Nagaland Folk Shawl with Multicolor Stripe Pattern
Dry clean recommended. Store with natural cedar or neem leaves. Avoid direct sunlight and moisture.
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Behind this piece
The shawls of Nagaland are not decorative afterthoughts. Among the Naga tribes of India's northeast, each woven cloth carries a social language, signalling clan, ceremony, and standing within the community. The bold horizontal stripe tradition, worked on backstrap and frame looms, has been practised across communities including the Angami and Ao peoples for generations. This shawl draws from that visual vocabulary: the caviar ground anchored by stripes of true red, formal garden, and sodalite blue. Wool grown and spun in cold highland conditions produces a fabric with honest weight and warmth that factory cloth simply cannot replicate.
How to style
Wear this shawl draped across one shoulder over a plain ivory or charcoal kurta for a considered, unfussy aesthetic at a winter literary event or art opening. For a more relaxed Sunday, fold it into a wide rectangle and wrap it over dark indigo jeans with flat Kolhapuri kolhapuris. The saturated stripe palette also holds its own layered over an off-white Chanderi kurta set; finish with oxidised silver or horn jewellery, both of which sit naturally alongside the tribal geometry of the weave. Block-heeled boots work equally well for cooler evenings.
Fabric & care
Wool breathes, but it also remembers rough handling. Hand-wash this shawl in cold water using a mild, pH-neutral detergent formulated for woollens; never wring or twist the fabric. Rinse gently and press out excess water by rolling it in a clean dry towel. Dry flat in shade, away from direct sunlight, which can shift the depth of the true red and sodalite blue over time. Store folded, not hung, to prevent stretching at the shoulders. Place a cedar block or dried neem leaves nearby to discourage moths without the harshness of synthetic repellents.
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