Kashmir Loom at Items: Is Fashion Modern in MoMA
Items: Is Fashion Modern? was an exhibition held at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) from Oct 1, 2017 to Jan 28, 2018. Organized by Paola Antonelli, Senior Curator, and Michelle Millar Fisher, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Architecture and Design, the exhibition presented 111 items of clothing and accessories that have had a profound impact on global culture in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. During its 118-day run, the Items exhibition attracted an estimated 588,000 visitors — averaging around 4,985 people per day.
This was the second instance when fashion was the central focus of an exhibition at MoMA and homage to its first fashion exhibition at MoMA, Are Clothes Modern? held in 1944. The inception of the exhibition was a simple question Antonelli asked herself “What garments changed the world?”, the response to which was a list of 400 items that Antonelli created. When suggested by the museum director, Glenn Lowry, to turn this list into a show, Antonelli painstakingly brought the list down to 111 with the help of assistants, as well as a committee of scholars, editors, and designers.
How Shawls Changed the World of Fashion
Featuring as the 82nd item on the list, the shawl is discussed in the Items exhibition catalogue for its global distribution and impact. The cashmere shawl travelled from India to regions such as Asia, North Africa, China, Iran, Russia and Egypt. Colonization played a key role in the widespread use of shawls in Europe, where they eventually became prized staples in fashion — particularly in England and France. Another influential factor was the rise of Neoclassicism in Europe, “which embraced the purportedly natural and balanced beauty of ancient Greek and Roman art and inspired simplified silhouettes and unadorned fabrics such as white muslin. Shawls complemented the new style by adding a vibrant layer to the restrained colour scheme.”
Mei Mei Rado, in the Items exhibition catalogue, notes: “Shawls have remained a wardrobe staple for many, exploding as a fad from time to time. A short-lived trend for cashmere shawls (marketed as pashmina, another Persian word denoting wool) at the turn of the twenty-first century in Europe and the United States saw inexpensive, low-quality versions flourish at tourist-city street stands. It was an extreme example of trickle-down fashion: the blatant appropriation (and ultimate disposability) of luxury products manufactured for the impulsive-buying everyday consumer.”
Kashmir Loom Shawls in Items: Is Fashion Modern?
Kashmir Loom was honoured to be part of this remarkable exhibition, with two of its shawls showcased throughout the duration of the show.
The first, the Gulabposh Jamawar Embroidery Shawl in a natural orange shade, featured intricate all-over Sozni embroidery—each inch painstakingly adorned with fine needlework. Taking over a year to complete, this masterpiece stands as a testament to the dedication, patience, and craftsmanship that define Kashmir’s embroidery tradition.
The second, the Sargent Kani Shawl in an ivory multi-tone palette, was inspired by the shawls seen in Cashmere (1908), a painting by John Singer Sargent. Jenny Housego—founder of Kashmir Loom and Sargent’s great-niece—was captivated by the shawl depicted in his work. Her fascination led her on a quest to find the original piece. Once she did, it sparked the journey to recreate the shawl, culminating in this exceptional reinterpretation in the early 2000s
Exhibition Catalogue
The exhibition catalogue features an essay by curator Paola Antonelli highlights the Museum's unique perspective on fashion and explores fashion's role in the changing landscape of design. The 111 texts that follow trace the history of each item in relation to labor, marketing, technology, religion, politics, aesthetics, and popular culture. Arranged alphabetically, these essays are richly illustrated with archival images, fashion photography, film stills, and documentary shots. Punctuating the book are newly commissioned photographic portfolios that bring a vibrant creative energy to the project.
Among the featured pieces, Item 82 is a Shawl, illustrated with an image of the Gulabposh shawl, showcasing the intricate craftsmanship that defines Kashmir Loom’s artistry.
