Are international brands inspired by Indian fashion ethics; Does Indian art inspire them, Are they inclined to Indian handmade fashion? These are the questions being exchanged among Indian fashion designers after Dior and Prada both showcased Indian art however gave no credit to India.
At the recent Dior showcase during Paris Fashion Week, a gold and ivory houndstooth coat, priced at $200,000 (approximately ₹1.67 crore) drew widespread attention not just for its opulent design, but also for its cultural implications.
Unveiled on June 27 under Dior’s new creative director, Jonathan Anderson, the coat quickly became a centerpiece of the show, which was attended by global celebrities such as Rihanna, Robert Pattinson, and Daniel Craig.
What stood out to many was not just the craftsmanship, but the striking resemblance of the embroidery technique to mukaish — a traditional Indian art form originating from Lucknow. Fashion commentator Hanan Besnovic noted the similarity, sparking conversations around cultural recognition and attribution in global fashion.
Mukaish, a delicate metallic embroidery technique once reserved for royalty, is typically paired with chikankari and is still practiced today by a small community of artisans in India. Despite the intense labor behind the piece — reports suggest that 12 artisans worked for 34 days to create the coat — Dior’s official statements made no mention of mukaish or its Indian roots.
This lack of acknowledgment has drawn criticism from observers who argue that the cultural heritage and history behind such intricate techniques deserve proper credit in international fashion circles.
This follows a similar controversy involving Prada, which faced backlash for showcasing Kolhapuri-style sandals without initially crediting their Indian roots. As global fashion houses continue to draw inspiration from traditional crafts, industry watchers are calling for more transparency and ethical collaboration.