Kimaya Khurana - Blog #4 - Morphing of Indian Culture
Indian culture is one of the most vibrant and well-known, known for the spices, clothing, jewelry, and designs – all holding cultural symbolization.
However, over time, many have forgotten what it truly is about, and it has been rebranded throughout time, turning into a lack of cultural appropriation. Historically, over time, lehengas have gotten more skin-revealing. Dating back to traditional lehengas, typically, it was just a fitted blouse (normally cropped) to reveal a woman’s midriff. The focus used to be on the fabrics and embroidery, and modesty was always maintained by covering the midriff with a dupatta. However, over time with western influence, these have been replaced by crop tops, bralettes, and even sheer fabrics, which reveal more skin. The whole purpose of these items has gone away, and they are now considered a “trend.”
Some people even go as far as wearing a lehenga as their prom dress – they aren’t Indian, and don’t give credit to Indian culture. This has even been taken as a “trend” where popular companies such as Oh Polly have been accused of copying South Indian style by selling items like Indian-style lehengas and clothing such as shararas, with a scarf (known as a dupatta) being rebranded as a "Scandinavian scarf,” causing many controversial opinions and mockery. Even putting aside clothes, Prada was known for copying the traditional Indian sandal, selling it as “leather flat sandals” at a premium price, not acknowledging the inspiration coming from India.
These are all examples of cultural appropriation rather than appreciation. Cultural appropriation is when elements of someone’s culture are “taken and used in a way that strips away their original meaning” or “disrespects their importance.” This, in simple terms, is the exploitation of cultures. On the other hand, cultural appreciation is when someone wants to learn more about different cultures to “broaden their perspective and connect with others cross-culturally.” Oh Polly, selling Indian-style lehengas and not giving credit is cultural appropriation. Prada copying the traditional Indian sandal is cultural appropriation. In the end, fashion should be about expression and not exploitation.
To express a different culture is a completely normal thing, but changing and rebranding it isn’t – especially without the credit needed.
Hi Kimaya, I remember the "Scandinavian scarf" trend going around, and it shocked me. It is really that hard to give credit where it is deserved? What this situation reminds me of is that there are many products around the world where individuals think it was invented in a certain country, while it actually originated in another. One example is hamburgers, as many think they were created in America, but they originated in Hamburg, Germany. Hamburgers have become such a staple in American food culture, that many don't even think about where it actually came from. Similarly, dupattas have been passed off as something that they are not, which needs to change. I think the connection you make between symbolization and cultural appropriation is important, as this isn't the only example of this situation occurring. Another situation was the claims of cultural appropriation of Caucasian individuals wearing braids, a practice that is typically held by African Americans. It was a controversial topic, as there is a fine line between cultural appreciation and appropriation. It's a fine line to tread as it can be quite subjective, but sometimes, cultural appropriation is blatant and painfully obvious, similar to the case that you mention.
ReplyDeleteI really loved how you describe Indian culture and how it changes because of different people’s perspectives. Normally this is fine but in this case, when there is no credit being given, it is extremely disheartening and unjust to the ideas. The Prada example was an example I remembered on the news and it honestly upsets me quite a bit because all they had to do was share that it originated from Indian culture.
ReplyDeleteAs I revisit this article, I noticed how you utilized deductive reasoning for your argument. You begin with a broad statement and narrow down to specific examples to highlight the issues with what these companies are doing. By the inclusion of deductive reasoning, there is additional logic in the article, helping establish a clear stance on the topic. The inclusion of all these different companies and examples demonstrates how cultural appropriation is not a single example but a general problem that many companies follow. Thank you for this blog and the unique cultural insights that you provided!
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