International velvet

First woven in Damascus in the late 7th century, sumptuously sensual velvet has long been a trapping of prestige, indulgence and luxury, says Michael Montagu

- Michael Montagu

VELVET. What other fabric is so soft and luxurious? Its sensual comfort and sheen are unrivalled. Velvet clothes and furniture have a timeless elegance and appeal, in that they can be both a classic and yet a contemporary choice.

Velvet as we know it possibly originated in China, coming to Europe via invasion and trade by the 13th century, although a cloth called kutuf (Arabic for velvet) was made in Damascus during the late 7th and early 8th centuries AD. Surviving documents from 1311 show that Pope Clement V owned velvet items, including two red pieces made in Lucca, northern Italy. Flourishing near Pisa, Lucca had been famous for silk textiles since the early 12th century, with large-scale velvet production beginning there in the early 14th century. The Tuscan city’s velvet was soon in demand throughout Europe, spread by merchants, fairs and the commissions of the wealthy and elite. When Richard II died in 1400, he left instructions that he was to be buried wearing velvet.

'When Richard II died, he left instructions that he was to be buried wearing velvet'

However, by the mid 14th century, Lucca’s domination of the velvet market began to wane due to a period of economic difficulty, partly caused by political strife and competition between towns. After the Black Death of 1348 took its toll, many velvet and silk weavers and merchants migrated to Venice, Genoa, Florence and Milan, where they established a flourishing velvet trade by the end of the century.