Shisha (embroidery)

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For the water-pipe, see Hookah.

Shisha embroidery, or mirror-work, is a type of embroidery which attaches small pieces of mirrors reflective metal to fabric. The term "shisha" means glass in Persian, and the technique is said to have originated in Persia in the 13th Century. However, shisha embroidery now is most common on the Indian subcontinent, especially in parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. This type of embroidery lends a sparkling appearance to the brightly-colored clothes worn in the region, and is very popular for use on clothing, hangings, and domestic textiles.

Shisha is also used to describe the small mirrors purchasable for use in embroidery, which come in varying shapes and sizes. Traditionally, shisha work was done using mica flakes, but was later subsumed by glass blown into large thin bubbles and broken into small pieces for this use. Contemporary shisha work almost entirely consists of mass-produced, machine-cut glass shisha with a silvered backing.