This winter, drape a pashmina

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The nip in the air signals the arrival of winter. It’s time to take out those woollens and enjoy the chill. Shawls, stoles and scarves are back in fashion and for those who love Kashmiri embroidery, it’s time to don that beautiful pashmina.

But how would you like to drape a shawl that gives you the feel of royalty of the Mughal or Deccan era? How about flaunting a scarf designed by internationally renowned artists? If your answer is yes, then Andraab is your destination. This newly launched boutique store in New Delhi specialises in the finest hand embroideries on shawls, stoles, scarves, bedspreads and even wall art. The brand, which caters to the likes of celebrities like Judi Dench, Patricia Arquette, Bill Nighy, Thandie Newton, to name a few, has now set up shop in Nizamuddin (west) and houses some of the best pashminas.
“Andraab is a valley in Afghanistan from where my ancestors migrated to Kashmir over 600 years ago. That’s where I get my surname and the brand name from,” explains Mubashir Andraabi who, along with his twin brother Muzakir, founded Andraab in 1996. The first store in India was established in Jaipur, followed by Udaipur, and now the capital.
The USP of Andraab designs is that each heirloom-quality textile is created by hand from start to finish, using the finest cashmere fibres and produced as they have been for hundreds of years. The creation process — from the procuring of fibres to the cleaning, combing, spinning and finishing on hand looms and finally to the employing of hand embroidery — can take anywhere from three weeks to six months. The result is a lightweight, luxuriously soft and warm garment that will last for many years to come.
“Many artisans who worked on Kashmiri shawls and embroidery have moved on from hand-weaving to machines because of the time and cost involved. But all our products are hand-woven and we are trying to keep the tradition alive, while catering to contemporary designs as well,” Mubashir says.
But it’s not only the quality of product that has attracted a clientele that ranges from Hollywood celebs to the royalty to don an Andraab design. Over the years, Andraab designers have worked with artists from various backgrounds — Alexander Kori Girard, Robert Kushner and Erik Killi Olsen to name a few — and the designs of these artists have been inspired by India.
Olsen, for instance, is a well-known Norwegian artist specialising in street art and some of his designs have now come to life in hand embroidery representing day-to-day street life in India on Andraab products. Then there is Andraab’s signature Kori design, which has been sourced from American artist and designer Girard. While travelling in India, Girard came up with this design that is his interpretation of his travels within the country. “We call this the symbols design. It has shades and layers of Indian influences. If closely viewed, these symbols in some way represent a mix of Indian arts, cultures, religions, street iconography that he may have experienced during his travels,” explains Mubashir.
At Andraab, you will also find designs sourced from Robert Kushner, a celebrated painter known for his quintessential flowers, whose work is displayed every two years at the DC Moore Gallery in New York. “This is our first collaborative work with him and we would be making more of his designs in the coming times,” says Mubashir.
In addition, Andraab has made a new fashion statement this season with its William Morris designs that are mainly about the daisy flower. Morris was a well-known British architect. The Daisy Flower (1864) is one of his earliest designs, as well as his most enduring. Embroidered with finesse on pure silk base, the pattern brings out the virtues of the daisy.
Apart from these pieces inspired by contemporary art, Andraab also recreates motifs from rare vintage designs such as the Palampur style of painting in embroidery, the curling vines from the Deccan style of art, the delicate birds of Mughal era and more. “In the early 15th century, the arts of weaving and hand embroidery travelled from Persia to the northern part of India, later flourishing in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Inherently possessing a Persian character, our embroidery patterns are intricate in nature and elegant in style. These complex patterns require great skill and mastery, and can take months to create,” says Mubashir.
A wall art piece at Andraab recreates the intricate complexity of a design created during the rule of Mughal emperor Jehangir, who was a great artist and naturalist. It is Jehangir’s love for birds that is described in this design, done by the artists of the royal court on one of his canopies. Andraab weavers have recreated this design in thread. Another wall art piece in a Deccan design from the 18th century (1799) is done on a base of silk and pashmina blend, and the pattern is defined by scrolling vines. This particular piece is said to have belonged to Tipu Sultan of Mysore and now hangs in Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
Then there are many Kani shawls, which are woven with special woollen needles called kanis where one shawl takes at least a year or two to make.
What also sets Andraab apart is the exquisite embroideries that make each piece a collector’s item. For instance, the Jalli Jaama is done with a base of hand-woven pure pashmina shawl that is made using one of the oldest techniques in the sozni embroidery from Kashmir.
The Wasi boot stitch and the crow design are done on both pure pashmina and silk/cashmere bases and this form of hand embroidery is the finest in its category. The crow design is a very famous Mughal pattern; some famous examples of the same can be seen at the V&A Museum in London.
The price for Alexander Kori stoles in silk pashmina is Rs 12,500, while the wall art piece inspired by the Deccan art of Tipu Sultan era can be purchased for Rs 1,75,000; William Morris’ Daisy bedspreads are for Rs 2,25,000.
And with the wedding season making its presence felt, you can also order your own shawl at Andraab with the liberty to choose your favourite design or artwork. “We custom-make shawls given a lead period of six months. The preference of design and colour are all taken into consideration as per the demand of the customer,” says Mubashir.