Wool Shawl from Kashmir with All-Over Floral Aari Embroidery
Dry clean recommended. Store with natural cedar or neem leaves. Avoid direct sunlight and moisture.
Complete your look
Hand-picked pieces that sing gently with this one.
Behind this piece
Aari embroidery takes its name from the hooked needle, the *aari*, that Kashmiri craftsmen have wielded for centuries across the valley. Unlike the counted-thread precision of sozni work, aari moves freely across the wool surface, allowing artisans to fill large areas with dense, continuous chain-stitch florals. The motifs here draw from the chinar leaf, the iris, and the garden traditions of Mughal-era Kashmir. Worked on a warm wool ground, each flower is coaxed stitch by stitch into bloom. This shawl represents a living lineage, rooted in the artisan quarters of Srinagar and its surrounding townships.
How to style
Wear the Cannoli Cream colourway over an ivory Banarasi silk sari for a winter wedding, anchored with polki kundan ear-drops. The Ultramarine Green reads beautifully against a deep burgundy anarkali at an evening mehendi. Jet Black suits a formal corporate occasion draped over a tailored ivory kurta set, finished with oxidised silver cuffs. For a quieter afternoon, fold any colourway into a loose rectangle over a cashmere turtleneck and wide-leg trousers, and let the embroidery speak without competition from other ornament.
Fabric & care
Wool fibres are protein-based and respond poorly to heat and agitation. Hand wash this shawl in cold water with a gentle, pH-neutral detergent, using only light pressing motions rather than wringing. Rinse thoroughly and roll flat inside a clean cotton towel to absorb excess water. Dry in shade, laid flat to preserve the drape. Store folded, not hung, to prevent stretching at the shoulders. Tuck a few dried neem leaves or cedar blocks nearby to deter moths. With consistent care, aari-embroidered wool shawls remain vivid and intact across generations.
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