velvet is distinctively luxurious and complicated as a fabric – the softest and smoothest of textiles. Because of its expensive cost, it has historically been associated with the nobility, the wealthy, and haut couture. The method of making velvet, with its two layers of interlaced cloth, reminded me a little of two marimbas facing each other, interweaving lines back and forth. velvet takes its inspiration from a particular kind of velvet – burnout velvet, also known as devoré. This velvet is treated with a caustic solution to dissolve areas of the pile, creating a velvet pattern upon a sheer or lightweight base fabric. Devoré comes from the French verb dévorer, meaning literally to devour. What begins as smooth velvet is slowly dissolved into something more drastic and complex, yet still imbued with a tidy order.