Srinagar: Twenty seven-year-old Ananya Sharma, this winter, ditched her jackets and shawls for a deep maroon pheran, which she bought from Kashmir recently. Its embroidered neckline catches the light as she moves.
Such has been her love for this outfit that she bought many more pherans online for herself and friends.
“I first saw it on Instagram. I ordered it online, and when it arrived, I realised this isn’t just winter wear — it’s elegance. It makes you feel different,” she said.
Once confined to Kashmir, the pheran has begun a quiet migration across North India. Earlier, Himachal Pradesh, now the outfit has reached the plains of Punjab and the streets of New Delhi, where women are embracing the traditional Kashmiri garment — not only to fight the cold, but to make a style statement.
In Chandigarh, boutique owner Harpreet Kaur said the demand surprised her. “Last winter, a customer asked if I could source pherans. Now, I sell them every week. Punjabi women love the comfort, but they also love how royal it looks. It’s modest, warm, and fashionable at the same time,” she said.
In Delhi’s Hauz Khas Village, fashion student Riya Malhotra, who is also a fashion influencer, pairs her pastel-blue pheran with boots and a sling bag. “It’s not about surviving winter anymore. It adds personality. You stand out in a crowd of coats,” she said.
The trend has not gone unnoticed by online retailers. Several e-commerce platforms and boutique brands now list pherans in wool, tweed, and velvet, offering modern cuts alongside traditional Kashmiri embroidery. Many e-commerce platforms such as Myntra, Ajio, and regional e-sellers have started displaying varieties of pherans with positive response from the customers who buy them countrywide.
Sellers report spikes in orders from Ludhiana, Amritsar, Shimla, Manali, and Delhi NCR.
Saima Khan, a Srinagar-based designer, whose family has stitched pherans for generations, said the new markets are a blessing. “Earlier, our work stayed within Kashmir. Now, orders come from Punjab and Delhi. It feels like our culture is travelling,” she said.