Lelievre | Evanescent

Évanescent is a fine, plain sheer with a soft, slightly powdery hand, lighter than Insouciance in this same drop, at 372 grams, and closer to a true voile in the way it moves. It diffuses daylight to a soft haze rather than a hard white glare, which is exactly the quality the name is reaching for.

It is 100 per cent FR polyester, so flame-retardant performance is built into the yarn rather than applied afterwards, which matters for a sheer near glass and heat sources. At 305 centimetres it is another of the wide pieces in this drop. Of the ten colourways, we would point to Blanc, Ecru and Ivoire as the closest to a true white sheer, Sable and Lin as warmer neutrals, and Taupe and Orage, a soft storm grey, for a cooler, more contemporary look; Terracotta and Bois de Rose sit at the warmer, more particular end of the range.

We use this behind a heavier curtain to soften daylight and add privacy without losing the view, or on its own across a tall window where a plain sheer is the whole treatment. It layers well under most of the plains in this drop, and under a patterned curtain it keeps the daytime look quiet while the heavier fabric does the work at night. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

The advantage of a 305 centimetre width on a sheer is that you can run the fabric sideways and cover a tall or wide window in one seamless piece, avoiding the horizontal join that shows on a pieced sheer, particularly against direct light. We would specify a generous fullness of two and a half to three times the track, and keep the hem light so the cloth keeps its natural movement.

• Composition: Polyester FR 100%
• Width: 305 cm (120 in)
• Suitable for: Curtains
• Care: Wash ≤30°C, do not bleach, dry clean with perchlorethylene
• Colourways: 10 (Blanc, Ecru, Sable, Taupe, Terracotta)