Once forgotten, paisley resurfaces this season, challenging perceptions of style, heritage, and identity while redefining contemporary fashion’s visual language, says Sakshi Priya
What does it mean when a pattern, once relegated to the margins of taste, returns to dominate runways and wardrobes alike? How can a swirl of teardrops — paisley, in its intricate complexity-simultaneously evoke heritage, identity, and audacity? And why, in a season defined by novelty, does this “forgotten” print compel us to reconsider the very language of style?
Paisley, with its swirling teardrop form, has always been more than decoration. It is history stitched into fabric, a motif that has travelled from Persian courts to Scottish looms, from sixties counterculture to today’s catwalks. This season, it resurfaces once again, commanding attention on runways and prompting a reconsideration of heritage in fashion.
The story of paisley begins in the East. Its earliest iterations can be traced to Persian and Indian weaving traditions, where the boteh motif — resembling a bent cypress or mango, symbolised life and eternity. In Iran, tiles and ceramics of the nineteenth century, including depictions of Naser al-Din Shah’s advisers in Isfahan, show robes richly patterned with paisley, proof of the motif’s entwinement with politics, religion, and decorative art.
From there, the design travelled west, finding new form in Kashmir shawls, coveted by European elites for their intricate weaves and luminous dyes. By the early nineteenth century, Scotland gave paisley its English name. In the industrial town of Paisley, local women reinterpreted the Kashmiri style using Jacquard looms.
For several decades, woollen shawls were the ultimate symbol of refinement, until fashion shifted and economics intervened. The Franco-Prussian War disrupted exports, and cheaper printed imitations undercut exclusivity. By the 1870s, what had once been an elite garment was common enough to fall from grace. Fashion, however, never forgets entirely. Paisley returned with force in the 1960s, when youth culture embraced it as a psychedelic emblem. John Lennon’s Rolls-Royce bore its curves, Mick Jagger wore it on stage, and designers mined its exoticism.
The 1990s briefly revived that spirit, with bands like Oasis echoing its sixties associations. Today, the pattern reappears with fresh sophistication. Etro’s Autumn 2011 collection revelled in maximalist grandeur, layered jewel tones, sweeping capes, exuberant prints. In contrast, Balenciaga’s Pre-Autumn 2011 pared it back to sleek, architectural restraint, proving its adaptability to contemporary minimalism. Paisley can embody contradiction, aristocratic yet rebellious, traditional yet avant-garde. A blouse beneath a sharply cut blazer projects authority with flair, a scarf enlivens urban austerity, while a gown transforms fabric into spectacle. The revival of this “forgotten” print serves as a reminder of fashion’s cyclical, dialogic nature. Paisley is a language, a palimpsest of history and creativity, capable of communicating identity, aspiration, and artistry across time. This season, as it appears in myriad forms and interpretations, paisley asks us to reconsider the interplay between heritage and modernity.
Style Guide
Workwear: A paisley blouse under a tailored blazer adds subtle sophistication without overwhelming the office setting.
Casual Day Out: Pair a printed scarf or kimono with denim or linen trousers for effortless street style.
Evening Statement: A flowing paisley maxi dress with minimal accessories lets the print take centre stage.
Mix and Match: Pair paisley with stripes, checks, or solid monochrome tones to create a modern, eclectic look.