LOVE AFFAIR

A LOVE AFFAIR WITH CASHMERE- A TETE-A-TETE WITH SHILU

FOUNDER AT PASHMA

The First Tryst With Pashmina

“I was born in Indonesia, which is a warm-weather country. I knew nothing about Pashminas growing up. Nevertheless, there was this one time when I was on a trip to Nepal and I picked up some beautiful gifts for some friends. When I presented it to them, they told me they wanted more—they were amazed by its beauty.”

“Of course, I was already in the fashion business at the time but I wasn’t making scarves. However, I applied the same rules we were following with outerwear and decided to work on the vertical integration of our cashmere business. That’s really how Pashma began—it was the inception of a business that was centered around building an equitable value chain for all our stakeholders and the authenticity of Pashmina.”

BUILDING OUR ETHOS

“When we started Pashma, we were bewildered by how so many international brands were charging so much money for Pashmina in the name of authenticity and being contemporary.”

“At the time, Pashma rose like a phoenix among its competitors because we cherished our Indian roots, our know-how and wanted to present a product that’s contemporary despite being handmade and natural.”

MAKING AN INTERNATIONAL MARK

“I wanted to strike a chord with every race and ethnicity with Pashma. Our soft, timeless scarves had an inherent femininity to them. Furthermore, Pashma’s sense of color and the fact that it defied trends was accepted beautifully all over the world.”

“Perhaps this is the reason why Pashma has made inroads at some of the prominent luxury stores and boutiques around the world. We sell at over 1,200 multi-brand retailers in over 40 countries, with more than 30 travel retail sales points that include prime airports and renowned international carriers. We also produce for many renowned luxury and contemporary brands worldwide that include Tory Burch, Dsquared, Agnes B, Vakko and Max Mara.”

Forging An Inclusive Future

“Over the next 20 years, I want Pashma to resonate with a larger number of people. Our approach to luxury is inclusive. We believe that everyone should be able to indulge themselves and buy timeless clothes that they will treasure and pass onto their loved ones.”

“Sustainability for us is central to our business continuity. To create a legacy for future generations, we have to create a sustainable and equitable value chain for clients, craftsman, herders and most of all the environment.”