When Australian fashion designer Amanda Healy was looking for the right fabric to tell stories of her aboriginal heritage on her silk scarves, she went travelling around the world. As her motifs were earth-bound, having been developed by her ancestors from thousands of years ago, she needed a material that was born of the earth.
Travelling through central Asia, Turkey and up to China, she finally found it in Kashmir. “I fell for its silk and cashmere, both tied to the land and its people,” she says, at the recent launch of her luxury label Kirrikin in India.
What was hand-painted by her ancestors are now printed at the Noida unit of Ishan Qazi, who sources the silk and cashmere from the Valley, where his family has been preserving traditional ways of weaving them for four generations. As the models sashayed down the ramp in modern jackets, shirts, dresses, jumpsuits and accessories, they threaded and blended two traditional cultures seamlessly. Qazi’s silk already has big buyers in luxury labels in the UK, France, Spain, Dubai, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
“For Kirrikin, they send us the design, motifs and measurements. We get the silk and cashmere from the Valley and do the printing at our units in Noida. But when it comes to growing silk cocoons and weaving the textile from the threads, it has to be done in the Valley where the hand-woven expertise lies. One of the USPs of Kashmir’s silk is that the silk cocoons here are of a higher quality and are only harvested and processed after the moth has hatched. The silk thread is gently unwound from the cocoon in long, continuous strands, spun into a yarn, dyed with natural pigments and then woven as cloth. Its fibres are extremely fine and the fabric has superior quality and lustre. It melts into any contour, folds and falls effortlessly, is fluid and easy,” says Qazi.
The latest collection in Kashmiri Silk by Healy (Photo Courtesy: Amanda Healy)
In fact, it is the colour of the silk cloth that drew Healy in. “I have been visiting here since 2015. I began with scarves and ties, which can be bold colour statements when you are dressed up formally. I looked at them as symbols of identity, since each of my motifs tells a story of the ancient people and the way they saw natural elements around them. The silk here also embodies the story of the people and their living legacy. That soul connection did it for me. In fact, the silk worked so beautifully that I felt inspired to do an entire women’s line in contemporary silhouettes,” she says. Healy is inspired by aboriginal art forms like body paint, sand and rock paintings and shares proceeds with community artists to keep their folk traditions alive.
Much like Qazi. “There is no compromise on either sensitivity to the environment, sustainability and ensuring livelihoods for those weavers born to it. In fact, now youth are involved. Armed with degrees but no jobs, they are getting into heritage crafts with pride, thinking they are doing something respectable,” he says.
Of course, innovation is done where it matters. “Our looms are high speed and carding machines are modern. Some of the educated youngsters who work with us find ways of adapting to the modern market. We are ready for the world,” he adds, tucking in his handcrafted scarf.
Rinku Ghosh is the Health Section Lead at The Indian Express, where she oversees the publication’s comprehensive health, wellness, and medical science vertical. With years of experience in high-impact journalism, Rinku specializes in translating complex medical research into actionable insights for the public. Her reporting spans a wide spectrum—from deep-dives into childhood obesity and the effects of urban pollution to the frontiers of medical technology, such as the use of AI and nanobots in cancer treatment.
Authoritativeness: As a veteran editor at one of India’s most trusted news organizations, Rinku has interviewed world-renowned experts, including cardiologists from the Mayo Clinic, oncologists from AIIMS, and researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). Her column often serves as a primary source for "Explained" features, where she breaks down global health trends, vaccine safety, and public health policy. Her work is recognized for bridging the gap between clinical data and the lived experiences of patients.
Trustworthiness: Rinku’s editorial approach is rooted in the "Journalism of Courage" philosophy, prioritizing evidence-based science over healthcare myths. In an era of medical misinformation, she ensures that every piece of advice—whether regarding chronic disease management or nutritional supplements—is backed by peer-reviewed studies and verified by leading medical practitioners. ... Read More
The latest collection in Kashmiri Silk by Healy (Photo Courtesy: Amanda Healy)
