You might have seen the velvet slipper being worn by Hoxton-types in recent weeks. While velvet’s not very durable, proper slippers have a leather sole and a heel, so it’s not as crazy as it sounds to wear them out and about.
Combine that with the fact this antiquated footwear has recently been marched up and down the catwalk (at D&G, no less) as well as being spotted on the feet of fashion it boy Henry Holland, and you have a possible fashion storm. We’re predicting the slipper is going to be big (ish). Which means that this is the moment we reveal that our style editor first bought a pair in 2002, from New & Lingwood in London’s Piccadilly. After seven years they’re looking a little frayed (only a little, but then we’ve never worn them to the pub) and they’ve been replaced with another pair, exactly the same, in plain black velvet with a quilted scarlet lining. Next up, smoking caps make a comeback. Maybe. Two letter monogram slippers (pictured), £415, by Edward Green (020 7839 0202); plain velvet slippers, £120, also available at Crockett & Jones
Of course, you won’t be the first to make a statement with some slippers:
Wallace (Of Wallace And Gromit) – In the lesser known spin-off novel “Wallace and Gromit and the Lost Slipper” the clay-based gadget obsessive invents the “Longlife Indoor Carpet Clog with Reinforced Everything” which unfortunately remains unavailable in the real world.
Flavio Briatore - The Renault F1 chief, QPR owner and onetime lover of Naomi Campbell, Emma Heming and Heidi Klum (amongst others) is also partial to wearing velvet slippers – even sporting a pair at his wedding with the initials ‘F’ and ‘E’ – reportedly to represent Flavio and Elisabetta (his wife). Classy.
Hugh Hefner - The pipe-wielding pensioner favours black soft suede slippers with his signature emblazoned in silver ink over the toe.
April 14th, 2009
