Hand Made Women's Wrap Wool Embroidered Shawl, "Black Lilies"

"Hello, I'm Syed Firoz and I was born and brought up in Kashmir. It is such a beautiful state with so many good things to offer. The scenic beauty just takes your breath away.

"Here you will find many people involved in different kinds of artwork. Similarly, my family has a long association with handicrafts. For many years, we were involved in the art of papier maché. As I was growing up, we also introduced stoles and shawls. But our shoppers were limited to our hometown. We would craft our designs and sell them to tourists or in local fairs.

"The market in Kashmir was not doing well, so I thought of venturing out of our state. In 1983, I went to Kolkata with a friend and worked there with him for two years. Eventually, I felt able to set out on my own and went back to Kashmir.

"At the time, my brother was too young to help me but he now works with me. People from all over the world appreciate Kashmiri art and I am glad to present our wonderful designs to the world."