Paisley Motif
The paisley motif originated in Kashmir in India. It is a fertility symbol based on the new shoot of a date palm. The motif is most well known for its use on Kashmiri shawls. The design found its way to England in the 1760s where copies of the original Kashmiri shawls were made in the Scottish weaving centre of Paisley. Hence the use of the Anglo-Saxon term paisley. In India the motif is known as kairy (mango) and buta (floral form) and in Kashmir it is kalanga or kalga.The use of the paisley motif in furnishings is attributed to Napoleon's wife Josephine who had gowns, bedcovers and cushions made from the shawls. The French began making copies of the shawls and modified the design, adding long curling tips to the basic cone shape.
Arthur Liberty, an Englishman revived the popularity of the paisley design. It became recognised as the Liberty print and was used for home accessories. The paisley pattern is still popular today.