The Kashmir shawl or the Cashmere shawl, as it was first known in Europe, was a textile, highly prized by the royalty of India, the middle-east and then Europe. Combining the rare wool of the Cashmere goat with the talents of spinners, pattern makers, dyers, darners, and the extraordinary skill of the weavers, the Cashmere shawl was a triumph of Kashmir's artistic heritage - a heritage that also included other equally exquisite art forms including Papier Mache/Lacquerware, silver and copper engraving, enamelware, carpet weaving and engraved walnut wood.

"To tell the story of Kashmir's artistic heritage, from a Kashmiri's perspective" is how Zulfi Ali describes the spirit of his collection. Zulfi Ali was born and raised in the valley of Kashmir, where the artistic traditions of his family and the art forms that surrounded him imbibed within him a lifelong love for the artistic heritage of his beloved valley. After moving to the US, this passion emerged in a relentless pursuit of collecting, curating, and researching Kashmir shawls and other art forms of Kashmir. His dream is to share his collection and the fascinating human story connected to it on any platform that he is offered.