A “Tantalizing Touch of the Exotic”

The early British empire was defined by a deep fascination in the “exotic.” In India this took the form of the fascination with and banning of Indian calico cottons. Despite being banned in 1721, they remained popular among middling and upper-class peoples as symbols of a new era of voyages, scientific advancement and enlightenment. There are three major reasons for why Indian cottons, in particular, were so popular: their cheap cost; their intricate patterns; and perhaps most importantly, the British fascination with the exotic.