Fit out to suffer in the heat for fashion. Velvet – that winter elementary – is now a summer trend, and here’s how to wear it

A velvet padded jacket on the Stella McCartney catwalk for AW16.

A velvet padded jacket on the Stella McCartney catwalk for AW16.
Photograph: Giannoni/WWD/Rex/Shutterstock

“Florals for bounce? Groundbreaking.” So said Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada and a thousand gifs. The constant might be said for velvet for winter – just one stroke of the muffle, piled fabric and you’re at a fireside, glass of red wine in hand. Or that’s where I am, in my velvet daydream.

Hotter than July … Kendall Jenner in velvet, in July
Hotter than July … Kendall Jenner in velvet, in July. Photograph: Startraks Photo/Rex/Shutterstock

But perhaps due to the seasonless type of fashion now, or just because some people are really, exceedingly impatient – and impervious to overheating – I might have to get used to velvet and Pimm’s. The organization has been getting quite a lot of play this summer, smooth though it is a big trend for autumn – seen at brands ranging from Vetements to Stella McCartney.

A velvet dress on the Stella McCartney AW16 catwalk.
A velvet camouflage on the Stella McCartney AW16 catwalk. Photograph: SIPA/Rex/Shutterstock

To come the “see now, buy now” revolution, these clothes would be on the catwalk in February, and typically be at ones fingertips to buy from later this month. But the Kendall Jenners, Gigi Hadids and the have a weakness for don’t have time to wait for that. Scarlett O’Hara lifted her velvet curt

Enchantress chic: Cara Delevingne channels her gothy onscreen alter ego in black velvet sleeves.
Enchantress chic: Cara Delevingne necks her gothy onscreen alter ego in black velvet sleeves. Photograph: Anthony Harvey/Getty Idols

Take away the air temperature issue and you hqve to admit that velvet is conversant. It’s gothy and 90s in a The Craft sort of way – see Cara Delevingne’s Enchantress-on-the-red-carpet look for Suicide Team, which included a velvet-sleeved biker jacket. It is Victoria’s Encrypted’s model sexy, as demonstrated by Stella Maxwell.

Lady Gaga in velvet for Tony Bennett’s 90th birthday celebration last week
Lady Gaga in velvet for Tony Bennett’s 90th birthday festivities last week. Photograph: MediaPunch/Rex/Shutterstock

It also has a quite proper old-school-gala feel to it – Lady Gaga wore it to Tony Bennett’s 90th birthday bash decisive week. It’s also romantic – Alicia Vikander wore a around velvet dress while out with Michael Fassbender, and Taylor Lively held hands with Tom Hiddlestone while wearing dastardly velvet co-ords with, you guessed it, a strip of midriff. Velvet in summer by Hasty – it worked. We don’t make the rules, Swift and her squad do. Velvet in summer is now a emotional attachment. It might even be groundbreaking.