I am dividing my review into two categories: the merchandise and the sales experience. The merchandise is extraordinary. Hands down the most beautifully and meticulously crafted ornamental decor, rugs, ceramics, carved marble platters, and intricately woven shawls. The prices might give you sticker shock but the items are worth every penny. These pieces will last you a lifetime and lifetimes after. (And for a point of reference about myself and how much weight you would like to give my testimony - I have a bachelors of fine arts and my school had a heavy focus on art history). Now the customer service and sales experience was probably the best part. As an academic, I really appreciate it when a salesperson teaches me about their product rather than "selling" to me. My mom and I popped in to just browse but wound up purchasing two shawls from charisma. Sultan, the store owner, taught my mom and I so much about how he sources his shawls, how the material is made, how they are embroidered, and the cultural significance shawls hold in Kashmir. We are so pleased with what we chose. The material is so soft you almost don't feel it the moment it touches your skin. The embroidery is so intricate, it looks like it is painted. If you're looking for something beautiful to add to your wardrobe (and eventually to your children's' wardrobe) or you want a souvenir from San Francisco that you will always cherish - drop into Charisma. You will not be disappointed. read more

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Although we didn't buy anything, Sultan, made our experience more than welcoming and educational as far as Kashmir and Cashmere have a totally different level in quality and where it comes from. A very colorful shop with breathtaking art, rugs and scarves that will make you think you're in a foreign country! Browsing or shopping here is quite an experience and I recommend you visit it if you're staying or visiting the Fairmont. It really added to our overall experience as we spent the night and enjoyed all the hotel has to offer including dinner at the Tonga Room. read more

My aunt wanted to meet with the rest of the family for lunch at the Fairmont. While waiting for her my mom and I were browsing the stores they offer at the Fairmont. My mom was drawn to this silk rug. It was a rug with Jesus Christ hanging on the cross. The rug was absolutely gorgeous!! It's beautiful to admire but it is pricey. We then met my aunt and ate at the hotel. After we ate we browsed again and the rug just drew my mom back in. She absolutely loved it! The owner Sultan was helping us and chatting with me and mom. He loved how much my mom admired the rug. He said it took 3 1/2 years to make the rug. As my mom thought about how much it cost he started showing us shawls. They were amazing! He was explaining to us how long it takes to make one of the shawls since it is all hand stitched. Something so beautiful would be amazing to own... and he offered it to my mom with the purchase of the rug. He then offered me a shawl as well. My aunt wanted one too but he offered hers at discounted half off. He also gave a shawl to my other aunt as well. We had a great time talking to Sultan. He was talking to us about the history of Kashmir. I was curious so I started googling it as well. He is very proud of everything in the store and such a pleasure to speak with. Go in and admire the beautiful items in the store. We came out of the store with beautiful shawls and a gorgeous new rug. read more

The gentleman who runs, (?owns) this store is incredibly informative without being at all pushy. I did not end up buying but saw so many beautiful luxuries... as if I'd been on a fantastic journey. Lovely. read more

My best friend and i were caught by this beautiful sapphire necklace in the window display, that we originally thought was costume jewelry. We decided to go into the store and peruse the shop. The pieces within the store were breath taking one of a kind pieces we had never seen before. The shawls, silk rugs, and tapestries were stunning. My best friend wound up purchasing 2 silk rugs that were absolutely beautiful, but the customer service was just as amazing as the rugs. Thank you Sultan for an amazing experince. If you are ever in the Fairmont area you should give yourself a treat and stop into the store. If you love beautiful one of a kind hand made pieces you will not be disappointed but pleasantly surprised with some of the amazing pieces Charisma has to offer. read more

I stayed at The Fairmont during the weekend and on my last day at the hotel I decided to peruse the shops inside the hotel. As I perused, I pleasantly stumbled across Charisma Crafts. Being of East Indian descent this store immediately piqued my interest. As soon as we walked in we were immediately greeted by, Sultan, the Managing Director of the store. He is very friendly and knowledgable about the unique pieces the store has to offer and provided us with the rich family history behind this store and their collection. The store is absolutely beautiful and filled with ornate jewelry boxes, 100% silk rugs, shawls, and clothing. As far as I can tell, everything is handmade and of the highest quality. I love shawls. If you're a shawl lover, you will absolutely go nuts in this store. Or if you're someone who likes one of a kind pieces, this is definitely the store for you. One of my favorite things about Indian-made items is that because everything is handmade, no one item will ever be the same...even if it is the same pattern. I obviously had a great experience inside this store from the moment I stepped inside to the time I was getting ready to pay, but it wasn't this experience that caused me to give this store and Sultan 5 stars. As I got ready to pay for my beautiful, one of a kind, 100% silk scarf, Sultan surprised me and gifted the scarf to me. This came as an absolute surprise to me and left me speechless for a few minutes and finally all I could say was a very sincere thank you. Before I graciously accepted the gift, I still tried paying for it and he says he does this almost on a daily basis. I have never heard of business owners almost willingly giving away their finer items just once, let alone on a daily basis. As I was getting ready to leave a young girl and her grandmother walked in and he also offered the little girl something nice for her birthday. Next time I am at The Fairmont or Nob Hill, I will definitely be returning and actually BUYING something this time. I could not have asked for better service or better quality from Sultan and Charisma Crafts. read more

Stunning and how I wish I could afford anything in here. The owner and staff are right there and want to talk about each piece which was extremely educational. The craftsmanship is amazing and worth every penny. read more

Absolutely stunning store! My son and I were welcomed and educated. My son wanted to buy a gift for someone special and so the man that helped us spent a tremendous amount of time letting us see and feel many amazing shawls and scarves! We will definitely be back to this store the next time we are in SF. read more

This unique store caught our eye as we were visiting the Faimont Hotel to see the one story ginger bread house . So glad we popped in because we got a lesson in Kashmir (not cashmere) from Sultan that was the most wonderful experience. His knowledge of these beautiful fabrics, shawls and rugs from India is remarkable and impressive. He took the time to show us so many lovely things he even though I was afraid to touch any of it! If I had millions of dollars I'd be back in a flash. What a great experience and beautiful store. read more

This has to be the most unique and beautiful store I have ever visited. We were on our way to a show at the Masonic and stopped in to look around. We will be going back to shop for Christmas and upcoming birthdays. If you are at the Fairmont or even just in the neighborhood, Charisma raises the bar for the art you would want in your home. My husband and I both agreed, you just can't unsee beautiful. read more

I visited the Fairmont Hotel at the top of Nob Hill in August 2017. I had the opportunity to visit Charisma Crafts during my stay. The store is full of beautiful handmade treasures from Kashmir. The employees were very professional and courteous. I was very impressed with the story and history behind all of the items in the store. The 100% silk rugs were my favorite. Sultan must have shown me a dozen different ones, each with amazing and intricate detail. I am a firm believer you get what you pay for and after seeing how soft yet durable they were I was sold. I settled on a beautiful handmade rug that will last a lifetime. I am going back soon as i decided on a gift for someone and I can't find anything like it anywhere else. Do yourself a favor and spend time going through this store if you find yourself in the city. It will not disappoint! read more

Great place to buy a special gift for a special person things at the store you won't find anywhere else

The most amazing boutique with an extraordinary selection of some of the worlds finest, most precious textiles and home decor. The quality of their goods are only exceeded by the integrity and knowledge of their staff. read more