The Power of Paisley

The paisley pattern, characterized by an abstract tear-drop shape, can be traced back to ancient Babylon, where the design was used to represent the date palm. Patterned shawls with paisley motifs were originally woven in Kashmir, as early as the seventeenth century. The earliest designs were a single flowering plant brought to Europe during the mid-1700s. Since these luxurious shawls were hand woven, costly to produce, and extremely popular, they were often given as part of a dowry or used for ceremonial occasions.

After the Jacquard loom was invented in the early 1800s, Paisley, Scotland became the foremost producer of these shawls. As a result, the design became known as the paisley pattern, and gradually developed from an upright spray of flowers to a stylized cone-shaped motif.

Schumacher offers a wide range of paisley wallcoverings and fabrics, from grand scaled patterns in exotic colorations, delicately detailed designs adapted from antique shawls, and even graphic and modern interpretations of this timeless motif.