29-06-2025
Indian Roots, Foreign Labels: Without A Single Credit Line. And Crazy Profits
1. Dior Controversy: Used Indian embroidery, mirror work, and Mughal motifs in several collections without crediting artisans
The 2023 Mumbai show featured Indian craftsmanship, but the press focus was entirely on Dior's global prestige, with little to no recognition of the local artisans behind the work.
2. Prada Controversy: Used brocade, sari-like draping, bindis, and Indian footwear silhouettes without citing origins
The 2018 collection featured Banarasi-style jackets marketed as "futuristic brocade".And now in 2025, it has shamelessly gone ahead to replicate India's heritage "Kolhapuri Chappals" which have been handcrafted for years in Maharashtra and Karnataka, simply rebranding them as "leather sandals". After ample backlash from social media, they've finally admitted that they were "inspired" by Indian heritage.
3. Gucci Controversy: Frequently used turbans, paisleys, and embroidery styles with zero mention of their Indian heritage
Example: 2018 runway featured a Sikh-style turban, sparking backlash and being called 'culturally insensitive.'
4. Isabel Marant Controversy: Used mirror work, traditional Banjara tribal embroidery, and called it 'boho chic'
The designs of 2016 mirrored styles from Gujarat and Rajasthan without collaboration or attribution whatsoever.
5. Jean Paul Gaultier's 'Princes et Maharajas' featured turbaned looks, ornate jewelled crowns, embroidered bandh-gala jackets, lehenga-style skirts, jodhpuris, maang‑tikkas, and bindis directly evoking Indian royal and bridal aesthetics
The Fall 2007 Couture segment was framed as a spectacle of exotic 'Maharajas,' presented via a generic Western lens of aristocratic drama, not as a respectful homage or collaboration with Indian artisans.
6. Tory Burch Controversy: The items manufactured in India and 'inspired' by Indian fashion lacked any cultural context, such as the spiritual symbolism or heritage
Released multiple 'mirror-studded' pieces, maxi dresses, skirts, and tops, adorned with the traditional sheesha (mirror-work) embroidery that originates from Indian regions like Gujarat and argue calling it merely 'inspired' and omitting artisan recognition turns a sacred cultural tradition into a superficial trend, and that the high retail price (over $400) further disconnects the craft from its indigenous roots.
Why It's Problematic
