Velvet crush

We've seen nearly every permutation of '80s style — neons, leggings, big shoulders — and now it's time for the return of that most sensual of fabrics: velvet.

Last seen on stirrup pants, headbands and Cyndi Lauper's back, the fuzzy (at its worst) and silky (at its most seductive) fabric is this season's sleeper fashion hit.

All over the runways in new, fresh styles — nary a crushed velvet bodysuit in sight! — we saw it in gunmetal skirts and coats at Burberry, nipped-in jackets at Chloe and powder-pastel cocktail dresses at Bottega Veneta, while Marc Jacobs shaped it into skirts and bustiers at his mainline collection.

As the weather's turned crisper over in the US, the stars have turned to velvet to lend a touch of sophistication to their winter looks — Jessica Alba picked Prada's autumnal A-line devore velvet dress recently, Penélope Cruz sported Francisco Costa's white washed velvet dress-coat combo at a Calvin-Klein-sponsored screening of her new flick, Broken Embraces, while Angelina Jolie made the most of velvet's subtle, shimmering glamour in an Armani Prive dress at the MOCA reopening in Los Angeles. Get her look with Boutique 1's Elie Saab version (left).