Glossary

Brocade refers to a kind of fabric with an rich, heavy, elaborate design, embroidered or with embroidered-style designs which is popular with Asian/Oriental influenced looks. It is a rich oriental fabric consisting of raised patterns, often in gold or silver threads. The figures in brocade are rather loose, while in damask the figure threads are actually bound into the material. The pattern may be satin on a twill ground or twill on a satin ground. Often reversible. The motifs may be of flowers, foliage, scrollwork, pastoral scenes, or other designs.

Cotton brocade often has the ground of cotton and the pattern of rayon and silk. Pattern is in low relief. Generally weaved in Jacquard and dobby. Rich, heavy, elaborate design effect. Sometimes with coloured or metallic threads making the design usually against a satin weave.

It is a heavy and rich-looking jacquard fabric having contrasting surfaces or a multicolor design . In Indian Brocade fabrics is often used for men's traditional formal wear like sherwani or achkan. Brocade is also used for all types of after-five dresses (evening dresses that is), church vestments, interior furnishings, and state robes.

Brocade is from the Italian word which means "embossed cloth". Brocade originated in the 17th Century and generally reputed to have been developed from the latin name "brocade" which means "to figure".

Celebrities spotted wearing clothes made of brocade were:
Megan Fox at the Moscow premiere for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, she wore a pink strapless Armani Prive brocade dress, while Elsa Pataky and Megan Fox both wore Dolce and Gabbana's black and gold brocade strapless dress. Elsa Pataky in Vogue party during Milan Fashion Week white Megan Fox in the 18th Annual MTV Movie Awards in Hollywood.