All of our wraps, scarves and shawls are designed individually. When you buy fro

When you buy from Maria Val Loureda Designs, you will become the owner of a one-off original handmade item.

Maria uses a wide range of materials for her creations, including luxurious cashmere, silks and welsh mohair.

Our range is very popular for weddings, and Maria specialises is designing brides-maid shawls, all with a common theme but each item being subtly different and therefore totally original.

Our designer accessories can also be worn as evening wraps and evening shawls, providing a superb finish to formal outfits.

What is the difference between a shawl & a wrap?

Having often been asked this question, we thought that a quick explanation might be in order!

A shawl is an item of clothing worn over the arms and shoulders. While it is normally triangular in shape, oblong shawls are also available (which are worn folded in a triangular shape).

Shawls are worn both for practical reasons (to keep warm) and also as a complementary item for a costume. While almost exclusively worn by women in the West, in other parts of the world (for example in Jewish and Indian culture) they often form part of male costume. 

While a shawl adorns the upper part of the body, traditionally a wrap is worn below the waist covering the legs. In many parts of the world, they are worn by both men and women. Usually taking the form of a loose piece of material, the wrap is fastened at the waist with a knot, pin or ties. Across the world these are known by many different names, such as sarong (in Asia), kanga (in Africa) or Dhoti (India).

Today, wraps are very often worn as beachwear, a comfortable item of clothing during pregnancy, or for activities such as yoga. The distinction between shawls and wraps is also becoming rather more blurred, with the word “wrap” also being used for larger garments adorning both the upper and lower body.

Both shawls and wraps can be made from many different materials, and a popular variation of both garments is the pashmina. Originating in the Himalyas, the pashmina shawls and wraps are knitted or woven from cashmere, the fine wool of the pashmina goat.

Yarn and woollen wraps make a practical, as well as original and fashionable, designer accessory. The huge combinations of colour and variations in design offer an almost infinite range of possibilities.