Silk velvet is a luxurious woven fabric with a dense, soft pile made entirely or largely of silk, giving a rich depth of colour and a subtle sheen that changes with the light. The pile is formed by weaving an extra set of warp threads over rods or wires, which are then cut or left as loops.
Velvet weaving was developed to an extraordinary level in Renaissance Italy, where Venice, Genoa, Florence and Lucca produced magnificent cut and voided silk velvets, often with patterns woven against gold grounds, for clothing, church vestments, wall hangings and furniture. Genoa velvet became a celebrated name for upholstery, and later production in Lyon, Spitalfields and elsewhere continued the tradition. Silk velvet was used for state beds, chairs of estate and the finest upholstery in great houses, as well as costume and ecclesiastical textiles. Antique silk velvet is fragile, as light, wear and age cause the pile to bald and the silk to split, so original upholstery and hangings should be handled carefully and conserved by a specialist. Modern silk velvets are expensive but remain the most luxurious choice for cushions, curtains and the upholstery of fine chairs in formal interiors.
