Prior to early forties plain shawls were in fashion in the valley. With the arrival of Bushehras from Rampur Busheher (Shimla), the native weavers took to patterning shawls. The initial designs that were geometrical in outline basically depicted local flora and fauna. The colors, usually intense, perhaps endeavor to portray the Kulluites' enthusiasm for life.

Mr. Devi Prakash Sharma who joined Kullu Shawl Improvement Center as a technician developed diverse designs, visited the various co-operatives and individual weavers and promoted new designs.

The patterns:

• Plain shawl made of single color without any design or pattern.
• Plain with border of a traditional pattern or colored stripes on the four sides.
• Plain with ek phool i.e. traditional pattern on its both ends.
• Plain with teen phool i.e. three traditional patterns on two ends.
• Shawl having design all over it.
• Designed Shawl with ek phool i.e. one traditional pattern on both ends.
• Designed Shawl with teen phool i.e. three traditional patterns on both ends.