Creativity or cultural invasion? A fashion show sparks a row in Kashmir

Yahoo

16-03-2025

A fashion show held last week in a picturesque, snow-clad town in Indian-administered Kashmir has sparked a major controversy that is still simmering.
The show, by the well-known fashion brand Shivan & Narresh, was held last Friday at a ski resort in Gulmarg to display their skiwear collection. The label is the first big, non-local brand to hold a fashion show in Kashmir, a scenic Himalayan region which has seen decades of violence.
But it soon sparked outrage among locals, politicians and religious leaders in Muslim-majority Kashmir after fashion publisher Elle India posted a video on social media which showed some models wearing underwear or bikinis. Locals were also angry over another video - shared by online magazine Lifestyle Asia - of a party held after the show, which showed people drinking alcohol outdoors.
Many took offence with the show being held in the holy month of Ramadan - a time of fasting and prayer for Muslims - and accused the designers of "mocking their faith" and "disregarding local culture and sentiments". Some clerics called the show "obscene" and said it was like "soft porn".
Some others explained that the outrage had arisen not only from religious conservatism, but also from a fear of cultural imposition from "outsiders". Kashmir has witnessed decades of armed separatist insurgency against Indian rule since the late 1980s.
The backlash prompted Elle India and Lifestyle Asia to delete their videos. Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja, the designers behind the label, also apologised, saying that their "sole intention was to celebrate creativity" and that they didn't intend to offend religious sentiments.
Kashmir - known as the land of saints and Sufism (Islamic mysticism) - has a rich tradition of spirituality which influences many aspects of peoples' lives. The traditional attire is modest, with locals - both men and women - often wearing the pheran, a long, loose cloak.
The row also moved off social media and a discussion about the show and the after-party caused a ruckus in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly.
The opposition criticised the government, accusing it of giving permission for the event despite being aware of local sensitivities. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah distanced his government from the event, saying it had been organised by private entities, and asking local authorities to investigate the matter and submit a report.
"If law has been violated, strict action will be taken," he said in the assembly on Monday. The police have not yet given details about who organised the event and what laws, if any, have been violated.
The fashion brand did not respond to the BBC's questions about the show, including about permissions it obtained.
It's not surprising that scenic Gulmarg - one of India's few skiing destinations and a favourite with tourists - was the choice of venue for a show highlighting a skiwear collection.
Fashion journalist Shefalee Vasudev says it's not uncommon for designers to want to hold fashion shows in exquisite locations.
In fact, international designers like Alexander McQueen and Karl Lagerfeld are remembered as much for their creative, theatrical fashion shows as they are for their iconic designs.
But experimentation brings with it the risk of controversy and so, it's important to be mindful of the political and cultural sensitivities of a place, Ms Vasudev told the BBC.
And this holds especially true in a place like Kashmir, which has witnessed wars and decades of armed conflict.
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Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir in full but control it only in parts. Since India's partition and the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the nuclear-armed neighbours have fought two wars over the territory.
Thousands of people have been killed since the late 1980s, when a separatist insurgency broke out against Indian rule. Though the separatist movement has lost steam over the years, many locals continue to view the administration in Delhi with distrust.
These sentiments have deepened since 2019 when the federal government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, stripped the region of its autonomy.
So some locals told the BBC that they were not surprised by the reactions to the show.
"Everything in Kashmir is political; people see things through a political prism," says Mir, a professor at a local university (he asked for his surname to be withheld to protect his identity). He adds that people are sceptical about big corporate events like the fashion show and - even if they are organised by private players - they believe that the government is trying to dilute their culture.
Arshid Ahmad, a researcher, uses stronger words to express public angst. "The government is trying to dilute the spirit of resistance in Kashmiris," he says.
This isn't the first time an event held by non-locals has triggered a controversy in Kashmir. In 2013, separatists and human rights activists in the region protested against a show by renowned conductor Zubin Mehta. They said it was an attempt by the government to show the world that all was well in Kashmir when people were "suffering and dying".
Some of the recent apprehensions around culture and identity can also be tied to the increase in tourists to Kashmir from other states in India. The federal government has often connected this boom in tourism to the abrogation of Article 370, which stripped the region of its autonomy.
Nousheen Fatima, 34, says because of government messaging, people outside Kashmir now see the region as being safer and "more assimilated with India". But she alleges that many tourists do not respect the region's culture.
Last year, a video showing tourists drinking alcohol during a boat ride on the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar evoked outrage from political and religious leaders, who called the behaviour "un-Islamic and unethical".
In February, locals put up posters in Srinagar, asking tourists to "respect local culture and traditions" and "avoid alcohol and use of drugs", but these were later pulled down by the police.
In an editorial for The Voice of Fashion magazine, Ms Vasudev argues that the outrage needs to be examined from a critical lens. She asks if it would have been all right for the show to have been held in another Indian city instead of Kashmir, where Muslims would also be observing Ramadan. And whether it would have been acceptable to hold the show in Kashmir if it featured only outfits perceived as modest.
She also points out that Kashmir is home to the "world's finest wool yarn; some of the finest handspun, handwoven pashmina creations and its artisans".
"What Kashmir creates and stands for cannot be replicated anywhere. Shouldn't a fashion show at Gulmarg then, with innovative garments made with 100% wool, be seen as regenerating interest in untried ways?" she asks.
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