Luxury fashion brand, Dior, is facing serious online backlash after presenting a coat made exclusively with mukaish embroidery, an ancient and detailed hand-embroidery art originated in Lucknow, India, as part of its latest collection, that was priced nearly 1 crore Indian rupees (roughly 200,000 US dollars). The coat was created by Jonathan Anderson in his first collection as the creative director of Dior and is presented with phenomenal craft where 12 artisans in India were involved and it took them more than 34 days of work. But Dior has been severely criticized for not recognizing the craftsman or giving any background line to the Indian tradition surrounding this rich handcraft.
What is Mukaish Embroidery Craft?
Mukaish, also known as Badla work, is a highly delicate, intricate, traditional form of Indian embroidery that is made with the help of fine metal wires making shimmering motifs on fabric without using thread or glue. This form of embroidery originated in Awadh region of the state of Uttar Pradesh and was traditionally linked with royalty making it a legacy of Indian textile and handicraft. Mukaish embroidery is similar to that of chikankari because making it is a technique that is not fast and easy; it needs a lot of patience, expertise, and exactness which increases the value and price of this hand embroidery.
Criticism and Outcry On Social Media
The backlash on Dior was escalated further when fashion commentator Hanan Besnovic posted on social sites showing the artisanship behind the coat by stating the immense labor and artisanal capability behind the coat. Although the designing of this piece was granulated and precise, Dior never said that it was made by Indian artisans, in the official promotional content. This gave rise to a slew of cultural appropriation and artisanal erasure allegations across social media outlets such as X (previously Twitter) and the general trend was of people requesting that proper attribution be given to the Indian artisans which are keeping this craft alive.
The CEO of the Edelweiss Mutual Fund (and a judge of the Shark Tank India show) Radhika Gupta went public with her frustration with this situation, because it is a common pattern that Indian craftsmanship is being celebrated and liked all over the world but the people who actually make it, the artisans, cannot be seen.
Radhika Gupta posted a tweet saying, “One more handloom, one more headline. Dior sells a $200K coat using Lucknowi mukaish embroidery. 12 Indian artisans. 34 days of work. No credit. No context. No mention of India. The world loves Indian craftsmanship —But rarely credits the craftspeople. And almost never shares the value.” she further added, “Because the branding, storytelling, and pricing power stay elsewhere. The hand that creates remains invisible. Culture is soft power. Japan did it with design. Korea did it with pop culture. India must do it with craft. From sourcing destination to storytelling nation. A home of global brands. The lion has to come out. And roar.”
Overlooking Indian Craftsmenship is a Pattern
This Dior controversy precedes closely on the heels of an uproar against Prada who displayed at Milan Fashion Week some leather sandals that were similar to Indian Kolhapuri chappals, but failed to credit its Indian roots first. Prada was subsequently forced to make a statement attributing the skill to the traditional craft after the outcry caused by the public. However, cases like these show broader systemic issues in the global fashion industry, where Indian crafts and designs are used for their aesthetic looks but often without any ethical attribution, recognition or meaningful credit to the communities responsible.
Recognition and Cooperation in Ethics
The Dior fiasco has rekindled the discussion about ethical fashion and calls to be more open about sourcing and respecting indigenous craft. Advocates call for:
- Acknowledgment of craftworkers and communities behind the traditional arts in everything they convey and market.
- Just remuneration and other profit share-based systems, so artisans gain economically through commercial exposure in different parts of the world.
- Partnerships where the artisan communities become co-creators and partners and not suppliers.
- Stronger policies that are necessary in luxury brands to prevent cultural appropriation and endorse respect and genuine appreciation of culture.
Aftermath of this Controversy
- Prolonged criticism across social media: Human representation across the social sites, such as Influencer, social media users, and Indian industry voices criticized Dior due to cultural appropriation, and failure to recognize it fairly.
- Amplified Debate in Media: Larger news sources such as The Times of India, News18, and Business Today picked up the topic and devoted their coverage to the moral aspect of the situation, as well as the overall history of the industry using Indian artisanship without giving them credit or paying suitable amounts of money.
- Sparked the pressure for ethical collaboration: The event renewed the discussion of the cultural necessity to acknowledge source cultures and pay craftspeople, with most commentators insisting on transparency and fair Camaraderie on the parts of larger fashion brands.
Dior Apology For Lucknowi Coat
There is no evidence in any report that even after mounting criticism, Dior has issued a formal apology, or have attributed the artisans or the country for the design. Altogether, the central implications of the backlash on Dior were reputational marked by negative press coverage, widespread indignation, and a demand to follow design ethics, but despite it all there are still no concrete measures or formal self-assessment of the situation that have been undertaken.
In summary, the Dior coat made of Lucknowi mukaish embroidery tagged as 200,000 dollars piece, is evidence of exquisite India crafts available to a global luxury shoppers, and the lack of recognition of artists highlights current issues of cultural appropriation and invisibilization of artisans in the world arena. With heightened awareness of the need to value ethics in sourcing and issue of credit where it is due, the fashion industry continues to pressure to accommodate the rich heritage and creative work which really make these luxury items a soul and highly valued.
This controversial case of fashion industry concerning design ethics is a wakeup call to the fact that when we have celebrated the genius of the Indian artistry, it should not be limited only to the eye-catching inspiration but should be given proper acknowledgment, respect, and an equitable platform for the skilled hands that preserve age-old traditions in a modern world and inspire generations to come.
Dior Faces Backlash Over ₹1.6 Crore Lucknowi Mukaish Embroidery Coat For Not Crediting Indian Artisans
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