Head-ing for trouble

Jasmine Singh

Fashion brand Gucci held a unique fashion show, showcasing Womens Fall/Winter 2018/2019 collection at Milan on February 21. Out of the many things, models walking down the ramp with fake human heads, some holding weird-looking animals, the segment where male models walked in turbans got not only the Twitterati, but also many fashion designers talking about the thin line between cultural appreciation and cultural ignorance in the name of fashion. 

The Autumn/Winter 2018 fashion show in Milan apparently saw models walk down the runway wearing a bindi, white models parading rip off turbans and Hijab, making many people see it as cultural appropriation or copying culture without any respect for it.

Tweet trail

In fact, the white models in turban were especially seen as a sign of disrespect by many. Gurpreet Bhasin@electrilux sees it as a disgrace to the platform. “Gucci could have made this so iconic by simply having an actual Sikh model don this look. But instead y’all took the same old dry route of showing how uneducated the world really is,” she tweeted. 

Yet another tweet by jaz@desiavan screeched of utter disrespect that the fashion show showed for the Sikh community. “My blood is boiling right now. As a Sikh, I see this as a huge sign of disrespect and disregard towards Sikhism. It isn’t hard to educate yourself on the significance of a turban. This isn’t a mere fashion accessory!” 

Mark of pride

A Sikh model wearing turban is what would have worked well…believe many fashionistas and youngsters from the tricity. Turban is a mark of pride, a reminder of strength and utility; was this some kind of inspiration or was it complete ignorance about minority cultures and respect for it? 

Chandigarh-based fashion designer Poonam Pawar supports creativity getting twisted and turned at fashion shows, as long as it is inspired by some theme or supporting a cause. She, however, feels that many designers have turned to the minority groups for inspiration in designs, fabric and styling. “How many of them actually understand the importance or cultural value attached to these is something I doubt. I wouldn’t make my models wear something that has a cultural sanctity just in the name of creativity and fashion.” 

Lungi dance

Recently, Marc Jacobs, in his spring/summer 2018 collection during New York Fashion Week, had models walk the ramp in silk turbans, which actually mimicked a mid-20th century cleaning lady in London. This is not new; runways at fashion arenas are taking creativity to an all new level. 

Back home, our Indian designers can be seen experimenting with colours, cuts and themes. But is it important to topple over a cultural totem under the garb of inspirational scissors? Another fashion brand, Zara, was slammed for selling Asians-styled lungi for 69.99 US dollars. The brand came under fire for ‘cultural appropriation’.  Ludhiana-based fashion designer Nimrata Chadha, shares how she was surprised to see a lungi like a mini-skirt selling at a whooping price!

Cultural disconnect

The term ‘cultural appropriation’ is finding a mention way too often. For those of you who are not familiar, it is actually a concept in sociology dealing with the adoption of the elements of a minority culture by members of the dominant culture. It is distinguished from equal cultural exchange due to the presence of a colonial element and imbalance of power. 

Meme time

Gucci’s picture of a white model wearing a turban has gone viral inviting interesting memes.

• the one gora in your school gang who you taught to count to ten in Panjabi. -@Captain_Bhangra 
• High End are they stealing @diljitdosanjh swag? @jasdeeptv 

Gucci’s Michele explores identities 

Italian fashion house Gucci dazzled fans with a presentation featuring baby dragons, snakes and models carrying replica heads in their arms in a Milan catwalk show on Wednesday. Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele framed his display - one of the most sought-after tickets in Milan’s fashion week — in a cold, sterile and claustrophobic space that replicated an operating theatre.”Our job (as creatives) is a surgical job: cutting and assembling and experimenting on the operating table,” Michele said. — Reuters

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