Who wore it better? Kendall Jenner or literally every South Asian girl for generations before her? Spices weren’t the only thing the Western world colonised and didn’t use correctly. Fashion is one of them, too. In a world where racism against South Asians has risen, South Asian fashion has also been exploited.Â
Ralph Lauren labelled Jhumkas as vintage accessories, Prada Kolhapuri sandals are renamed leather footwear, and the infamous “Scandinavian” scarves are, in fact, a piece of rich Indian heritage and culture. Yet, credit is nowhere to be found.Â
What is now considered trendy and chic is a stolen piece of culture that Indians are told is embarrassing or dirty. We still live in an era where Western celebrities and companies dictate the fashion landscape without paying proper respect to the cultures they have drawn inspiration from.Â
As a whole, fashion has taken inspiration from cultures all around the world. Cultural exchange creates pieces of art, which then promote cultural immersion and exposure. However, when culture is completely dismissed in the creation of a new garment or accessory, it is replaced by something sinister: erasure and cultural appropriation. Commercial exploitation of Indian culture by the West dates back centuries. For instance, the early release of “chandelier earrings” by Cartier in the 1920s mimicked the Indian Jhumkas, which have been worn by South Asian women since 300 BCE. Indian designs and heritage have since been wrongly manipulated, while the Indian identity is denied in the Western space.Â
There is a distinct line between cultural appropriation and appreciation. It is important that a complete understanding of the cultural significance is taken by the designer, who then creates a respectful reinterpretation of the design. Most importantly, designers must establish full credit to the culture from which it hails.