Written by Aashi Bains
Illustrated by Laura Liu
Cultural appropriation in fashion refers to using elements of a culture in ways that misrepresent it, and this is by no means a new issue in the industry. Runway fashion has frequently been criticised for poaching elements of cultural dress and integrating them in ways that lack appreciation, often to diversify new collections.
Over the last year, designs, fabrics, and jewellery originating from the South Asian region have dominated the biggest of stages, raising concerns of tokenistic cultural inspiration. During Milan Fashion Week in June 2025, Prada unveiled sandals that were strikingly similar to Indian ‘Kolhapuri chappal’ sandals. Thus, major fashion houses like Prada found themselves amid this long-running controversy: borrowing cultural ideas without proper attribution.
However, it’s no longer just runway fashion that is using cultural elements to capture audience interest. South Asian-inspired fashion has become more widespread: from mainstream media to everyday online shopping platforms, cultural appropriation is hard to avoid.
The 2025 Met Gala was at the centre of this debate, as Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh made his first appearance at the festival. Dosanjh elegantly sought to recreate the attire of a former Maharaja (royal leader and prince) of Patiala, from Punjab, India. The extravagant look was praised and dissected endlessly online, revealing historical details of the outfit and crediting designers.
What was most interesting about these online discussions was the focus placed on a piece of jewellery that the Maharaja of Patiala had commissioned: the largest necklace that Cartier had ever created. Fans were quick to critique the absence of this necklace in his Met Gala look. Despite the necklace now being archived in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, it was worn a few years prior at the Met Gala by social media star Emma Chamberlain. Cartier reportedly used archival reasons for denying Dosanjh’s team the necklace. But learning about the decision to let Emma Chamberlain wear it as a brand ambassador makes me wonder about wider discussions of who is permitted to showcase culturally and historically significant jewellery.
It’s not just celebrity events that are at the heart of this debate; online fashion trends are also beginning to showcase controversy.
For example, the ‘Scandinavian scarf trend’ on TikTok, which saw South Asian dupatta-style scarves marketed as European fashion, drew harsh criticism. This has raised concerns about the commercialisation of these products in Western markets without acknowledging their cultural roots.
But what’s the problem with any of this? Some may believe that seeing famous figures like Emma Chamberlain sport items that hold Punjabi history is something we should be appreciative of, or that the westernisation of South Asian inspired clothing may in turn normalise it. However, many people, including myself, do not fully grasp this debate in an appreciative light. Instead, it becomes inherently problematic that these fashion items are only considered valuable or desirable when restored by Western brands or rebranded as European.
The cultural essence of these designs becomes misplaced, glamorising a fashion landscape that becomes isolated and unappreciative of its origins and influences. As a British Indian, I can’t help but find it uncomfortable to see that the clothes I often worry about wearing in public settings are being promoted as a new, attractive European trend. The fact that dupattas and scarves that previously attracted racist abuse and discrimination towards South Asian communities are now being considered stylish due to their Western adoption is both ironic and troubling.
These debates have led stakeholders in the fashion industry to reconsider the importance of promoting the cultures that inspire their work, rather than allowing corporations to use such designs without appreciation of their cultural roots. The lingering question is whether such recognition will be truly implemented, or whether the disconnect between culture and commercial fashion will persist.
