Raspberry-Coulis Floral Motif Pure Wool Shawl with Aari Embroidery by Hand
Dry clean recommended. Store with natural cedar or neem leaves. Avoid direct sunlight and moisture.
Description
There is a particular hour in a Kashmiri afternoon when the light turns exactly this shade of deep, warm rose, and someone thought to fix it in wool. This shawl is woven from pure wool and then handed to the Aari craftsmen of the Kashmir Valley, who work with a hooked needle called the aari to pull thread into intricate floral formations across the surface. The technique is centuries old, practised by communities in Srinagar and the surrounding towns, where embroidery is not ornamentation but a complete visual language. Each petal and tendril is formed stitch by patient stitch, the depth of the raspberry coulis colour made richer by the way wool holds dye, absorbing it slowly and releasing it as warmth in every light. The result is a textile that belongs equally to ceremony and to quiet winter afternoons. Drape it over a fine silk kurta for a festive gathering, or let it fall loosely over the shoulders of a winter coat when the occasion calls for something considered and unhurried.
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Behind this piece
Aari embroidery takes its name from the hooked needle, the aari, which Kashmiri artisans have wielded for centuries across the valleys of Srinagar and its surrounding townships. Worked entirely by hand onto pure wool, each floral motif is pulled up from beneath the fabric in a continuous chain of silk thread, building gradients of petal and leaf with quiet precision. The raspberry-coulis ground, that deep, fruit-saturated rose, is itself a Kashmir signature: bold ground colour subdued by the density of handwork laid upon it. This shawl carries that long, unhurried tradition in every stitch.
How to style
Drape this shawl loosely over an ivory Lucknowi chikankari kurta with straight-cut cream palazzos for a winter literary gathering; the raspberry tones will anchor the pale ground beneath. For a festive occasion, fold it into a shoulder wrap over a deep-wine Banarasi silk kurta and finish with antique Kundan earrings. On quieter days, it layers beautifully over a charcoal cashmere turtleneck with tailored trousers and block-heeled kolhapuris in tobacco leather, turning one considered piece into an entire, self-contained statement of warmth and restraint.
Fabric & care
Pure wool breathes but does not forgive carelessness. Hand-wash in cold water with a mild, pH-neutral wool wash, never wringing or twisting the fabric. Support the shawl's full weight when lifting it wet and press gently between two clean towels before laying flat to dry, away from direct sunlight. Do not hang, as wool stretches under its own dampness. Store folded, never on a hanger, wrapped in muslin or acid-free tissue. A cedar block placed nearby will deter moths without the harshness of chemical repellents. Treated well, this shawl will deepen in character for decades.
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