Velvet and silk

Velvet and silk bring deep matte pile together with fluid sheen for evening dressing across jackets, shirts, trousers and skirts.

Contrasting light reflection holds the combination together when plush velvet absorbs ambient glare while silk glides along the body in motion. The velvet smoking jacket dates from the eighteen hundreds, when men wore it to smoke after dinner, and the silk slip dress became an evening classic in the nineties. Sies Marjan, Sander Lak's New York label, was known for bold, saturated colour. Nina Ricci brings satin shirts and blouses, while Dior and Hermes add printed silk shirts.

Pair tailored velvet jackets and blazers over relaxed silk shirts or pleated skirts with sturdy leather footwear. WDLT117 in Toronto selects draped separates in deep green, blue and black from independent labels. Due West in Toronto adds G-Lab jackets and silk shirts. Utopia in Toronto adds silk shirts and velvet pieces, some pre owned.