"And you cannot just aesthetically borrow things"
Some fashion brands are being accused of cultural appropriation after recent collections appeared to borrow heavily from traditional South Asian clothing without proper recognition.
At the centre of this controversy are the likes of Reformation, Oh Polly, and H&M.
Some say a new Reformation blouse and skirt set looks a lot like a 2000s-Bollywood-era lehenga.
Others are claiming that an Oh Polly gown resembles a sharara.
And some say that H&M’s “long camisole” and trouser set for spring sure looks a lot like a salwar kameez, a tunic paired with trousers.
The recent release of these designs has revived the online conversation about cultural appropriation, as many South Asian influencers say Western brands have introduced clothing that they feel too closely resembles the garments their community has worn for centuries without acknowledging their design inspiration.
Souzeina Mushtaq, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin, said:
“The same things that we have been shamed for or even outlawed are, in a way, celebrated now as chic or exotic when they’re worn by non-South Asians.
“It’s okay to appreciate the culture of South Asia.
“But that appreciation, it really requires education, it requires context, and it requires respect.
“And you cannot just aesthetically borrow things without understanding the culture and without understanding the context.”
The brands involved have responded with differing degrees of transparency.
H&M said many items in its spring collection “take inspiration from current fashion trends like dresses layered over pants and the popularity of sheer pieces, as well as various plays on transparency and movement”.
Reformation acknowledged the importance of the broader conversation but said the style in question came directly from a 1990s-era John Galliano gown and scarf set owned by the model Devon Lee Carlson, with whom it collaborated on the collection.
Meanwhile, Oh Polly did not issue a statement.
@_anisah_ I didn’t buy anything bc I’ve decided to only wear Salwar Kameez this summer #foryou ##creatorsearchinsights##brown##scandinavianstyle##desi##browntiktok##bengali##pakistani#i#indian ? akhiyaan gulaab – .
But some feel strongly that if Western brands plan to release clothing that so closely resembles South Asian attire, they should acknowledge where those silhouettes come from and explain their significance.
Aisha Rawji, the founder and CEO of the Los Angeles-based Indian clothing brand Kynah, said:
“I think consumers genuinely appreciate learning about garment history and fashion evolution, so this could have been an opportunity to explore how John Galliano and many great fashion houses may have been inspired by Indian fashion but it wasn’t recognised at the time.”
Content creator Maryam Siddiqui explained: “Our culture means so much to us.
“It carries so much weight, the jewellery, the dresses, everything we wear… like, it’s just not a dress.”
TikToker Manisha Patel said the frustration that many South Asians feel comes from seeing parts of their culture that were once rarely acknowledged suddenly becoming repackaged into this “new, cool thing”, often by Western or American brands.
In many cases, such styles are called “European” or “Scandinavian”.
She said: “When I was in elementary school, my ba [grandmother], she’d only wear saris, and everybody would make fun of me or be like, what is she wearing? Or what’s that dot on her head?
“And we’ve all experienced bullying from stuff like that.”
Discontent grew in 2024 when fashion rental company Bipty posted a now-deleted video showing White women draping sheer shawls over their chests, describing the look as “very European” and “effortlessly chic”.
Viewers quickly pointed out that the garments closely resembled dupattas and began posting their own videos in response, sarcastically referring to them as “Scandinavian scarves”.
@simran_sejpal love my oh polly sharara ?? #fyp #ohpolly #indianwear #sharara #browntiktok #browntok ? original sound – yusra khan
That online movement has continued, partially fuelled by the recent releases from high-street brands that critics argue are indistinguishable from South Asian traditional wear, stripped of their origin stories.
Aspiring content creator Aditi Atreya said:
“What was particularly upsetting for me was that it’s been repackaged and rebranded for an audience that’s primarily a Western audience.
“And somehow it’s more palatable for them to wear it as a ‘convertible gown’.
“But if the same thing were called a sharara – which it is – they wouldn’t buy it.”
Praveen K Chaudhry, a professor of global fashion management and social sciences at the Fashion Institute of Technology, said educating consumers about the history and origin of their garments is crucial.
For example, he revealed that many of his students don’t know that the name “cashmere” comes from the Kashmir region.
He said fashion brands can start by simply adding information to their clothing tag that describes the community where the garment was made, or originally comes from.
Mushtaq said: “Our culture cannot be a mood board for you. It has a history, so I want these brands to basically respect that history.”
Siddiqui hopes the conversation around South Asian fashion can continue, as when designers or influencers do give credit to where an outfit, fabric, or design is traditionally found, it can be “beautiful to see”.
She added: “Have you been to a South Asian friend’s household? It feels like your own house.
“If you’re celebrating the clothing and the culture.
“South Asians will probably be the first ones to hype you up and tell you look amazing, as long as they’re feeling heard, valued and seen.”
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