Velvet in Intimate Apparel: Why It Works in Autumn

Velvet has been used in intimate apparel since at least the nineteenth century, when it appeared as trim on corsets and dressing gowns. Its use in contemporary lingerie is less common, partly because it is difficult to work with and partly because it is associated with a specific aesthetic that not every maker wants to commit to. The Velours line uses velvet trim deliberately, for specific reasons.

What Velvet Is and How It Is Made ¶

Velvet is a woven fabric with a cut pile, meaning the surface is made up of short loops of thread that have been cut to create a dense, upright surface. The pile catches light differently depending on the direction it is stroked, which is what gives velvet its characteristic sheen and depth.

The velvet ribbon used in the Velours line comes from a ribbon house in Saint-Etienne, a town in the Loire region of France with a long history of ribbon and passementerie production. The ribbon is silk-faced, meaning the pile is silk even if the backing is a blend.

Why Autumn Specifically ¶

Velvet is a heavier material than lace or charmeuse, and it reads as a cooler-weather fabric in the same way that wool does. In the context of lingerie, this is partly visual and partly tactile: the pile is warm against the skin in a way that lace is not, and the depth of colour that velvet holds suits the palette of autumn, the deep plums, navies, and blacks that feel appropriate to October evenings.

The Velours line is released each September and is not available in the spring collection. This is a deliberate choice. The pieces are composed for a specific season and are meant to feel of that season.

Working with Velvet in Construction ¶

Velvet ribbon is more difficult to sew than lace or satin because the pile compresses under a presser foot and can shift during stitching. The Meguro atelier handles the velvet trim by hand, tacking it in place before the final stitch to prevent movement. The result is a clean edge that does not show the compression marks that machine stitching can leave.

The Velours Prune set for autumn 2026 uses a slightly wider velvet trim at the cups than previous seasons, which changes the proportion of the bralette in a way that is worth seeing in person if a showroom appointment is possible.