Casamance | Silhouette

Silhouette is a velvet jacquard: the pattern is cut into a dense viscose pile so that the abstract, interlacing shapes read as a change in surface as much as a change in colour. The forms are loose, more like figures blurred in movement than a geometric, and in the deeper colourways the pile catches the light so the pattern seems to come and go as you move around the room. It is a heavy, soft, upholstery-weight velvet with a good deal of presence.

The composition is 71 per cent viscose, 21 per cent polyester, 6 per cent recycled cotton and 2 per cent cotton with a viscose pile, made in India at 142 centimetres wide and 760 grams per square metre. The repeat is 16 centimetres vertically and 36 centimetres horizontally with a straight match. There are 5 colourways: Acajou Anthracite, Mordoré Noir, Mordoré Bleu Glacier, Sable Mordoré and Grège Nacre. The first two are dark and dramatic; Sable Mordoré and Grège Nacre are the pale, warm options.

We put Silhouette on the pieces that anchor a room: a large sofa, a pair of armchairs, a bed head, an ottoman. In a dining room it makes handsome chair seats and backs, and it works as a heavy curtain in a room used mostly at night. Beside it, keep things plain; Hôtel Particulier or the Dolce Vita cotton velvet in a related tone lets the pattern do the talking. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

A making-up note: as with any velvet, keep the pile running in one direction on every panel, usually downwards for curtains and towards the front of the seat for upholstery, and mark the back of each piece before cutting. The short repeat makes matching easy but still allow one repeat per width. Ask the upholsterer to hand-slip rather than machine any visible closing seams so the pile is not crushed.

• Composition: 71% viscose, 21% polyester, 6% recycled cotton, 2% cotton (viscose pile)
• Width: 142 cm (56 in)
• Pattern repeat: 16 cm vertical, 36 cm horizontal
• Weight: 760 g per square metre
• Match: Straight match
• Care: Dry clean recommended
• Origin: Made in India
• Collection: Paris Lumière, Casamance
• Colourways: 5 (Acajou Anthracite, Mordoré Noir, Mordoré Bleu Glacier, Sable Mordoré, Grège Nacre)