The Velvet Touch Who can resist it? Everyone has heard of velvet but most do not know what it actually is. Velvet is not a fibre itself, but the structure of one, as it can be made from many materials (i.e. silk, cotton, wool). It is characterised by its woven pile; the raised loops and tufts of yarn it consists of. Velvet is thought to have been originally produced as early as 2000BC, in Egypt. The process is complicated and prior to the technological advances in machinery, velvet was vastly expensive. It was due to this that velvet became synonymous with nobility and wealth. Elizabeth I was a big fan of this luxurious material, in
68
which she was frequently adorned. But it is not only the European elite who have fallen for velvet. When Harun al-Rashid, the then ruler of Baghdad, died in 809 AD, it was said that 500 pieces of velvet were found amongst the treasures that he left behind. At OKA we have always loved velvet. It not only looks magnificent but it also has that tactile appeal that few other materials can achieve. We have an extensive collection of velvet pieces in a wide range of colours; visit oka.com/velvet to view our full collection.