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The Hindu
09-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
India on the global mood board
India and its vibrant aesthetic are everywhere right now. From the V&A's nod to Indian royalty in its Cartier show, to design fairs such as PAD (Pavilion of Art and Design), TEFAF (The European Fine Art Foundation) and Frieze, where Indian art, jewellery and design have a stronghold. In department stores — Harrods, Selfridges, Bergdorf Goodman — brands such as Sabyasachi High Jewellery, Kartik Research and Lovebirds sit alongside global names. And on runways, India's presence is no longer peripheral, it's pivotal. It's no secret that the world wants a slice of the Indian pie. With a luxury market currently valued at $17 billion and projected to triple by 2030, an affluent Gen Z cohort 377 million strong, and increasing cultural capital, India is drawing global attention. Dior's Fall 2023 show in Mumbai may well have been the tipping point. That moment which was widely Instagrammed, editorialised, and held up as a turning point, set a new template for how the country could be platformed. The set was quite literally India: the Gateway of India as backdrop, the clothes — woven Madras checks and draped lungi-style skirts — were crafted by Chanakya School of Craft (a longtime collaborator, having embroidered the mise-en-scene at most of Dior's shows under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri's helm), and a musical score that paid homage to Indian classical traditions. Last month in Paris, as guests at the Louis Vuitton menswear show took their seats before a 2,700 sq.m. set designed by architect Bijoy Jain and his Studio Mumbai, inspired by the ancient Indian game of snakes and ladders, it felt like a signal of continuity: that India is not just momentary inspiration but a sustained presence in luxury's imagination. The show by creative director Pharrell Williams featured rickshaw-shaped bags, trunks, sneakers and jackets with a smattering of embroideries from India, and a soundtrack by Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman. Cultures as trend Just a week earlier, at Milan Fashion Week, Prada sent models down the runway in Kolhapuris (those hardback quotidian leather sandals local to Maharashtra) paired with shorts and T-shirts, and with design details of the humble footwear also seen on rings, and facings of leather jackets. What followed was an avalanche of pushback and adoration, in equal measure, from the South Asian corner of the Internet. Who made the Kolhapuris? Why weren't they credited? Why the silence? Why now? In contrast, the Louis Vuitton show was celebrated: this is how collaboration should be done. Visionary. Complete. And yet, beyond the headlines and viral takes, the question persists: what now? How can this cultural bridge, tentatively being built between India and the world, move from moment to movement? 'Everybody celebrates that Louis Vuitton has done this, Prada has done that. But sadly, it doesn't have any real impact on the business of fashion,' says Maximiliano Modesti, the French-Italian founder of Les Ateliers 2M, an India-based craft and embroidery studio that works with global luxury houses, including Chanel and Hermès. 'Craft is soft power,' he explains. 'If this level of craft were available in a European country, or even China, it would have been used to build a cultural and economic empire by now.' But for decades, that power was extracted rather than credited — India's artisans fuelling couture and ready-to-wear from Paris to New York, often without a label, voice or seat at the table. Still, progress is being made. Modesti credits private players in India such as Sangita Jindal, who launched the Jindal Craft Prize, Nita Ambani's work with Swadesh (a platform for artisans), and artist-entrepreneur Anita Lal's newly launched Good Earth Foundation, as key to preserving and promoting heritage. Says Modesti, 'In India, you always need private initiative to counterbalance the lack of political will. It's been true of education, healthcare, and now finally, craft and design.' Even so, Modesti's wary of fashion's tendency to cycle through cultures as trends. 'One season it's India, the next it could be Africa. It's always India seen through a historical prism. But if you know what's happening now with Indian architects, designers, creatives — the Indian scene is flamboyant.' Fashion photographer Rid Burman agrees. 'There's so much more than what gets shown globally. Brands latch onto palaces and Bollywood, but India also has arthouse cinema, a thriving art scene, classical and contemporary music. There's a huge cultural backbone that's being overlooked,' he says. So far, Indian aesthetics have largely been filtered through a western gaze. The opportunity ahead is in letting Indian creators tell the story on their own terms. Looking beyond the palaces One promising counterpoint to this historical pattern is the Nike x NorBlack NorWhite collaboration. More than just applying Indian motifs to global streetwear, the campaign was conceived, led and styled locally. Founders Mriga Kapadiya and Amrit Kumar — who returned to India from Toronto to start the label — cast Indian female athletes, directed the shoot, and shaped the narrative. The result was vibrant, modern, and self-assured. Designer Kartik Kumra's label Kartik Research — worn by the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Stephen Curry, Brad Pitt and Riz Ahmed — is one of the sharpest expressions of Indian craft meeting contemporary design. Built on techniques such as bandhani and kantha, the brand has shown in Paris and is stocked by retailers from London to New York. Production is anchored in India, with a strong focus on small-batch making and local material sourcing. Last year, Kumra published How to Make it in India — a zine-meets-manifesto that argues for defining success on one's own terms. His multilingual approach — visually, culturally and commercially — is rewriting the rulebook on how India can show up on the global stage: not by conforming, but by leading with its own terms and textures. 'I'm definitely aware of the connotations [India has], but I think the idea is to not be very on the nose with the referencing,' says Kumra. 'It's always a tricky balance; leaning into heritage but avoiding being too literal. Hopefully, the conversation around Indian culture globally can pivot from being overly nostalgic or stuck in its ways into something more generative or weirdly futuristic.' In jewellery, Maison Aneka is reframing what Indian design can mean. 'We want to show what a rooted-yet-modern India looks like,' says CEO Ankit Mehta. With design teams based in Mumbai and Paris, and a boutique on Place Vendôme, flanked by Schiaparelli, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Boucheron, as well as in Printemps and Mumbai's Kala Ghoda, Aneka's pieces reflect a cosmopolitan ethos. 'Honestly, most people I've met don't know what 'Indian jewellery' looks like. They have vague visuals of palaces, elephants, heritage. But the India of today hasn't yet been defined for them,' he adds. Designer Ritwik Khanna of Rkive City, known for his circular fashion practice, was one of a handful of South Asians invited to Louis Vuitton's Paris show. He met Williams at a Vogue India lunch earlier in the year and shared his work. 'India is no longer just a textile or embroidery country — it's an innovations country,' he says. 'If someone from India creates something relevant, efficient, and of high global quality, there's no way to side-eye that.' Will the next luxury brand be from India? For product designer and entrepreneur Vikram Goyal, the ambition is to shift India's identity from supplier to storyteller. His work, often shown at PAD London (this year will mark his third in collaboration with Milan's Nilufar Gallery), and a recent collaboration with luxury brand de Gournay that translated his repoussé brass murals into hand-painted wallpapers, is steeped in Indian craft but shaped for a global audience. A large-scale mural is also in the works for Design Miami later this year. 'There's this general trend towards celebrating the handmade and the artisanal across disciplines. People are saying, 'this is fresh, this is new',' he shares. 'There is no other country in the world with so much craft, cultural narrative and storytelling as there is in India. And for those stories to be told in a contemporary, intelligent way has been a joy for us.' In fine art, too, the lens is widening. 'There's a lot more interest coming from institutions, curators, collectors,' says Roshini Vadehra, director of New Delhi-based Vadehra Art Gallery. 'South Asian artists aren't speaking in narrow, regional voices. Whether it's gender politics or geopolitics, the themes are global.' Earlier this year, Vadehra played a key role in facilitating the Serpentine Gallery's landmark retrospective of modernist painter Arpita Singh — marking the first major solo exhibition of an Indian artist at the institution in over a decade. The gallery worked closely with Singh's family and studio, and was instrumental in securing loans and shaping the narrative of the show. At Frieze London this October, the gallery will present an all-women showcase from across the subcontinent and diaspora — a reflection, she says, of a more interconnected, nuanced voice emerging from the region. Designer Nimish Shah, founder of Shift, draws a parallel with Japan's rise in the 1970s, when brands such as Comme des Garçons and Issey Miyake reframed Japanese craft into avant-garde fashion. 'It elevated Japan from being a traditional supplier to the source of some of the edgiest designs. That's where India is headed.' Back in 1998, Modesti pushed brands like Isabel Marant to begin labelling their pieces Made in India. 'She was the only one who listened,' he recalls. Hermès, too, has included the label on every scarf, cashmere and carpet produced by Les Ateliers 2M since 2005. But there is work to be done. Government intervention, specifically. When that is achieved, he says, 'The next luxury brands will be born from India. Will it be Sabyasachi? Or someone entirely new? I don't know. But it will happen.' Khanna agrees. 'The only shows I've ever seen in my life have celebrated India,' he says, recalling Dior's Mumbai show (which he admits to 'sneaking into') and Louis Vuitton's Paris production. 'Today, when kids hear that Kartik Kumra is a semi-finalist in the LVMH Prize, or that Bijoy Jain did the LV set, they grow up thinking they belong on the global stage. That they are entitled to be a part of all this equally.' The question is no longer whether the world is watching India. It is whether India can build the creative and structural infrastructure to make this attention lasting — and entirely its own. The writer is an independent journalist based in London, writing on fashion, luxury and lifestyle.
Economic Times
14-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Prada vs Kolhapuri chappals: Controversies around cultural appropriation highlight need for increased GI tagging in India
Over the last few weeks, Indian heritage and culture came into sharp focus in global fashion circles. First, the good bit. French luxury label Louis Vuitton had models walk down a striking Snakes & Ladders-themed runway designed by renowned Indian architect Bijoy Jain. It was on point for the brand that had titled its Spring-Summer 2026 Men's Collection 'A Voyage to India'. But just a few days before that, in Milan on June 22, controversy struck when Italian luxury house Prada sent male models strutting in open-toe leather sandals 'inspired' by traditional Kolhapuri chappals. They did so without crediting Kolhapuri artisans for the inspiration. The furore that followed led to Prada admitting its mistake. The company then held discussions with the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MACCIA) and said it has plans to send a delegation to Kolhapur to explore a potential collaboration. But the reality is that the whole shebang is nothing new, and the development that has come about as a result of the Prada controversy is rare. From designs to dishes, from paintings to pottery, and from tea to rice, Indian origin goods have found themselves at the receiving end of imitation over many Phyllida Jay, in her book Inspired by India, writes about India's role in global design from the 1600s to the present and raises concerns about colonial exploitation and cultural that is troubling enough, artisans and craftspeople are deprived of credit and dignified livelihood even as large companies, both Indian and international, monetise these individuals under luxury labels. One of the ways used to protect items from such issues is the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, a global system of labelling used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation due to that origin. India has been using the tool to push back on plenty of products, but the latest round of controversies shows a need to raise the pitch and enforce such regulations. It also shows the need to add more Indian craftsmanship to the list of GI-protected items. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), 'From a total of 86 national and regional authorities, there were an estimated 58,600 protected GIs in existence in 2023.' More than half that number is in the EU. India has 643 registered GIs. France has 681 just in food and beverages. For comparison, India is about six times the size of France by land area, and has 21 times more people. The Sant Rohidas Leather Industries & Charmakar Development Corporation Ltd (LIDCOM) jointly holds the Geographical Indication (GI) rights for Kolhapuri chappals with Karnataka's LIDKAR. Initial silence was broken by the brand only after things might have been even tougher if it were not for its GI its IP and heritage is something India is lagging behind in. Since 1990, India has cumulatively paid $100.8 billion while receiving only $11 billion in IP receipts — a net $90 billion deficit, according to an op-ed in ET. Expert Speak India's GI Act (1999) protects registered heritage goods like Kolhapuris domestically — but not globally. Even within India, unless the GI name is used in commercial communication, legal recourse is limited. Borrowing a silhouette isn't illegal. But calling something Kolhapuri without authorisation could be considered passing off. Internationally, however, we need bilateral trade agreements or global trademark registration for better protection — like in the case of Darjeeling Tea. —Priyanka Khimani, IP Lawyer. A lot of inspiration is taken by Indian designers, chefs, musicians and others from cultures across the world. In fact, I believe cultures evolve by taking inspiration from each other. We should give credit to where it belongs. Unfair practices should be avoided. — Toolika Gupta, Director, Indian Institute Of Crafts & Design It really comes down to the history of colonialism, power, and how we define cultural influence and borrowing. There's a difference between crosscultural design inspiration and stealing, and the sense of this is amplified when India is a country with a colonial history that saw its own textile industry dismantled by systemic forces. Added to that, we still have a global regime of value, whereby an international luxury brand can assert the value of something based on the idea of Italian or French 'prestige' even if the design inspiration or production is Indian. In the specific case of the Kolhapuri chappal, it has GI status and is ineluctably linked to particular communities and their craft traditions. Especially given that Prada's beautiful 'Made in India' collection was created with Chennai-based artisans in 2012. Regardless of whether this product would be for commercial sale or not, it's absolutely mystifying why Prada didn't work directly with artisans, with clear communication from its press team that this would have been 'appreciation'. Instead, it literally copied the chappals, with no acknowledgement, to add a cliched element of 'bohemian flair' to a rather flat menswear collection. — Phyllida Jay, anthropologist, fashion scholar and author My family — all 12 of us — has been making Kolhapuri chappals for the last 20 years. Our business, Abhishek Footwear, mainly sells through exhibitions and locally in the city. One chappal can take up to 16 hours or two days to produce. We manage to sell a few thousand pairs each year. Depending on the design, a pair can cost anywhere between `500 and `10,000. But every monsoon, our work comes to a standstill. Even putting food on the table becomes a struggle. When I was told that Prada's version of the Kolhapuri could fetch `1 lakh, I couldn't help but laugh — bitterly. This is why our karigar is dying. — Raviraj Kamble, Kolhapuri artisan
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Prada vs Kolhapuri chappals: Controversies around cultural appropriation highlight need for increased GI tagging in India
Over the last few weeks, Indian heritage and culture came into sharp focus in global fashion circles. First, the good bit. French luxury label Louis Vuitton had models walk down a striking Snakes & Ladders-themed runway designed by renowned Indian architect Bijoy Jain. It was on point for the brand that had titled its Spring-Summer 2026 Men's Collection ' A Voyage to India '. But just a few days before that, in Milan on June 22, controversy struck when Italian luxury house Prada sent male models strutting in open-toe leather sandals 'inspired' by traditional Kolhapuri chappals. They did so without crediting Kolhapuri artisans for the inspiration. The furore that followed led to Prada admitting its mistake. The company then held discussions with the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MACCIA) and said it has plans to send a delegation to Kolhapur to explore a potential collaboration. But the reality is that the whole shebang is nothing new, and the development that has come about as a result of the Prada controversy is rare. From designs to dishes, from paintings to pottery, and from tea to rice, Indian origin goods have found themselves at the receiving end of imitation over many years. ET Bureau Anthropologist Phyllida Jay, in her book Inspired by India, writes about India's role in global design from the 1600s to the present and raises concerns about colonial exploitation and cultural appropriation. While that is troubling enough, artisans and craftspeople are deprived of credit and dignified livelihood even as large companies, both Indian and international, monetise these individuals under luxury labels. Live Events One of the ways used to protect items from such issues is the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, a global system of labelling used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation due to that origin. ET Bureau India has been using the tool to push back on plenty of products, but the latest round of controversies shows a need to raise the pitch and enforce such regulations. It also shows the need to add more Indian craftsmanship to the list of GI-protected items. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), 'From a total of 86 national and regional authorities, there were an estimated 58,600 protected GIs in existence in 2023.' More than half that number is in the EU. India has 643 registered GIs. France has 681 just in food and beverages. For comparison, India is about six times the size of France by land area, and has 21 times more people. The Sant Rohidas Leather Industries & Charmakar Development Corporation Ltd (LIDCOM) jointly holds the Geographical Indication (GI) rights for Kolhapuri chappals with Karnataka's LIDKAR. Initial silence was broken by the brand only after backlash. But things might have been even tougher if it were not for its GI tag. ET Bureau Safeguarding its IP and heritage is something India is lagging behind in. Since 1990, India has cumulatively paid $100.8 billion while receiving only $11 billion in IP receipts — a net $90 billion deficit, according to an op-ed in ET. Expert Speak India's GI Act (1999) protects registered heritage goods like Kolhapuris domestically — but not globally. Even within India, unless the GI name is used in commercial communication, legal recourse is limited. Borrowing a silhouette isn't illegal. But calling something Kolhapuri without authorisation could be considered passing off. Internationally, however, we need bilateral trade agreements or global trademark registration for better protection — like in the case of Darjeeling Tea. —Priyanka Khimani, IP Lawyer. A lot of inspiration is taken by Indian designers, chefs, musicians and others from cultures across the world. In fact, I believe cultures evolve by taking inspiration from each other. We should give credit to where it belongs. Unfair practices should be avoided. — Toolika Gupta, Director, Indian Institute Of Crafts & Design It really comes down to the history of colonialism, power, and how we define cultural influence and borrowing. There's a difference between crosscultural design inspiration and stealing, and the sense of this is amplified when India is a country with a colonial history that saw its own textile industry dismantled by systemic forces. Added to that, we still have a global regime of value, whereby an international luxury brand can assert the value of something based on the idea of Italian or French 'prestige' even if the design inspiration or production is Indian. In the specific case of the Kolhapuri chappal, it has GI status and is ineluctably linked to particular communities and their craft traditions. Especially given that Prada's beautiful 'Made in India' collection was created with Chennai-based artisans in 2012. Regardless of whether this product would be for commercial sale or not, it's absolutely mystifying why Prada didn't work directly with artisans, with clear communication from its press team that this would have been 'appreciation'. Instead, it literally copied the chappals, with no acknowledgement, to add a cliched element of 'bohemian flair' to a rather flat menswear collection. — Phyllida Jay, anthropologist, fashion scholar and author My family — all 12 of us — has been making Kolhapuri chappals for the last 20 years. Our business, Abhishek Footwear, mainly sells through exhibitions and locally in the city. One chappal can take up to 16 hours or two days to produce. We manage to sell a few thousand pairs each year. Depending on the design, a pair can cost anywhere between `500 and `10,000. But every monsoon, our work comes to a standstill. Even putting food on the table becomes a struggle. When I was told that Prada's version of the Kolhapuri could fetch `1 lakh, I couldn't help but laugh — bitterly. This is why our karigar is dying. — Raviraj Kamble, Kolhapuri artisan
Hindustan Times
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
How India took spotlight at Pharrell's Louis Vuitton Paris show: Madras checks, snakes & ladders runway, AR Rahman music
India is having a major fashion moment. With its rich cultural heritage, deep-rooted craftsmanship, and a rapidly expanding class of luxury-savvy consumers, the country is fast emerging as fashion's most exciting new frontier. And Pharrell Williams, Louis Vuitton's menswear creative director, just cemented that idea with a stunning, India-inspired Spring/Summer 2026 show in Paris. (Also read: Louis Vuitton turns India's iconic auto-rickshaw into luxury handbag; internet says 'waiting for Chandni Chowk version' ) India takes center stage in Pharrell's stunning LV Spring/Summer 2026 Paris show. (REUTERS) How Pharrell's Paris show became a tribute to India Staged outside the iconic Pompidou Centre, the show felt like a cinematic dream, with a gospel choir, golden light, and a starry front row included. But beneath the spectacle was a heartfelt tribute to India, one that skipped clichés and celebrated the country through rich textures, thoughtful research, and Pharrell's signature LV flair. Inspired by the ancient Indian game of Snakes and Ladders, the runway was transformed into a giant terracotta-toned board. An ode to the ancient Indian game that reflects life's ups, downs, and lessons learned. How Bijoy Jain brings Indian craft to Paris The man behind this visual marvel was none other than renowned Indian architect Bijoy Jain, founder of Studio Mumbai. Known for his earthy, meditative style, Jain's team handcrafted pieces in Mumbai using traditional techniques like weaving and natural pigments, then shipped them to Paris, creating a set that felt raw, rooted, and reverent. The clothes followed suit. If Pharrell's earlier collections for Louis Vuitton were heavy on streetwear flash, this one leaned into softness, soul, and storytelling. Before the show, he and his team travelled through New Delhi, Mumbai, and Jodhpur, meeting artisans, soaking in colour palettes, and immersing themselves in India's rich visual vocabulary. Indian craft, colours and culture on the runway There were no literal sarees or sherwanis on the runway. Instead, India's spirit came alive through colour, texture, and intricate detail. From turmeric yellows and spice-toned browns to deep indigos, each look carried a whisper of the subcontinent. The nods were subtle but spot-on: elephant-print bags, palm tree embroidery, embellished hoodies channelling royal energy, and paduka-style sandals. Crocodile bombers and glittering hoods turned up the volume, Pharrell-style. One model rolled a translucent purple LV trunk across the runway as Voices of Fire performed tracks by AR Rahman, a nod to India's musical brilliance. This wasn't just a fashion show; it was a love letter. One that treated India not as a passing trend or exotic muse but as a creative powerhouse and a global style leader. And if Pharrell's vision is any indication, India isn't just influencing fashion's future; it is the future.
New York Times
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Our Favorite Pools
At a Modernist house in Southampton, N.Y., conceived of by the designer Ward Bennett in the 1960s, a bluestone-lined pool nestled in the dunes. Read more here. For her home in Tangier, Morocco, the art dealer Sarah Wheeler worked with the architect Cosimo Sestion on the pool, which sits below a rambling garden designed by the writer and botanist Umberto Pasti. Read more here. A view of the black-bottomed pool and the bedroom of the writer Anaïs Nin's Los Angeles home, designed by the architect Eric Lloyd Wright. Read more here. The lap pool at Utsav House, built by the architect Bijoy Jain in 2008 in Alibag, a cluster of coastal villages just outside of Mumbai, India. Read more here. The tiles surrounding the poolside barbecue at the artist Katherine Bernhardt's home in St. Louis were inspired by a subway station in Brescia, Italy, that the artist Nathalie Du Pasquier transformed in collaboration with the ceramics company Mutina. Read more here. The actress Julianne Moore and the director Bart Freundlich's house in Montauk, N.Y., overlooks a meadow of wildflowers and a modernist pool. Read more here. Ferns, philodendrons and flowering rose grape engulf a pool designed by the landscape architect Isabel Duprat at Casa Rampa, a house in São Paulo, Brazil, built in 2015 by the local architecture firm Studio MK27. Read more here. The financial adviser and art collector Ilan Cohen's home on Fire Island, N.Y. The blue chair near the pool is by the artist Thomas Barger. Read more here. A cantilevered pool forms part of Cactus Dorée, a home nestled in the hills near Monte Carlo. Read more here. The Long Island pool house of the late fashion executive George Kolasa and the sales executive Justin Tarquinio was forklifted from a neighboring plot where it had been erected in the late 18th or early 19th century as a shed for a dairy farm. Read more here. The rooftop pool at Casa Valle, the architect Alberto Kalach's family weekend home in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, has hammocks between concrete partitions that create small, shaded lounge areas. Read more here. The infinity pool of the writers Annalena McAfee and Ian McEwan's home in the hills of southwest England looks out over a wildflower meadow and lake. Read more here. Palm trees and other tropical plants line the pool of a Miami Beach home renovated by the Italian-born architect Fabrizio Casiraghi. Read more here.
