True Straight-Leg Denim Jeans
The velvet bag
The velvet scarf
The velvet jacket
Velvet Tailored Cinched Waist Blazer
The velvet skirt
Shop more velvet pieces
Bead Embellished Fringe-Trimmed Velvet Shoulder Bag
Bustle Gathered Satin-Trimmed Cotton-Velvet Shoulder Bag
