Kashmir shawl, unknown maker from India

Shawls from Kashmir, a region of the Indian subcontinent, were originally made of the fine, lustrous fleece of the cashmere goat with motifs woven in a rare and difficult twill-tapestry technique.
While this area was under European colonial rule, Kashmiri craftsmen wove these shawls for export to Western markets. Prized for their fine fiber, exquisite craftsmanship, and typical cone motifs, these shawls dominated the European fashion world from the late 18th century through the third quarter of the 19th century.
Dress fashions changed radically during this period of empire building and industrial revolution, but a close collaboration between Kashmiri and French designers, the adaptability and
ingenuity of Kashmiri craftsmen, and a continuing European fascination with objects and motifs associated with colonized South Asia ensured a remarkable longevity for the Kashmir shawl among fashion-conscious European women. Sixteen Kashmir
shawls form part of Sallie Casey Thayer’s original gift.

In the late 19th century, Kashmir shawls and their European counterparts were remade into newly fashionable articles of clothing, such as waisted jackets. They were also used for household furnishings—as piano covers, throws, and wall hangings. They seem to have been appreciated even when they were not in style. If they were not kept as family heirlooms, these shawls were often donated to museums, where they remain a legacy of the unrivalled skill and creative adaptability of the Kashmiri weaver.

Tap on the Web icon above and click to view a tea gown that is now part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Created in the United States, circa 1891, it was made from a cut-up wool shawl woven in a paisley pattern