From Conflict to Creation: Silvia Furmanovich’s Odyssey into the Soul of Kashmir
In a world where beauty and turmoil often exist in a delicate, paradoxical dance, there are few places that embody this duality as profoundly as Kashmir. Known as “Paradise on Earth” for its breathtaking valleys, serene lakes, and the majestic snow-capped Himalayas that cradle it, the region is simultaneously a landscape etched with decades of geopolitical conflict. It is into this very heart of complexity that Brazilian jewelry designer Silvia Furmanovich, an artist renowned for her fearless use of unconventional materials, ventured in August, seeking not just inspiration, but a deeper human connection. Her journey would culminate in the “Kashmir” collection, a breathtaking body of work that translates the soul of a land and its people into wearable art.
The Allure of a Forbidden Land
For many, the name Kashmir conjures images of military patrols and political unrest, a narrative heavily promoted by international headlines. Furmanovich was met with the same cautionary tales. “Everybody says, ‘Don’t go to Kashmir because it’s dangerous,’” she recalls. The warnings were not without merit. Upon her arrival in Srinagar, the region’s summer capital, the stark reality of the situation was immediately apparent. The city was a tapestry of tension, where the presence of soldiers and the gleam of their weapons seemed to echo through the historic streets.
“I went. I was a little bit scared at the beginning at the airport because there is a lot of tension in the place, a lot of soldiers, a lot of guns,” Furmanovich admits. Yet, for a designer whose signature is built on exploring the world’s most remote corners and ancient crafts—from Japanese bamboo weaving to Amazonian wood marquetry—the pull of Kashmir’s legendary artistry was stronger than her fear. She knew that beneath the surface of conflict lay a resilient culture of creation, a legacy of craftsmanship passed down through generations. Her primary mission was to connect with the artisans behind the world-famous pashminas and the intricate art of papier-mâché.
The Heart of Kashmiri Craftsmanship: A Legacy in Paper and Fiber
During her 15-day immersion, Furmanovich delved deep into the artistic pulse of Srinagar. She sought out the workshops and ateliers where traditions are not just preserved, but lived and breathed. Her journey led her to the masters of two of Kashmir’s most celebrated crafts.
The Ancient Art of Papier-Mâché
In a quiet corner of Srinagar, she discovered an atelier that has been a bastion of papier-mâché artistry for generations. Here, she witnessed firsthand the alchemy of turning simple paper into objects of profound beauty and durability. “It’s a very interesting technique,” she explains, her voice filled with admiration. “It’s very durable and colorful.”
This was no simple school craft. The Kashmiri process, known as kar-e-kalamdani, is a meticulous and patient art form. It begins with waste paper, which is soaked for weeks until it disintegrates into a soft pulp. This pulp is then mixed with rice starch, or saresh, to create a malleable dough. The dough is pressed into molds (sakthsazi) and left to dry, forming a base that is surprisingly lightweight yet as hard as wood.
What Furmanovich witnessed next was the magic of naqqashi, the intricate, freehand painting that gives each piece its soul. She collaborated with one of Kashmir’s most esteemed artists, a master painter whose every brushstroke told a story. “For one part of the collection, we made earrings with a certain artist that is the best from Kashmir who painted the motifs,” she says.
The surface of each piece was first prepared with a burnished layer of gold leaf, creating a luminous canvas. Upon this golden ground, the artist would paint traditional motifs: the vibrant plumage of the kingfisher, the delicate petals of the chinar leaf, and the intricate patterns of a Persian carpet. The colors, derived from natural pigments, are brilliant and jewel-toned. A final layer of varnish gives the papier-mâché its signature gloss, protecting the delicate painting and lending it an enamel-like shine. This ancient technique, brought to Kashmir from Persia in the 14th century, found a new and extraordinary expression in Furmanovich’s hands, forming the centerpiece of her new earring designs.
The Whisper of Pashmina
While the papier-mâché formed a direct part of her jewelry, the spirit of pashmina weaving infused the collection’s ethos. “They have a tradition of pashminas that you see in India, which are made in Kashmir,” she notes. “And I had the opportunity to visit many artisans that work with pashminas, which was amazing.” She learned how the impossibly soft wool is harvested from the underbelly of the Changthangi goat in the high-altitude plateaus of neighboring Ladakh, and how it is then hand-spun and hand-woven by families who have perfected this craft over centuries. The patience, precision, and dedication she saw in the pashmina workshops resonated with her own design philosophy, reinforcing her commitment to honoring and elevating traditional craftsmanship.
A Perilous Journey to a Spiritual Haven: The Road to Ladakh
Furmanovich’s quest for inspiration did not end in the Kashmir Valley. Accompanied by her son, Andrey, she embarked on a grueling, daylong car journey to Ladakh, a remote, high-desert region often called “Little Tibet.” The drive itself was an odyssey, a terrifying traverse along some of the world’s most treacherous mountain roads. The Srinagar-Leh Highway is a marvel of engineering and a test of nerve, clinging to sheer cliff faces and winding through high-altitude passes like the formidable Zoji La.
“We went with a driver and his brother and after 12 hours, we arrived in Ladakh,” she recounts. The terror of the journey immediately dissolved upon their arrival. “It was like heaven because it is a very spiritual place where you have a lot of monasteries. Everything that you see, it’s inspiring and very religious, very sacred.”
The landscape had transformed from the lush greenery of Kashmir to a dramatic, lunar-like expanse of barren mountains punctuated by whitewashed stupas and monasteries perched precariously on hilltops. Here, fluttering prayer flags send their blessings into the crisp mountain air. It was in this deeply spiritual environment that Furmanovich found another layer of inspiration. She discovered Jigmat Couture, a brand founded by textile artist Jigmat Norbu, dedicated to preserving and revitalizing antique Ladakhi fabrics.
“He has a store where he collects antique fabrics that he makes like a patchwork, like coats and clothes, pashminas,” she says. Among the treasures in his collection, one piece in particular captivated her. “One in particular was very interesting because it’s made in Tibet, by monks who use a loom and work with peacock feathers. I bought one meter.” This rare and sacred textile, woven with the iridescent threads of a peacock’s feather, became a talisman for the collection, a symbol of the sublime beauty she had traveled so far to find.
The Genesis of a Collection: Where Kashmir Meets Brazil
Back in her São Paulo studio, these rich and varied experiences began to coalesce. The “Kashmir” collection is a masterful fusion of worlds. The hand-painted papier-mâché elements, with their luminous gold-leaf bases, are set in 18k gold and framed by a carefully curated palette of colored gemstones.
True to her Brazilian roots, Furmanovich adorns her pieces with stones mined from her native country. Yet, her selection is driven not by carat weight, but by color and emotion. “I always use stones, but not necessarily very expensive stones,” she affirms. “I go for the color. If I have the raw material, whatever matches better with the color, I use it.”
In the Kashmir collection, brilliant aquamarines and blue topazes echo the crystal-clear skies of Ladakh and the tranquil waters of Dal Lake. Deep, royal amethysts seem to capture the twilight glow over the Himalayas. These gems do not overpower the delicate artistry of the papier-mâché; they complement it, creating a dialogue between the vibrant earth of Brazil and the handcrafted traditions of Kashmir. The collection features both one-of-a-kind masterpieces and repeatable designs, ensuring its story can be shared widely.
A Legacy Cast in Gold and Paper
Looking back, Furmanovich’s memories are painted with sensory richness. One of her most cherished experiences was a pre-dawn boat ride on Srinagar’s iconic Dal Lake. “A source of inspiration was the lake of Srinagar,” she reflects. “It’s beautiful because you go very early in the morning, you see bruma, or mist. It’s a very mysterious environment.”
Floating in a traditional shikara boat through the ethereal morning fog, she witnessed life on the water: the floating flower and vegetable markets, the calls of vendors, and the simple, profound gesture of hospitality. “You go in a boat. And a lot of people come to the boat to serve you chai tea with spices, and they put grated almonds on top. It was one of those experiences that you never forget.”
Silvia Furmanovich’s Kashmir collection is far more than a new line of jewelry. It is a testament to the power of art to transcend borders and headlines. It is a story of a designer who dared to look beyond the warnings of danger to find a world of unparalleled beauty, resilience, and creativity. By placing a “humble” craft like papier-mâché at the heart of her haute joaillerie, she challenges our perceptions of value, celebrating the human hand as the most precious material of all. Each piece is a miniature vessel, carrying within it the mist of Dal Lake, the prayers of Ladakhi monks, and the enduring artistic soul of Kashmir.
