Shawl 1840-49 French This very finely woven shawl is a good example of the refinement and skill of the French weavers in imitating the Indian and Persian shawls being imported at the time. In ways, the beauty of this woven shawl surpasses that of its inspiration and indicates how this style of outerwear was often considered an heirloom and handed down through generations.The shawl held a place as a high fashion accessory for a relatively large period between the end of the 18th century to the 1870s. These accessories were originally adopted by men with exposure to India and Persia through the Trading Companies. The changing fashions near the end of the 18th century brought a renewed interest in Indian and Persian shawls as a form of warmth over the thin muslins of fashionable Empire silhouette dresses. The shawls came in many designs which generally incorporated the boteh form. This form, which is mostly known as the paisley now, is an ancient Persian design based upon the tree of life