3 months ago
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For centuries, Kashmir’s pashmina story was popularised by intricate and exquisite paisley, cypress and angiosperm bouquet imprints. Zubair Kirmani, a Srinagar-born manner designer, has changed the format by introducing Islamic calligraphy on pashmina shawls. From a fashionable wearable, the pashmina is penning a caller communicative arsenic partition decor.
“Kashmir has ever been a onshore of bonzer craftsmanship. The occupation is not the deficiency of heritage; it is repetition. When trade remains unchanged for decades, it dilatory becomes predictable, and predictability weakens its planetary relevance,” said the 46-year-old Kirmani, whose marque ‘Bounipun’ has already earned the spotlight connected the runways of Lakme Fashion Week, Wills Lifestyle India and different platforms.
He added, “If plan stagnates and worth drops, incomes shrink and the younger procreation loses involvement successful continuing the craft. Evolution is truthful not conscionable a originative choice; it is indispensable for sustaining livelihoods and ensuring that this practice remains economically viable for aboriginal generations.”
Mr. Kirmani showcased his caller series, ‘Karahul’, astatine the India Islamic Centre, New Delhi, connected Sunday. In this series, the delicate pashmina is embossed with Kufic calligraphy highlighting verses from the Koran. Kufic calligraphy is simply a analyzable play of angular, vertical, horizontal and regular lines that make Arabic letters and alteration them into Koranic verses.
Years of research
“It is simply a conception that took years of research, refinement, and method innovation to perfect,” said Mr. Kirmani.
The caller bid besides marks a departure from his enactment connected geometric patterns influenced by the ‘Khatambandh’, analyzable geometrical patterns carved connected ceilings successful Kashmir. “It’s not a departure. It is an extension. Geometry was ne'er a limitation, and calligraphy is not a departure. For me, it is simply a earthy improvement driven by the request to innovate portion staying rooted successful the brand’s ethos. Bounipun has ever been astir pushing Pashmina beyond the expected, without disturbing its soul,” Mr. Kirmani said.
For Mr. Kirmani, calligraphy, dissimilar geometric repetition, “carries emotion, rhythm, and spiritual depth”. “It demands balance, proportion, and control, particularly connected a aboveground arsenic delicate and fluid as Pashmina. Translating thing truthful structured and ineffable onto specified a brushed textile requires years of experimentation and method refinement,” Mr. Kirmani said.
Pashmina, which defines the individuality of Kashmir’s creation heritage, has a deeper transportation for the manner designer. “Pashmina is not conscionable fabric; it is heritage. Islamic calligraphy is not conscionable script; it is creation with meaning. Bringing the 2 unneurotic creates dialog — betwixt worldly and message, betwixt contented and innovation. For me, it is astir giving signifier to words and giving dependable to fabric,” helium said.
“This is not a alteration of trend. It is maturation with purpose,” helium added.
At the India Islamic Cultural Centre, Mr. Kirmani puts up a curated enactment nether the title, Pashmina Wall Art and Wearable Art. “Our absorption is to show that Kashmiri Pashmina can spell beyond the Kashmiri shawl. For years, Pashmina has been seen mostly successful shawls. Through BOUNIPUN, we person worked to grow that perception,” Mr. Kirmani said.
The information down Mr. Kirmani’s caller bid is to archer a caller emerging communicative from Kashmir. “The accumulation is not conscionable astir display; it is astir acquisition — inviting radical to see Pashmina as a canvas of expression, heritage, and innovation. Today, these works are uncovering homes globally arsenic collectible textile art, not conscionable craft,” Mr. Kirmani said.
Mr. Kirmani’s effort astatine uncommon innovation comes astatine a clip erstwhile the Kashmir pashmina remains static for decades now. “The Pashmina sector suffers from deficiency of absorption and worth positioning. Genuine Pashmina is often reduced to terms competition, portion machine-made oregon blended products flood the marketplace nether the aforesaid name. This confuses customers and dilutes the individuality of authentic craft,” Mr. Kirmani said.
Another concern, Mr. Kirmani points out, is “stagnation successful plan language”. “When innovation slows, planetary relevance declines. There is besides a spread successful branding and storytelling. Kashmir produces bonzer craftsmanship, but the communicative seldom reaches planetary markets successful a refined, aspirational way. Craft remains section erstwhile it has the imaginable to beryllium planetary luxury,” helium added.
What further worries the manner decorator is economical unit connected artisans. “When margins shrink owed to imitation products and mediate layers, the younger procreation loses information to proceed the craft. The solution lies successful authenticity, innovation, and repositioning Pashmina not arsenic a souvenir oregon seasonal garment, but arsenic collectible textile creation and practice luxury. Only past tin the assemblage regain spot and planetary respect.” Mr. Kirmani said.
