"From Srinagar to Paris and Paisley: the Kashmir Shawl and its Descendents"

                                                  With David Reisbord,
                       Retired Physician, Textile Collector and TMA/SC Member

India has always  been a treasure trove of textile production. Among the most prominent of these has been the Kashmir shawl. Begun in the high Himalayas as Shatoush, the under- belly hair of the Tibetan ibex, the shawls, from which the paisley pattern was derived became a fashion symbol for the most wealthy of Western Europe elite in the late 18th century. Because of their extreme costliness and to meet the demands of the European market attempts to reproduce them in less costly fashion were devised both in India, but particularly in Britain in the Scottish town of paisley, and by the French in Lyon and Nimes.with the invention of the Jacquard loom. Indian designs were eventually influenced by European demands.

TMA/SC member David Reisbord grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from Occidental College and Albert Einstein College of medicine and is now retired from a long career as a neurologist. He became interested in ethnographic textiles following a trip to Guatemala many years ago. About 20 years ago he saw his first Kashmir shawl in a Bangkok shop and it was love at first sight. He became a "Dyed in the wool collector" of the shawls. He will "unravel myths and spin a yarn" about them and discuss  the modern history of the Kashmir shawl and its influence on European art and styles as well as changes in shawl designs dictated by European demand. This will include tips on dating shawls as well as how to differentiate between Indian handwoven shawls  and European imitations produced by Jacquard looms.. He will demonstrate how European economic demands spurred newer faster and cheaper but not necessarily less beautiful results. Finally he will show highlights of his collection and literally   "pull the wool over your eyes"

David invites TMA/SC members and guests to bring examples of Kashmir and European shawls for discussion

Demonstrating a long shawl

In awe of a moon shawl