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Woven by hand on a traditional loom, this beautiful shawl takes its inspiration from the flowers of Guatemala. Artisans from the Creative Artisan Women's Group work in cool cotton shades like lilac, turquoise, green and yellow to create rich textures. Hand-knotted fringe adorns each end.

Colorful flowers dance under paisley clouds in a stunning jamawar from Sandeep Malhotra. So intricate was the work that a person could finish only one shawl in his lifetime. Such shawls were not sold, but were given to kings and queens who, in turn, gave the artisan properties according to the worth of the shawl. Authentic jamawar is virtually unavailable, but replicas such as this recall their amazing beauty. The wool wrap masterfully combines rich maroon, beige, black, olive and orange hues.

Glorious flowers in olive and ochre cover a luxurious wool shawl by Sajad. Created with fine machine embroidery, the motifs emulate India's traditional aari work, a kind of chain stitch. Luscious fringe trims each end.

Glorious flowers in red on burgundy red cover a luxurious wool shawl by Sajad. Created with fine machine embroidery, the motifs emulate India's traditional aari work, a kind of chain stitch. Luscious fringe trims each end.

Soft pink turns into deep rose in a delicious palette of colors orchestrated by Vinita for this wide shawl. She works with traditional dyeing techniques to create a shawl of bold elegance that is loomed of raw silk.

This shawl from Raquel and Gregor is designed with feminine elegance. It is knit with wool from the alpaca's first shear, also known as baby alpaca wool. The shawl's florid lacy patterns culminate with a scalloped border.

The intricate texture in this handsome kente cloth shawl is inspired by beach pebbles. Designed by a fisherman around 1898, its name means "pebbles of the shore are hard to crack." The tiny blocks of pattern represent the thoughts of that ancestral craftsman. Handcrafted by the Gobah Tengey-Seddoh Family, this extraordinary double weave textile is one of the most difficult patterns to achieve. These expert weavers use traditional looms and a cotton blend.

Each strip requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. Strips are generally three to four inches wide and seven to ten feet long, and the length of time it takes to complete one strip varies by the complexity of the chosen pattern. The simplest use mostly vertical, or warp patterns, and an experienced weaver can make several of those in one day. But patterns with nearly all weft (horizontal thread) patterns, where the warp design is hardly visible, can take up to four days to complete an individual strip. Each color has its own meanings in Asante culture. Green is fertility and new harvest, gold is royalty, black is strength, aging, and spirituality, while white is purity. The patterns themselves are carefully chosen symbols, which a master weaver develops and names, often to honor people, historical events, or proverbs.

Dark teal turns light turquoise in a fresh palette of colors orchestrated by Vinita for this wide shawl. She works with traditional dyeing techniques to create a shawl of bold elegance that is loomed of raw silk.

In all the colors of a fiesta, cotton yarns are handwoven together on a traditional backstrap loom. They create the intricate stripes and X patterns of this shawl from Guatemala. Elena Ixtamer creates this artisanal shawl, which is sure to turn heads wherever it goes. Hand-knotted fringe work accents the ends of this marvelous accessory.