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Indian Express
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Scandinavian scarf or a dupatta: What the TikTok trend reveals about cultural appropriation in fashion
Remember Kareena Kapoor Khan's iconic character Poo in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham flaunting a black dupatta with her beige jacket and halter-neck top? Chic, classy and oh-so-elegant, Poo became a fashion icon in the 2000s, setting off a trend among college students and young millennials. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, too, rocked a similar look in Bride and Prejudice, pairing a slinky dupatta with her Indo-Western ensembles. Now, decades later, TikTok has repackaged this dupatta-wearing '2000s baddie' look into a Western concept, calling it the 'Scandinavian scarf' trend. Harshita Srivastava, senior faculty of fashion styling at Pearl Academy, explained that the Scandinavian scarf refers to 'a soft piece of fabric resting on the front of the neck and shoulders, cascading down the back.' It's now being sported by celebrities, models, and pop culture influencers, and widely adopted by young Western fashion enthusiasts. The trend has sparked criticism on social media, as the so-called 'Scandinavian scarf' looks suspiciously similar to the South Asian dupatta. But the phenomenon of the West acknowledging and celebrating something only when they adopt it is hardly new. 'In 1498, Vasco da Gama 'discovered' India, they say, and paisley 'rose to popularity' in the 1800s because of Queen Victoria's taste. It raises the question: discovered for whom, and popular where?' asked Srivastava. 'The list of such trends is endless: yoga, chai tea lattes, turmeric milk, incense sticks, curry sauce, 'namaste', henna tattoos, naan bread, mango lassi… The point is, this isn't an isolated event, and certainly not the first time Europe has viewed itself as the centre of the world,' she said. We live in a world that has been tilted, one where no act of borrowing from another culture can exist without historical context. 'When a privileged community adopts from a marginalised one, especially one that has faced historic oppression, colonisation, etc., they trigger and repeat the original trauma. Imperialism, identity, and systemic erasure are linked,' said Srivastava. According to her, Eurocentric aesthetic preferences are how dominant cultures engage with a trend while actively shrinking the visibility of the culture and people they are adopting from, reinforcing unfair and oppressive structural dynamics. 'Cultural appropriation happens when patterns, symbols, silhouettes or designs are taken from an oppressed culture without context or consent. Especially when the dominant culture 'appreciates' things it once dismissed, or even punished,' Srivastava said. She raised an important concern –– who gets to profit from a culture and who is punished for it? Raghavendra Rathore, founder of Raghavendra Rathore Jodhpur, said that in the ever-shifting world of fashion, the line between inspiration and appropriation has grown even more difficult, and more critical. 'Inspiration comes from various periods and cultures and even the structures and textures of nature; creativity lives on references. For designers, this referencing is a means of storytelling, a process that revitalises classic forms, not an imitator strategy,' he explained. But when reverence becomes replication, the integrity is lost. 'Inspired work is legitimate when it's honest –– it acknowledges the source, respects the context, and adapts with purpose. It's about paying respect to history and the original creator, not just copying a look,' he said. That said, now, with social media, we have the tools and the power to question and disrupt a repressive cultural erasure with radical visibility. We get to take part in a trend while combating it at the same time. To wear, flaunt, and celebrate the dupatta without calling it a 'Scandinavian scarf'. The rise of artificial intelligence complicates the conversation further. 'AI recycles and redefines past work by scanning billions of images, designs and styles. While this enables rapid creation, it risks diluting originality, leading to a homogenised visual culture,' said Rathore, adding that today's idea of 'originality' is already shifting since almost everything we create is built on something that came before. This debate is especially relevant for Indian fashion, with its deep well of artisanal techniques, regional crafts, and visual diversity. As Indian designers reinterpret global influences and global houses borrow from Indian aesthetics, the question of inspired vs appropriated becomes a complex one. This dialogue is especially important for Indian fashion, which rests on a rich foundation of tradition, craftsmanship, and diverse regional aesthetics. The challenge, according to Rathore, is to move from surface-level borrowing to respectful cultural exchange. In fashion – as in all creative work – it comes down to the integrity of the process. 'If one finds inspiration in another's work, the garment must clearly deviate in form, function, or context,' said Rathore, who believes that paying respect to a source honestly marks intellectual and artistic strength rather than a sign of weakness. In a world becoming ever more transparent and algorithm-driven, Rathore believes the future of fashion belongs to those who can responsibly and honourably turn influence into innovation. If you are bored with the regular way of draping a dupatta and serving major traditional vibes, Srivastava shared some quick and easy ways to style this piece of fabric. 'You can either drape it like a dupatta from the same or a contrasting colour and fabric family, draped like a shawl around the shoulders or the head, as a 90s scarf to tie the hair on a hot summer day or you can even opt for a monochrome set, adding bindis, chudis and even some ribbons,' said the fashion expert. Ishika Roy is a is a Trainee Sub Editor for the lifestyle desk at The Indian Express. She shares a keen interest in reading, writing and researching on all things beauty, entertainment, pop culture and lifestyle. Ishika holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Miranda House, Delhi and a Post-graduate degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune. ... Read More
Time of India
19-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
No country for old/young/women
An Alumnus of NIFT with an MA in Fashion and Textiles from Nottingham Trent University, Kali has diverse work experience ranging from education, to writing, apparel design, visual merchandising and design consulting. Kali has been pursuing her passion of teaching design for over 20 years at NIFT, Pearl Academy, Atlas Skilltech University, Whistling woods International, Raffles Design Institute and BD Somani Institute, Mumbai. A published author and researcher, she has published 'The Well and Other Stories' a fiction novella and has presented her research on topics like Gender, feminism, technology in textile at IIT Mumbai, ATLAS Skilltech University Mumbai, Amity University Mumbai and Amity University Noida. LESS ... MORE A colleague of mine, fresh out of a competitive national institute, got married soon after graduating. She was told that by virtue of getting married, she'd 'wasted a seat' that could have gone to someone more 'deserving.' A friend was once told by her boss that he needed to hire fresh people for his team—'people who don't have a child, a husband, or get a period.' At a job interview for a design role early in my career, I was told: 'You're exactly the kind of person I'm looking for, but you're in your 20s. I don't want to hire someone who might get married soon.' Another friend's mom bumped into a girl at the mall. The girl snapped, 'Can't you see where you're going? Or do you have menopause?' One friend was asked her age every single day by female colleagues. Another was routinely asked—again, by women at work—whether she had any 'good news,' as in, was she pregnant yet? These are just a handful of the stories I've heard from friends and colleagues. If I dig deeper, I'm certain I'd uncover hundreds, if not thousands, more—each revealing the quiet, daily grind of age related bias. And ironically (or maybe not), many of the perpetrators of this kind of ageism… are women themselves. Ageism is a form of prejudice that reduces a person to a number. It's when individuals are judged primarily based on their age—whether they're deemed too young to be taken seriously or too old to be considered capable. It leads to unfair assumptions and treatment, affecting not just workplaces but also healthcare, education, media, and everyday social spaces. The result? Fewer opportunities, lower visibility, and the slow but steady marginalization of entire age groups. Gendered ageism: double trouble While ageism in itself is bad enough, gendered ageism is even worse. When ageism combines with gender bias, it presents a distinct set of challenges for women in particular, often leading to their contributions being undervalued or their presence overlooked—both in the workplace and in society. According to a recent survey by Women of Influence+ (2024), nearly 80% of women report experiencing ageism in the workplace. Case in point? Older women with grey hair are told to dye it to appear younger and more 'competent.' Many women feel an ongoing pressure to maintain a specific look because their worth is often tied to appearance rather than skill or substance. But gendered ageism doesn't stop at older women. 'Youngism' is real too—a bias where younger women are seen as too immature, too inexperienced, or simply too much of a risk because they might, God forbid, get married or have children. As Harvard Business Review (2024) aptly puts it, 'Gendered ageism is a double bind for women—there is no right age to be a professional woman.' Women are squeezed through a narrow, often contradictory lens. Too young to lead. Too old to be relevant. And if you're in that 'danger zone' where motherhood is a possibility, you're treated like a ticking HR liability. Meanwhile, older men are often described as 'distinguished' or 'seasoned,' while older women are labelled as 'past their prime.' Basically, you're damned if you're young, damned if you're old—and if you're a woman on top of that, you're just… damned. No, its not social media this time Now, if you've read my work before (or my semi-rants), you know I love to point fingers at social media for many of society's ills. But gendered ageism isn't a TikTok-era phenomenon. Its roots goway back. Take Austrian painter Gustav Klimt's The Three Ages of Woman (1905). The painting shows a glowing young woman holding a sleeping baby—her hair flowing, her skin flawless, radiating life. Beside her stands an elderly woman, head bowed, body sagging, hands covering her face. She's the visual embodiment of shame, decline, and invisibility. This depiction has always bothered me. The young woman is presented as beautiful and vibrant, symbolizing the idealized fusion of youth and motherhood. The older woman, by contrast is wrinkled, weary, and seemingly defeated. It sends a message loud and clear: youth is beauty, aging is loss. This bugs me. Plain and simple. Because here's the thing—this isn't just about hair dye, or awkward questions at work, or outdated paintings. It's about how deep seated, cross cultural these biases are, and how much they shape how women are treated, how we treat others and how we treat ourselves. It's about being judged not for your ideas, work, or heart, but for the number next to your name on a form. It's about being too young, too old, too female to be competent. And that? That's the part we need to rewrite. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Hans India
30-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Spot Hires & Global Placements Dominate Pearl Academy's Portfolio 2025
Bengaluru: Pearl Academy, India's leading creative education institution, hosted Portfolio 2025, its flagship annual graduation showcase, at its Bengaluru Campus today. The showcase highlighted a bold vision for the future, with students presenting cutting-edge, globally relevant projects that blended AI, sustainability, and disruptive design thinking across fashion, styling, interior, communication, textile, and product design. The 2025 placement season saw four students secure international placements with Dubai's Apparel Group, while multiple spot hires were made by top brands including Rocketium, Cap Gemini, Pernia Pop Up Shop, Christian Louboutin, Reliance Brands, TJX, J.J. Valaya, Ritika Mirchandani, Snapdeal, Live Space, Meres Benisant, etc. The placement season kicked off with offers from Pantaloons, Aparna Kaushik Designs, and labels like DYou and Ridhi Mehra, while recruitment processes with Sabyasachi Calcutta LLP, Asian Paints and Ethos are underway. A Communication Design student from Pearl Academy has received a ₹26 LPA offer for the role of Product Designer from Rocketium, reflecting the institution's consistent placement performance and growing relevance in the creative-tech space. Additionally, Pearl students are also launching their own ventures. Portfolio 2025 spotlighted this entrepreneurial spirit, reinforcing Pearl Academy's role in nurturing both employability and enterprise. Entrepreneurship also took center stage at the Pearl Academy School of Business, with six standout startups—including Shark Tank-featured Aignosis AI—pitching their ideas and receiving grants under Pearl Academy's incubation program. These startups reflected the institution's sector-agnostic approach, supporting ventures in fashion, AI, wellness, and beyond, open to both alumni and external innovators. As part of its philosophy of deep industry integration, Pearl Academy also announced a partnership with EY India, a global leader in consulting, for its management programmes' specialisation in Data Science and Business Analytics. Through this collaboration, EY India will train Pearl School of Business students on mission-critical skills to achieve success in today's business landscape, such as business intelligence and data visualisation through Power BI and Tableau. All students enrolled in the new BBA and MBA programmes will also receive a certification from EY India, further enhancing their industry readiness and global outlook. Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Aditi Srivastava, President, Pearl Academy, said, 'Creativity is not just the ability to make—it is the courage to reveal, the instinct to question, and the will to transform. Each idea born in the classroom finds its voice in Portfolio, where imagination takes its first professional breath. This showcase is more than a graduation—it's a declaration of possibility. To our graduating class: the world awaits your vision, your values, and your courage to shape what comes next.' The event culminated in a graduate fashion show at the campus, celebrating each student's unique design voice. Every collection told a distinct story of inspiration, innovation, and disruption—revealing the technical skill and conceptual thinking behind their creations. More than a showcase, this presentation highlighted their evolution into industry-ready designers, embodying Pearl Academy's commitment to nurturing tomorrow's creative leaders. The immersive experience was brought alive by interactive workshops and installations encouraging dialogue between academia and industry. Students gained vital industry exposure and networking opportunities, connecting directly with potential employers, collaborators, and mentors. With real-time mentorship from industry leaders, exposure to global opportunities, and a platform that merges creativity with enterprise, Portfolio 2025 once again proved why Pearl Academy remains a frontrunner in shaping India's creative economy.
Fashion Network
12-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Pearl Academy looks to future of Indian fashion with immersive event
Creative education institution Pearl Academy hosted its annual graduation showcase, Portfolio 2025– Delhi Edition, across its Delhi West and School of Business campuses. The event spotlighted future-facing work from students across disciplines including fashion, styling, communication, and product design, with a focus on AI, sustainability, and disruptive design. Portfolio 2025 led to two international placements with Dubai's Apparel Group and 14 spot hires by brands such as Reliance Brands, TJX, Snapdeal, and J.J. Valaya, Pearl Academy announced in a press release. Additional offers came from Pantaloons, Aparna Kaushik Designs, and labels including DYou and Ridhi Mehra, while ongoing recruitment continued from Sabyasachi Calcutta LLP and Asian Paints. Entrepreneurship was a core focus at the School of Business, where six startups, including Shark Tank-featured Aignosis AI, pitched ideas under the Pearl Runway Cohort 3.0 and Pearl Shark initiatives. These ventures received grants under Pearl Academy's sector-agnostic incubation programme. Pearl Academy also announced a partnership with EY India to support its business programmes, with students set to receive training in data visualisation tools such as Power BI and Tableau. 'Each idea born in the classroom finds its voice in Portfolio,' said Pearl Academy's president Aditi Srivastava in a press release. 'This showcase is more than a graduation- it's a declaration of possibility.'The event concluded with a graduate fashion show, supported by workshops and installations that encouraged collaboration between academia and industry.
