Enter some men’s wear departments these days, and you could be forgiven for thinking Christmas has come early. Velvet jackets, the stuff of end-of-year-dinners and festive get-togethers, festoon the rails even before the inevitable racks of tinsel, cards and wrapping paper have appeared in stores.
The current crop of velvet jackets, however, has a rather more casual feel, more blazer in style rather than resembling something pulled from the black tie or evening wear section. Designers from Giorgio Armani to Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci have taken this luxurious, louche fabric and brought it squarely in to the daylight.
Frida Giannini, Gucci’s creative director, says: “Velvet has always been a signature material for Gucci; it brings a rich and effortless look to men’s tailoring.” The designer paired platinum grey, plum and deep russet brown two-button velvet blazers (£1,610) with black jeans, weekend bags and loafers on the autumn/winter runway. “This season I printed micro-patterns in luminous tones on to the velvet to give it a twist,” continues Giannini, “which means the jackets can move easily from day to evening. I think modern men now have the confidence to break traditions in the way they pair casual and formal.”