The king Akbari indicates that
by the 16th Century the Kashmir shawl Industry was an old and well established
one. His Majesty encourage in every possible way, the manufacturer of shawls
in Kashmir. Fabrics Bernier describe in the late 17th Century, which leaves
no doubts that he is referring to the same pashmina shawls that become
famous as Kashmir (Cashmire) Shawls, It became a garment of high fashion,
the style being set by Empress Joscphine after she received Kashmir shawls
as gift from Napoleon. The cashmere pashmina shawls became a habit to the wardrobe of every
fashionable women in Europe, particularly in France. The Industry Flourished
during this period. The Industry suffered through the reign of afghan and
then seikh rule, a highly unskilled period of Kashmir history, during this
time all craft declined , but during Maharaja Ranbir Singh time late 18th
Century the trade picked up and then with the exhibition of shawls in early
19th Century by Major Stuart H. Godjrcy in European market helped to create
awareness for kashmiri shawls over again in the world. |