Did saree label 'Suta' copy a design from 'Rouka'? Designer Sreejith Jeevan calls out the brand for copying his design

Time of India

a day ago

Designer Sreejith Jeevan of Rouka by Sreejith Jeevan, has ignited a debate about plagiarism in Indian fashion. He subtly called out Suta, a popular saree brand, for allegedly copying his designs, particularly an ivory saree with red floral appliqué. While avoiding legal action due to resource constraints, Jeevan seeks acknowledgment of original work.
There's fashion inspiration and then there's fashion imitation. And it looks like beloved saree label Suta may have crossed the line. In a heartfelt Instagram video posted on July 31, designer Sreejith Jeevan, the creative force behind Kerala-based brand Rouka by Sreejith Jeevan, finally addressed something that's clearly been bothering him (and many other designers) for a while now: plagiarism in fashion.
While Sreejith didn't name names in the original video, his followers did all the talking. Soon after, Instagram Stories flooded in showing screenshots of a Suta saree that looked strikingly similar to one Rouka has been retailing, an ivory drape with red floral appliqué. Followers began tagging Suta directly, calling them out for what appeared to be a not-so-subtle copy.
In his video, Sreejith admitted that this wasn't the first time his work had been 'borrowed.' Since 2015, he's been creating Onam collections that are deeply rooted in Kerala's culture and minimalism, something he's seen slowly being picked up (and not always credited) by brands whose aesthetic had never been remotely similar before. While he once brushed it off with the age-old 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,' he revealed that seeing a direct copy of a design from 2019-2020, right down to the artwork, was the final straw
But what really struck a chord was how open he was about the emotional toll.
Sreejith shared how people would DM him about the similarities but hesitate to speak up publicly. 'They'd message me screenshots and say, 'This looks like yours!' But when I asked them to call it out, they'd say, 'No no no, we can't put it out,'' he said. And honestly, he gets it. Not everyone wants to get into messy fashion fights. But that silence added to his sense of helplessness.
Legal action? Not worth it, Sreejith explained.
As an independent designer, spending time and money on court cases isn't practical. 'We don't want to pour resources into IP battles, we just want people to acknowledge where something came from,' he said. And that's exactly what happened this time. His brave decision to finally speak up triggered an outpouring of support from the fashion community, with many coming forward to say, 'Hey, Rouka did it first.
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While Suta hasn't officially responded yet, the internet is buzzing. One thing's for sure, conversations around design ethics and original creativity in Indian fashion are long overdue. And this incident? It's definitely sparked one.