THE MARVELS OF KASHMIR

Unless you live under a rock, you MUST know by now how much we at GENERATION adore indigenous crafts and traditional practices. Be it Rilli, Ajrak or Phulkari - we have it all. Patronizing the rich traditional crafts of the subcontinent has long been GENERATION’s philosophy. And on that note, we bring to you another precious craft – Kashmiri embroidery. Taking birth in a place that is literally known as “Heaven on Earth,” it comes as no surprise that Kashmiri embroidery – or Kashida embroidery is intricate, delicate and incredibly haseen. Countless poets, artists and writers continue to seek inspiration from this beautiful land. Introduced by the residents of Srinagar, this style of embroidery was greatly patronized by the Mughal Emperors because of its delicacy and intrinsic needlework. Kashida is the general term used to signify Kashmiri embroidery. It originally started with the ‘darn’ stitch used by raffugars or darners to finish a shawl. It is a simple running stitch which gives a woven effect (of a design) on a shawl.

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Kashmir embroidery draws inspiration from the gentle colours of the landscape and from its varied natural beauty. The designs are all taken from nature like sprays of flowers (rose, lily, and iris), almonds, and birds of many kinds, flowering shrubs and floral motifs of Persian style. GENERATION, with its ‘Kashmiri’ collection has developed prints inspired from this embroidery and used techniques such as appliqué and interesting stitching details to bring about a modern spin on this classic practice! Shop our ‘Kashmiri’ Top for PKR 1,498 at https://www.generation.com.pk/b28329t.html Shop our ‘Kashmiri’ Tunic for PKR 2,698 at https://www.generation.com.pk/b28289t.html Shop our ‘Eccentric Parsi’ jacket for PKR 5,998 at https://www.generation.com.pk/t28026t.html with hand-embroidered Kashmiri motifs and blanket stitches along the hem lines and front.

The Phiran

A traditional Kashmiri garment originally designed to protect Kashmiri men and women against the cold winds, the Phiran or Phayaran comprised of two robes placed on top of one another. The neckline was embellished with fine Zari embroidery or Brocade work which reflected the artistic needlework practiced by the people of Kashmir. Shop our ‘Revival of Phiran’ suit for PKR 5,398 at https://www.generation.com.pk/c28319s.html GENERATION’s ‘Revival of Phiran’ collection is inspired by the traditional Kashmiri Phiran and consists of two piece and three piece ensembles with multi coloured and self embroidery paired with colourful check dupattas. Shop our ‘Revival of Phiran’ Suit for PKR 5,998 at https://www.generation.com.pk/c28320s.html What are your favourite traditional crafts? Let us know in the comments below!

1. Image credits :Source: https://www.utsavpedia.com
2. Cover image credits:Image source: Bridgette Auger