Hand-Woven Ochre Wool Shawl - Winter Warmth in Ochre

Artisan Organization: Shahid

Country: India

"Hi friends; I am Shahid and I was born in the capital city of Delhi in 1978. I am simple, energetic, dedicated and a hardworking person by nature.

"My father has been in the field of Kashmiri shawls for years now. Since my childhood days, I have always been fascinated by looking at people around me creating handcrafted things. I completed my BBA in Delhi and then joined my parent’s business. My father is my inspiration. I learned this craft from my father.

"I was so fascinated by the beauty and elegance of Kashmiri shawls that I decided to design them by myself. We have around 15-20 dedicated and skilled artisans who help us to create amazing Kashmiri shawls in our workshop. I do the designing and choosing of the color palettes while the artisans craft the shawls as per my designs and colors.

"At times it becomes a little difficult to communicate with them and ask them to make shawls as per the need, but I skillfully manage to cope with the situation and get my work done.

"We use mostly natural materials which are not so difficult to work with. We get them from a local market. I love colors and I use them vividly in my designs. I not only teach but also assist my workers whenever needed.

"Although these days the trends are changing fast and it is quite challenging to keep up with, we try to meet our customer’s requirements keeping the tradition in mind. Understanding the design’s purpose and not only copying it but being able to make changes where required is very important.

"We have happy customers from many parts of the world like the USA, Canada and Europe. We participate at the EPCH Fair in India every year and other local fairs and exhibitions.

"Working with us gives our team of artisans financial stability, medical benefits and a platform to exhibit their talent, keeping their art alive.

"My dream is to become an entrepreneur and I am planning for it with confidence. Hopefully, I will be able to become one in the future. I wish to expand our family business and take it to greater heights.

"I am very happy to be associated with Novica. I hope I will be able to exhibit my talent through Novica worldwide and fulfill the requirements of every Novica customer.""