En Vogue

Whether it is London's Harvey Nichol's or New York's Neiman Marcus or Paris' Gallerie Lafayette, you will see that this season's hottest ...

Whether it is London8217;s Harvey Nichol8217;s or New York8217;s Neiman Marcus or Paris8217; Gallerie Lafayette, you will see that this season8217;s hottest selling item is the Indian shawl. And it does not matter if it8217;s a plain pashmina or a printed jamavar, the shawl has become synonymous with style. Go through any international Vogue and you will see at least one feature on the shawl.

But this is not the first time that the shawl has received international attention. Though noone really knows when the shawl trade began, it is estimated that by the 1870s 500,000 Kashmiris depended on the shawl industry for employment. It takes three weavers to makes one shawl and an intricate design can take up to 18 months to complete. Like many other textile traditions in India, the shawl industry really began to flourish post 1586, when the Mughals conquered North India. The Mughal even used to adorn their shawl with precious stones. By the Mughal period, the shawl had become fashion accessory and not just a shoulder mantle with princes carrying their boldly printed jamavars under their arms.

By the end of the Mughal period, the West too, became captivated by the shawl. Parisian portraits, dating back to the late 18th century, show pictures of Madames wrapped in shawls and using shawl-inspired patterns on their ball gowns. Well-known French designers of that time like Christopher Philippe Oberkampf and Favre Petitpierre regularly used jamavar prints in their creations.

So, the recent phirang interest in the shawl is no new phenomenon. The shawls that are the most popular at the moment are pure pashmina shawls. These not only keep you warm, but are so soft and light that you can forget you are wearing one. Pashmina shawls are made from the fibre of the Himalayan Capra goat. Though they are available in many shades, it is pastel colours like lilac, powder blue and vanilla that are the most popular for day wear. And for evening wear, it is the printed jamavars made of pashmina or wool that seem to have caught the eye of the West.

With winter coming on, many of this city8217;s more popular retail stores seem to be stocking up on shawls too. A plain shawl can be used as a dupatta on a kameez or on a sari. A printed jamavar shawl can add some colour to a simple black dress or if you have the figure, simply tie the shawl around your waist like a sarong. And the best thing about the shawl is that it is unisex so you can buy one shawl and both you and your partner can share it. A shawl also adds a royal touch to a sherwani or a Nehru suit. And when you are bored of wearing your shawl as wrap, then turn it into a home accessory drape it over a sofa to add some colour or even turn it into a tapestry and hang it on the wall!

Where to find shawls:

Oaktree, Cushrow Baug, Colaba Causeway. Ph No: 281 9031.
Has a range of woollen jamavars and pure pashmina shawls, both with or without embroidery.
Price: Starts at Rs 600.

Kaysons, Churchgate. Ph: 284 3422.
You can find a shawl in almost any shade you want they even have printed jamavars in pastel shades.
Price: Starts at Rs 1,000.

Shyam Ahuja, Oberoi and Crossroads.
Their designer pashmina shawls are available in plain colours though they have some shaded shawls as well.
Price: Starts at Rs 8,000.