With Pride of Kashmir outlets located in 5 outlets in UAE, and with six outlets in Dubai alone, their stores house eclectic wares such as antique hand embroidered Jamawar, Pashmina and Shahminas shawls, Kashmiri and Persian carpets as well as miscellaneous curios from the Kashmir in northern India. With selected merchandise also available at lifestyle stores such as Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Hobbs in Europe, each object is like a mini treasure to die for.
There is something for just about anybody. Some pieces date from 1700 AD, and then there are antique as well as reproduction furniture, furnishings as well as accessories too. Retail and commercial imperatives notwithstanding, the stores represent a sincere attempt by management to retain the rare art and crafts heritage of the mountain state alive, and to spread awareness about it, rather than just about flogging objects in shops.
Indeed, the encouragement the traditional weavers have received due to the ever increasing popularity of their merchandise among international customers has promoted the centuries old tradition of shawl weaving, carpet making and craftsmanship in the state. Pride of Kashmir's initiative has motivated the Indian government to help resurrect the Kani for instance. This is an intricate method of shawl weaving that originates from this region.
Pride of Kashmir, in existence for close to a century, has been owned by the Shah family for four generations. Appointed by Kashmir's erstwhile royalty to source artifacts for the royal court, they have a perfect understanding of what customer's desire.
However, in keeping with change and global expansion, modern professional management and marketing systems underscore their operation at every level. By marketing the store concept through exhibitions in Europe, awareness of the rich product portfolio and a rare respect for the valuable role that the store has played in keeping indigenous art and craft alive has been created.
Clearly the group's strategy of blending professional ethics with professional management has paid off. In a world rife with counterfeits Pride of Kashmir has scrupulously built a reputation for sticking to the real thing, enhancing customer loyalty. With only the best in aesthetics and materials, their products invariably appreciate in value over time.
With painstaking research going into product sourcing - to the delight of customers - the sales staff is well informed about the history of each piece. Despite this, if antiques are not on the shopping list, then plush home furnishings made from rich silks, velvets, patchwork, appliqué, embroidered and sequined fabrics are up for grabs too. Either way, beauty, quality and heritage value rest supreme.