Gucci Velvet
Gucci AW12
The word velvet is used to describe pretty much anything good. The consistency of chocolate, the texture of perfect sand and tepid water, the sound of a sexy voice. Is it any wonder that the material that this all stems from is the most sensual and romantic of fabrics?
It was pretty much everywhere in the Autumn Winter 2012 collections, and no designer used it more strongly than Gucci. Their dark, sexy collection was filled with sweeping capes and gothic moments, but something that really stood out was this hammered velvet wrap-effect dress. The multi-tonal blues and incredibly lustrous finish give the dress a wholly glamorous look, despite it being a reasonably practical and altogether wearable dress come day or night.
In fact this complete look is pretty much perfect. The dark statement lip in berry red, the long tasseled earrings, giving the whole outfit a kind of upholstery motif, and the thoroughly modern ankle-supported peep toe shoes all work together to create the final image, which speaks of a leading lady in a dramatic film, there’s a narrative to the pieces and how they work together.
If you want to recreate the look, turn to one of our favourite online stores, Kirna Zabete. A Sonia by Sonia Rykiel dress in devore velvet has that same waisted silhouette, and can be matched with Eddie Borgo’s tassel earrings, a Tom Ford shining gloss in that same deep dark colour, and a pair of Givenchy sandals. For a practical but style sympathetic addition, a Bottega Veneta hand-painted leather clutch adds a gorgeous flash of gold to a fairly monochrome look, echoed by the heel of the shoes.
1. Eddie Borgo, Silk Tassel Cone Drop Earrings; £272, motilo.com
2. Sonia by Sonia Rykiel, Long Sleeve Devore Dress; £401, motilo.com
3. Tom Ford, Ultra Shine Lip Gloss Naivete; £32, motilo.com
4. Givenchy, Shark Lock Sandal; £676, motilo.com
5. Bottega Veneta, Hand-painted Waxed Leather Knot Clutch; £885, motilo.com