Shi, a Persian, was brought up in England and went to the world famous St.Martins School of art and design, where her work was always proudly shown to all important visitors to the college.

She started her own business at her first year at the college as well as being asked to teach pattern cutting at St.Martins and teaching men’s fashion design in a school at the East End which all in all she found fascinating.

In her second year, her clothes were already selling in her own space in Harrods and Harvey Nichols, Fotnum and Mason as well as other speciality boutiques. She was asked to draw fashion drawings for the Telegraph and Times newspapers as well.

The simple barrow boy cap that she wore was influenced by the Soho barrow boys in Berwick street market. Adjusted to new proportions, she was photographed in the streets by the Daily Telegraph and spent her student evenings furiously stitching them to customer demands from the Telegraph in fabric from fur to tweed to damask silk.

Her designs were worn in the “Countess of Hong Kong” starring Sophia Loren – a Charlie Chaplin film of that time and by Princess Ann.

Feeling homesick Shi left England with all her success to be with her family in Iran, but in 1979 due to the revolution in Iran she returned to London.

“Cashmere was always my passion and on returning to the UK, after so many years of absence I found that nothing had changed in the cashmere industry – I owned practically every single cashmere item that I saw in a shop after 12 years of absence!” – Shi said.

Shi took a trip to Scotland to visit the factories – explaining what she planned to do. They thought her ideas were too extreme and not cost effective. So Shi determined to do something different, started her own factory in Scotland which she has to this day – 2007.

Her first collection in 1982 with its enormously generous shapes bias cut, flowing draped pieces was instantly a success. Her designs were instantly in Harrods, Harvey Nichols, N. Peal, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus. And all the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue in New York were for a whole week were only Shi Cashmere made in Scotland.
Joyce Hong Kong could not get enough.

Bon Genie-Grieder in Zurich.

Holt Renfrew in Toronto.

You name it Shi Cashmere was there!

Her first collection in 1982 photographed in black and white by Mark Houldsworth - was entirely Persian influenced with double layer full length capes, loose bias cut sweaters, held in by wonderful cashmere cumberbunds over long, slim, sexy skirt, crowned by draped and twisted turbans in cashmere under simple loose hoods.

1984 collection – once again same signature: generous double capes, but now worn with horizontally ribbed, roushed and tucked dresses. Skin tight and sexy. Every woman who saw the dress at that time ordered at least 3-4 pieces.

1984 collection of the hugely generous bias cut skirts and draped sweaters with it’s long-long cape is now in Victoria and Albert Museum.

1986 - Shi had a collection of hand embroidered Lady Sun pieces that were embroidered by young betrothed girls of 7-9 years of age who took their respective square embroideries of Lady Sun to their new homes. Their homes were made of mud and straw and their embroidered pieces were in the centre of the room – possibly over the fire place and from this height the Lady Sun would shine her blessings on to this new family, this would mean many children and much wealth which in those days was many sheep and goats.

Shi took their embroidery drew the design on a knitting chart and had her wonderful Scottish knitters work their intarsia craft into the sweaters measuring 30” by 60” and on to the back of the flowing swing jackets.

Under these loose flowing jackets Shi cut bias fitted Sweaters and bias draped full Skirts – a wonderful mixture of nomadic flow and western control.

1986 collection saw the influence of the Persian pants worn particularly well by the handsome men in North West of Iran. So also the fitted jackets the men wore, but here Shi belted them with a 5” wide cashmere buckled belts.

1988 – Picture 18. The Chinese tiger adorned the enormous 30” by 60” sweaters – these long, loose and languid sweaters were then worn with short-short mini skirts and very-very high heals.

1991 - Very much western influence. Skin tight backless sweaters – which Madonna has, deep-deep V-neck cardigans trimmed with generous fox cuffs – which Mick Jagger could not resist but to buy for his wife as a Christmas present, Shrunken mini cardigans bought for Julia Roberts by her stylist.

1992 – Shi’s first linen collection to compliment her cashmere collection, hit the front page in Marie Clair “what to wear this summer” – in front of all other designers of the world – what a koo!

1994 – Lisa Armstrong of the Times did a whole page article on Shi, titled “From Persian princess to Cashmere queen”.

Shi opened her first shop in 1989 in London, Belgravia, and in 2004 her second shop on the most famous shopping street in the world � on 944 Madison Avenue, 74th and 75th street, right opposite the famous Whitney Museum of American art in New York. The international Jet Set New Yorkers snapped her design from day of the opening. Her clothes were worn by the rich and very famous for special events, special interviews and for love.
Everyone loves Shi.