ISLAMABAD: The demand for traditional and contemporary pashmina shawls (handmade shawls of Himalayas) in pestle colours has increased in the capital’s shopping malls and roadside stalls as the winter sets in.
Shawls are not only part of the traditional attire, but also many young people make a fashion statement wearing dark and bright shawls with jeans, T-shirts and kurtas.
People who prefer more formal clothes and those who prefer to wear stylish clothes were both wearing shawls on top of sleeveless shirts, paired with formal trousers and heels, not to mention trendy accessories, said a student, Ayesha, at the Jinnah Super Market.
Shawls are available at many handicraft shops in various sectors of Islamabad, while middle and lower class women visit weekly Lunda Bazaars of G6, G10 and H9 for buying trendy pashmina shawls at lower prices.
As visitors throng various shopping malls to buy clothes to face the winter chill, it is a good time for weavers as there has been a rise in the demand for traditional Kashmiri and pashmina shawls available at various shops.
The hand-woven, soft and multicoloured shawls dyed with natural vegetable colours are famous for their finesse and warmth and are available at the markets of Islamabad.
While a pure pashmina shawl can carry a price tag of as much as Rs4,000, most buyers prefer semi pashmina shawls which are difficult to distinguish from the pure variety and are available at a price range of Rs800 to Rs1,000.
The exquisite shawls famous for their intricate geometrical designs carry special significance and depict the designs and colours on the walls of Kashmiri tradition though few are simple and plain.
A shopkeeper at F7 said the demand for warm clothes like sweaters, shawls and other clothing had witnessed noticeable increase in view of the weather.
“In winter, if you do not want to wear a sweater, as sweaters hide your dress designing, you can always wear a stylish pashmina shawl,” she added.
Internews
