Pashmina History

The beautiful valley of Kashmir has always been famous for its craftsmanship. The weaving of tapestry shawls was first introduced into the valley by Zain-ul-Abdin, the ruler of Kashmir , in the 15th century.  Pashmina shawls became popular in Europe in the latter part of the 18th century. At the beginning of the 19th century, foreign entrepreneurs started to commission shawls especially for the French market, adapting the designs to suit European taste. Pashmina became the rage in France after Napoleon presented a rare shawl to Empress Josephine.  Fashion gurus consider pashmina shawls to be as essential to the wardrobe as the ubiquitous little black dress.