Love & Happiness

Luminous warmth, Timeless style – Seasons Fall Collection

Seasons Fall Collection Shawls Luminous warmth, Timeless style   Seasons Fall Collection

Luminous warmth, Timeless style – Seasons Fall Shawl Collection

This autumn, let the incredible softness, impeccable design and unparalleled quality of shawls and scarves from The Kashmir Company keep you clothed in warmth and classic style. Both alluring and versatile, you’ll find yourself reaching for your 100% cashmere shawl or scarf as you explore new galleries, attend meditation class, meet your partner for romantic dinner dates or dress to the nines for festive city soirees. That’s because each hand embroidered shawl and scarf from The Kashmir Company provides the innate style and tangible warmth that you’ll find yourself reaching for again and again.  Visit the Fall Collections

 

Summer collection Seasons by Kashmir Company Summer Love, Midnight Kisses. Shooting stars. Secret Wishes ...

Summer Love, Midnight Kisses. Shooting stars. Secret Wishes. Summer Collection by Seasons – The Kashmir Company

‘Tis the Seasons for Enchanted Elegance . . .

Tis the seasons for enchanted elegance big font Main web Tis the Seasons for Enchanted Elegance . . .

‘Tis the Seasons for Enchanted Elegance . . . Holiday Collection by Seasons – The Kashmir Company

Blog Post Image Mothers Day Collection Kashmir Collection Gifts For Mothers Day: Give Her A Kashmir Shawl To Show Your Love

Beautiful Kashmir Shawls and Scarves for Mother’s Day

 

Your mother deserves to be treated like the gem she is so go all the way this Mother’s Day. We’ve put together a collection designed to help you select the perfect gift for the mother you love. Stunning colors, vibrant and harmonious motifs complete a marvelous collection of gifts for Mothers Day.

Browse the Mother’s Day collection by clicking the link below.

http://www.kashmirseasons.com/collections/mothers-day-gift-collection

Shah Jahan and His Enduring Legacy of Love

Every year close to three million people visit the Taj Mahal—the world’s most enduring symbol of love. The huge numbers are a testament to the power of love and how it permeated India at the time.

The Taj Mahal Agra from the Garden published 1801 colour litho Daniell Thomas 1749 1840 William 1769 1837 Private Collection The Bridgeman Art Library Shah Jahan and His Enduring Legacy of Love

The Taj Mahal, Agra, India. 1801 (colour lithograph), Daniell, Thomas (1749-1840) & William (1769-1837)

This legacy of love has given Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, a permanent fixture on the travel itineraries of Westerners.

The Taj Mahal is symbolic of love but it is also a remarkable work of architecture and engineering. The intricate and ornate designs that have come to symbolize this marvellous piece of architecture, to be fully understood require some context. This is the story of the Taj Mahal.

Shah Jahan and His Love

On 17 June 1631 Mumtaz Mahal, the second wife of the Great Mogul Shah Jahan (reigned 1628-66), died in childbirth. Deep sorrow and tender love inspired the ruler to erect a mausoleum: the famous Taj Mahal. It was built according to the ancient Vasati laws of spatial energy in Agra, the capital of his kingdom.

Jehangir Marble gems 1024x1024 Shah Jahan and His Enduring Legacy of Love

Top of the cenotaph buil pre-1643 by the Great Mughal Shah Jahan for his second wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is decorated with inlays pf precious and semi-precious stones. Taj Mahal, Agra, India. c 1640

Being a lover of precious stones such as the diamonds known as ‘Grand Mogul’ (280 carat) and ‘Shah’ (88.7 carat), he had the cenotaph and the nearby marble lattices decorated with the most valuable material he could imagine: inlaid minerals in the Parchin kari technique. He was hoping that the lucky and magical powers of the stones would keep him and his wife together after death.

As Francois Bernier, a French physician and traveller, who became a personal physician of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for around 12 years during his stay in India wrote in a letter dated 1663: “Every-where you look you see jade… jasper and other, rare precious kinds of stones, cut, combined and inlaid in marble in a hundred different ways.” However, the jewels brought Shah Jahan no luck. Not the amber from Burma, the lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, the jade from the Chinese Turkestan, nor the minerals carnelian, agate, amethyst, jasper, emerald, chaceldony or onyx from the different regions of the Indian subcontinent saved him. He was deposed in 1658 by his son Aurangzeb (reigned 1658 – 1707). He was not allowed to leave the Red Fort of Agra. Eight years later, following his death, he was buried next to his wife in the Taj Mahal.

It is this enduring story of love, passion and commitment that has made the Taj Mahal the enduring and timeless symbol it is today. The magnificent diamonds used in creating Shah Jahan’s vision of love has helped making diamonds an enduring symbol of love. The wide influence of the fashion of the time has also helped make Kashmiri shawls a timeless expression of love. Both diamonds and shawls are now used to express love.

end of post Shah Jahan and His Enduring Legacy of Love

Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

The time is the start of the 19th century, the place: Europe. Love is the preserve of everyone but not everyone can express their undying and unwavering love in quite the grand way elites of European royalty filled with all the opulence in the world are able to do. During this time the royal courts of Europe stood head and shoulders above all others and the women in these courts were showered with love from their suitors and husbands who often went away on epic journeys of discovery and conquest. From England to France, women had one gift at the top of their list—the Kashmir Paisley shawl. These shawls came from a far, far away land; a place rich in history, culture, and artistic superiority. Kashmir was no ordinary place and anyone who wanted to show their love for a woman at this time of unheralded change in European fashion and trade had to make the journey to this epic land.

TKC Eduard Friedrich Leybold 1798 1879 Portrait of a Young Lady in a red Dress with a Paisley 1824 813x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Painting 1 : Portrait of a young lady in a red dress with a Kashmir Paisley Shawl – Eduard Friedrich Leybold – 1824

Painting 1 illustrates the stunning detail and preferred 19th century style for wearing Kashmir Paisley shawls. Captured by Eduard Friedrich Leybold in 1824, it shows the regal nature of the time and the beauty of the paisley shawl as an accessory.

European women in particular had a romantic fling with Kashmir shawls and the mystic of the East and this lent itself well to transforming the European fashion scene to one almost dominated by fashion from that region.

Yelizaveta Demidova 1779 1818 c.1805 oil on canvas by Lefevre Robert 1755 1830 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Painting 2: Yelizaveta Demidova (1779-1818) , previously Baroness Elisabeth Alexandrovna Stroganoff, wife of Nikolai Demidov, the exceeding wealthy owner of mines and foundries in the Urals, Russia; c.1805 (oil on canvas) by Lefevre, Robert (1755-1830) – Wearing Kashmir Shawl and a dress with Kashmiri Paisley motif embroidery.

Kings, adventurers, explorers all had to ensure that on return home, the gift of love was wrapped neatly and on open, a Kashmir shawl was inside. Nothing less could do.

The super-wealthy of European gentry was also had a penchant for expressing their love with the gift of Kashmir Paisley shawls from the beautiful and respected land in the East. Nikolai Demidov, a wealthy Russian who dominated the mines and foundries of the Urals region in Russia was very fond of expressing his undying love to his wife, Yelizaveta Demidova (1779-1818). Yelizaveta who was a baroness no less had developed an exquisite taste for timeless fashion and made sure that her husband in expressing his chivalrous and unbridled passion give her nothing but Kashmir Paisley shawls embroidered with the most beautiful and timeless motifs. (Painting 2)

Kashmir had long since captured the imagination and wonder of European travelers and this proved the case with Napoleon Bonaparte when he made his journey to the East. Napoleon showered Empress Josephine, his wife, with all the love and adoration you could and often brought timeless pieces of art and fashion on his return from his long and epic journeys across the orient. In one such display we can see Empress Josephine depicted in a portrait wearing a beautiful and extravagant Kashmir shawl dotted with the beautiful and timeless motifs from the epic land of Kashmir. (Painting 3)

Empress Josephine of France by Francois Gerard 983x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Painting 3: Empress Josephine at Malmaison holding a Kashmir Shawl – 1801 – oil on canvas – Musee Nat. du Chateau de Malmaison, Rueil-Malmaison, France.

Napoleon Bonaparte’s penchant for showing his undying love to the women that came in his life transcended him and no less than his nephew, Napoleoan III, took up the magnificent mantle of bestowing Kashmir Paisley shawls to the women he loved. Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick, 16th Countess of Teba and 15th Marquise of Ardales gives historical significance to the wearing of Kashmiri motifs in all modes of dress ranging from beautiful and timeless shawls to dresses adorn with the artistic and mystical inspirations emanating from Kashmir. (Painting 4)

Empress Eugenie at Biarritz 1858 1024x870 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Painting 4: Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick, 16th Countess of Teba and 15th Marquise of Ardales (5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920), known as Eugénie de Montijo, was the last Empress consort of the French from 1853 to 1871 as the wife of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French. Oil on Canvas.

The French, Russian and British aristocracy carried on the lofty ideals of dominating high fashion, taste and class for many years and this carried through eventually to all segments of society. The Kashmir Paisley shawl became the ultimate status symbol for discerning women looking to accentuate their beauty and taste for timeless fashion and art. The Paisley motif has now transcended time and even today is still one of the most sought after design and embroidery motif on everything from shawls to scarves.

Lovers are still enamored by the timeless nature of the artistic pieces that came comes from the epic land of Kashmir and so unsurprisingly, the greatest love is expressed with the greatest gift, a timeless Kashmir Paisley shawl. Love has been around for thousands of years and the Kashmir Paisley shawl has done an immeasurable duty in keeping love alive for the last 300 years and counting.

The Paisley is a symbol of love and has its genesis in Kashmir. The Paisley shawl came to define love and gifting due to its sheer popularity among the elite. There are countless portraits created during this period showing the adoration among women for the Kashmir Paisley shawl. Everyone who was anyone had one (or many) in their wardrobe.

Here are countless examples of how royalty used Kashmir Paisley shawls as a symbol of love for the last 300 years.

Königin Pauline Württemberg wearing a Kashmir Paisley Shawl by Joseph Karl Stieler ca. 1825. She was born a Württemberg and married a Württemberg. She is holding her son Karl who married Grand Princess Olga. 673x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Königin Pauline Württemberg wearing a Kashmir Paisley Shawl . Painting by Joseph Karl Stieler – ca. 1825. She was born a Württemberg and married a Württemberg. She is holding her son Karl who married Grand Princess Olga.

 

Portrait of Catherine Worlée Princesse de Talleyrand Périgord 1804 and 1805 726x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Portrait of Catherine Worlée, Princesse de Talleyrand-Périgord with a Kashmir Paisley Shawl – portrait by François Gérard – c. 1804 and 1805

 

madame recamier by francois gerard 671x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Madame Récamier (Jeanne-Françoise Julie Adélaïde Récamier ) wrapped in a Kashmir Shawl by Francois Gérard (1802), known as Juliette, was a French society leader, whose salon drew Parisians from the leading literary and political circles of the early 19th century.

 

Merry Joseph Blondel   Felicite Louise Julie Constance de Durfort 690x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Félicité-Louise de Durfort Constance De Durfort, Marechale de Beurnonville wearing a Kashmir Paisley Shawl. c. 1808/13. Oil on Canvas -Merry-Joseph Blondel. Félicité-Louise de Durfort was the youngest daughter and namesake of Félicité, Count de Durfort, Colonel of the Dauphin’s Regiment, pre-Revolutionary French Ambassador of France to the Republic of Venice.

 

TKC Christine Boyer 3 July 1771 Saint Maximin la Sainte Baume – 14 May 1800 was a member of the Bonaparte family as the sister of Lucien Bonapartes housekeeper and then Luciens first wife by Antoine Jean Gros 1800 615x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Christine Boyer (3 July 1771, Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume – 14 May 1800) was a member of the Bonaparte family, as the sister of Lucien Bonaparte’s housekeeper and then Lucien’s first wife- by Antoine Jean Gros – 1800 – Wearing Kashmir Paisley Shawl

 

Portrait of the Empress Josephine 1805 by Pierre Paul Prudhon Oil on Canvas at Musée du Louvre Paris France 760x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Portrait of the Empress Josephine wearing a Kashmiri Shawl  – 1805 by Pierre-Paul Prud’hon, Oil on Canvas at Musée du Louvre, Paris, France

 

TKC portrait of madame riviere nee marie francoise jacquette bibiane blot de beauregard 778x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Portrait of Madame Riviere nee Marie Francoise Jacquette Bibiane Blot de Beauregard by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres – 1806 – oil on canvas – Musée du Louvre, Paris, France. Wearing Kashmiri Paisley Shawl

 

TKC Portrait of Madame de Senonnes by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres c.1814 musée des Beau Arts Nantes France Wearing a Kashmiri Paisley Shawl  800x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Portrait of Madame de Senonnes by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres – c.1814 – musée des Beau Arts, Nantes, France – Wearing a Kashmiri Paisley Shawl

 

TKC Franz Xaver Winterhalter 1805 73 Portrait of Sophie of Sweden 1801 1865 Grand Duchess of Baden 1831 749x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Portrait of Sophie of Sweden (1801-1865), Grand Duchess of Baden, 1831 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter – wearing Kashmiri Paisley Shawl – 1831

 

Mary Lodge Bride of Baron Charles Louis de Keverberg de Kessel wearing Kashmir Paisley Shawl. 1818  734x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Mary Lodge, Bride of Baron Charles-Louis de Keverberg de Kessel wearing Kashmir Paisley Shawl. 1818

 

Colette Versavel Wife of Isaac J de Meye 756x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Portrait of Colette Versavel Wife of Isaac J de Meyer holding a Kashmir Paisley Shawl – by Ducq Joseph Francois – 1822.

 

TKC Portrait of Joséphina Fridrix wearing a Kashmir Paisley Shawl 1813 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Portrait of Joséphina Fridrix wearing a Kashmir Paisley Shawl – (Riesner) 1813.

 

Portrait of Madame Panckoucke wearing Kashmir Shawl. Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres Musée du Louvre Paris. 1811 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Portrait of Madame Panckoucke wearing Kashmir Shawl. Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres – Musée du Louvre, Paris. – 1811

 

Portrait of the Vicomtesse Vilain XIIII wearing a Kashmir Shawl and her daughter Jacques Louis David 1816 775x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Portrait of the Vicomtesse Vilain XIIII wearing a Kashmir Shawl and her daughter, Jacques Louis David – 1816.

 

Henri francois mulard ca1810 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Portrait of a lady wearing a Kashmir Shawl – Henri François Mulard. Circa 1810

 

A Mother with Two Children wearing Kashmir Paisley Shawls Chalon Alfred Edward 1815 1820 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

A Mother with Two Children wearing Kashmir Paisley Shawls – Chalon, Alfred Edward, – 1815-1820.

 

TKC  Madame Jacques Louis Leblanc nee Francoise Poncelle 1800s 791x1024 Kashmir Paisley Shawls: Defining Love for Over 300 Years

Madame Jacques-Louis Leblanc (née Françoise Poncelle, 1788–1839) by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres – Oil on Canvas – Wearing Kashmiri Shawl – 1823

( Images courtesy : Louvre Museum – France )

How to Say ‘I Love You’ with a Kashmiri Shawl

Love can be expressed in so many ways and with so many things. Over the generations different things have come to signify love including diamonds, pieces of art. But those are the mainstream things that have captured the imagination of people, discerning people want something greater than what is generally given as an expression of love.

S.04.0044.01.04.08.00024 4 blog feb2013 960x1456 How to Say I Love You with a Kashmiri Shawl

Amour Rose Hand Embroidered Kashmir Shawl

 

This is where Kashmiri shawls come in; long since the staple of high-fashion across Europe, Kashmiri shawls are now the must-give items on those occasions when something generic just won’t do. Selecting the right Kashmiri shawl is not very straightforward however and great care must be taken when selecting the colour, design and more importantly the material itself.

Kashmiri shawls done right

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The Christmas Story Kashmir Shawl

 

Kashmiri shawls are perfect for pretty, much any gifting occasions but to get selection right you have to get all the right elements in place. Take Valentine’s Day for instance, this occasion is synonymous with bright reds and solid patterns.

Colour sorts itself pretty easily but patterns are another matter. Depending on the taste of the person receiving the shawls (discerning women demand the best at all times) you should ensure that patterns convey certain degree of ornateness. The embroidery doesn’t have to be too complex in its design but it helps to pick a shawl that conveys the great attention and detail that has characterized shawl-making for hundreds of years. Kashmiri shawls capture this technique and artistry very well.

Machine-made doesn’t convey love

Heart Cutout Paisley Red Shawl pre Blog How to Say I Love You with a Kashmiri Shawl

Passion Ignited Red Paisley Kashmir Shawl

In recent years the shawl-making industry has been inundated with mass-produced shawls and one can hardly call these “Kashmiri shawls.” The time-honoured tradition of shawl making in the Kashmir region has been built on very artistic embroidery and skill, elements which now have been replaced by synthetic materials and machine patterns. These can’t convey love the way it should; it is like giving a woman a cubic zirconia and telling her it’s a real diamond—it just won’t cut it (pun intended).

The proper way to convey love is of course to select the right elements and this begins with finding a good source for the best Kashmir shawls. This blog was created in part to educate would-be buyers about the intricacies of selecting shawls but also to showcase the splendid pieces offered by the Kashmir Company. Pieces like our ‘Gardens of Kashmir Black Shawl‘ or the beautiful ‘Grand Kashmir Ivory Shawl’ have both captured the essence of what traditional and timeless shawl-making is about.

But our pieces are more importantly designed and painstakingly embroidered with the theme of love. This allows us to recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone who wishes to make the ultimate expression of love to anyone special in their life.

Click here to browse our wonderful collection of Kashmir shawls and feel free to leave a comment below.

Passion Ignited Shawl for your loved one this Valentines

S.04.0044.01.04.07.00002 1024x575 Passion Ignited Shawl for your loved one this Valentines

The Passion Ignited Paisley Shawl

 

Passion Ignited Shawl for your loved one this Valentines.

Featured Shawl: Passion Ignited Paisley Shawl

2eef1695cdc8452b9da9507f6c212d8b How to Pick the Perfect Valentine’s Day Gift: 5 Awesome Tips

Valentine Rose – Leech Raymond 1949

February 14 is around the corner—again, and if you are like most partners, you are busy thinking about what gifts to get your other half. Since getting it wrong is not an option, we thought we’d put together this handy little guide so that come February 15th, you can at least look your other half in the eye and keep love brewing for the rest of 2013. So, without any rambling, here are five awesome ideas for selecting the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

Tip #1 – Get the day marked on your digital calendar 

S.04.0044.01.04.08.00012 112 web KashmirCompany 200x300 How to Pick the Perfect Valentine’s Day Gift: 5 Awesome Tips

The Renewal Shawl

We all lead busy lives and whether you’re a man looking to get something for a woman or vice versa, the daily hustle and bustle can lead you strapped for time. Aiming off here is key and so the first thing one should do is make a list of key dates in the timeline that will influence the day itself. Let’s say for example you’ve decide to get the Spiced Sausalito Shawl for her this Valentine’s Day, you’d need to order it in good time to ensure delivery before the big day. Most online merchants have fast shipping as part of their sales process but this means nothing unless you aim off properly.

Tip #2 – Strike the right balance

Depending on the stage of your relationship with that special someone, your efforts this year will and should be tailored accordingly. This means choosing the right Valentine’s Day gift to match the status of the relationships. If you’ve got lots of cash on hand and want to make a big “I love you” statement, then getting something greater than your run of the mill flowers and candy might be necessary. On the other hand, if things are just developing, you want to keep your gift in line with where things are at. For this purpose, functional gifts like scarves, shoes or handbags are suitable. They say “I care” without making too much of a push for massive reciprocation.

Tip #3 – Tread carefully where lingerie is concerned 

S.04.0048.01.04.08.00048 110 web KashmirCompany 200x300 How to Pick the Perfect Valentine’s Day Gift: 5 Awesome Tips

The Christmas Story Shawl

Valentine’s Day is associated with romance for sure and lots of men focus on one type of gift round about this time of year—lingerie. While it may be tempting to rush down to a nearby Victoria’s Secret and get something sexy for her, it bears to remember that Valentine’s Day is more about her and very little about you. Women especially like to boast about what they got on Valentine’s Day and often this involves taking the stuff to work and showing to it friends. Something sexy and discreet may not be ideal for that so keep that in mind when contemplating lingerie.

Tip #4 – If all else fails at least get a card

For people on a budget or those who have a tough time selecting gifts, it helps to remember that Valentine’s Day is a day for doing at least one thing—you simply can’t afford to let the day pass without at least one gesture. To that end, you should get at Valentine’s Day card at a minimum. You know your partner better than anyone so don’t hesitate to pick a card that conveys all the emotions expected of the moment. Funny or witty cards always do the trick and the time-tested cupid-laden Valentine’s Day card has never failed.

Tip #5 – Create a lessons-learned file 

S.04.0048.01.04.08.00015 112 web KashmirCompany 200x300 How to Pick the Perfect Valentine’s Day Gift: 5 Awesome Tips

Walk in the Headlands Shawl

This last tip is perhaps the most enduring and followed correctly, you can have smooth-sailing Valentine’s Day gift selection for years to come. The idea is to keep a personal note of the hiccups you have when you select gifts for your partner. It’s not enough to keep it in your head—that won’t help since little details will be forgotten. What didn’t she like about the gift last year? Was it the colour, the size of the gift? All these details must be recorded. When it comes to selecting that gift next year all you have to do is reference your lessons learned file and you’ll be good to go.

So there you go; five super tips to get your mind buzzing with gift ideas this Valentine’s Day. Don’t forget that your search for the perfect gift doesn’t have to be long and painful. The Kashmir Company stocks a wide selection shawls and scarves which have been making perfect Valentine’s Day Gifts for well over 300 years. You can pick up a shawl or scarf from anyone of our flagship online stores where fantastic gifts abound.

To browse our Kashmir Seasons Collection click here. Or click here to browse the wide selection from the Kashmir Company line.

Last but not least leave a tip or a comment below. We’d love to hear from you.

Painting courtesy – British impressionist painter | Raymond Leech 1949
All other media © copyright – The Kashmir Company

Every once in a while you should treat yourself

b63ce2efea12498d999f77487d8941c5 Every once in a while you should treat yourself

The Give to Yourself Kashmir Shawl

Every once in a while you should treat yourself. Start with the Give to Yourself Shawl. Perfect pampering.

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