Where does Panne Velvet come from?

Panne Velvet comes from France, first documented in the 1800s.

Plate No. 161fabric

Pile pressed one way, catching light in a watery sheen.

First documented: 1800s
Origin: France, France
Fiber: silk, rayon, polyester
Weave: velvet with the pile pressed flat in one direction
Family: pile

Plate No. 161 · fabric

Panne Velvet

Panne velvet is velvet whose pile has been pressed flat in a single direction under heat and heavy pressure, so that instead of standing upright the fibers all lie one way and reflect light in a bright, watery sheen. That treatment, a cousin of the crushing that makes crushed velvet, gives panne a high luster and a fluid, almost liquid drape much lighter than the upright pile of plain velvet. It became a cloth of eveningwear, opera capes, and the costumes of dance and skating, anywhere a garment needed to catch and pour the light as it moved.

Named for

From the French panne, a long-pile velvet or plush; the cloth is the crushed, flattened form of it.

Also known as

panne

Common questions

What is Panne Velvet made of?: Panne velvet is velvet whose pile has been pressed flat in a single direction under heat and heavy pressure, so that instead of standing upright the fibers all lie one way and reflect light in a bright, watery sheen. It is traditionally made of silk, rayon, or polyester.
Where does Panne Velvet come from?: Panne Velvet comes from France, first documented in the 1800s.
What is Panne Velvet named after?: From the French panne, a long-pile velvet or plush; the cloth is the crushed, flattened form of it.