Velvet Is The New Denim

Though it’s cold outside (I am wearing an cashmere turtleneck and black denim trousers, heavy boots and a parka is thrown on the back of my chair), there is a hole burning through my pocket asking me to buy every velvet garment the Internet is stocking.

If there’s any indication that men’s fashion is going through a ‘70s moment, it’s that velvet is back. And no, we’re not a Hugh Hefner sex robe or a velvet blazer just to break out on New Years Eve. We’re talking casual velvet that you can wear on more than just special occasions—in the spirit of The Weeknd and Keith Richards.

Today, not only are designers making velvet tailoring look better than ever before, but they’re also bringing velvet to outerwear, shirts, sweatpants and even sneakers.

Velvet is the new denim. This idea is really just a quick way to understand how you can adopt the casual velvet look. Replace any denim item with velvet. Instead of a denim jacket, go or a cool velvet bomber. Denim jeans, for get it. Style your knit with a stretch pair of velvet trousers. Or if it’s extra chilly, style a velvet hoodie under a tweed coat.

This casual velvet look areal came to be thanks to Haider Ackermann. The designer has played no small role in turning velvet into a fashion staple. He outfitted Kanye West in a merlot velvet sweat suit that Ye made famous at Paris Fashion Week in 2015. Since then Ackermann’s velvet goods, particularly his signature bomber jacket, have become a stylish celebrity favorite, popping up on on Kanye, A$AP Rocky, and Miguel, among others.