Hindus seek apology from LFW & Ashish Gupta for trivialising deities
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London - Fashion and religion are no strangers, and over the centuries the two have managed to co-exist with each other side by side, with the occasion influence from one touching the other. However, at times there have been certain designers or brands who crossed certain boundaries and managed to offend or upset groups by trivialising aspects of religion.
For example, high street favourite Zara has been called out for offering striped shirts with a yellow shirt on the chest which resembled the ‘Star of David’ uniform Jews were forced to wear during the Holocaust of the Second World War, and handbags featuring four green swastikas, the symbol of the Nazis. Now Hindus have rallied together and are calling for an official apology from London Fashion Week (LFW), it’s organiser the British Fashion Council (BFC), its main sponsor the Sunglass Hut and London-based fashion designer Ashish Gupta for trivialising Hindu deities in his LFW Spring/Su,er 2017 show.
Ashish Gupta offends Hindu by trivialising deities in LFW SS17 show
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, who has called out US fashion retailer Urban Outfitters on numerous occasions for offering items which feature Hindu deities, has voiced distain for Ashish’s choice to feature Hindu deities in his show, calling it “highly inappropriate” . Zed argues that Hindu deities are meant to be “worshipped in temples and home shrines,” and their likeness should not be parade in fashion shows for “mercantile greed.” As the President of the Universal Society of Hinduism, he is urging the BFC’s Chief Executive Caroline Rush to issue a formal apology for allowing such a presentation to take place, as many Hindu found it disrespectful and inappropriate.
Zed added that an organisation like the BFC, which aims to “further the interests of the British Fashion Industry” and is funded by “the government including the Mayor of London,” should have shown some “maturity and responsibility” before permitting such a show, which was insensitive and hurtful to Hindu devotees. Although Hindus believe in free expression and speech, faith is something which should remain sacred according to Zed, and attempts at commercialising any Hindu deities, symbols or concepts is “not okay,” as “businesses should be respectful to various faith traditions.”
Ashish Gupta aimed to make a political statement with his SS17 collection, which received mixed reviews. The Delhi-born designer, known for his statement designs, sought to celebrate immigrants lives in the UK through his collection, following the Brexit vote in June. He was inspired by ‘Old Bollywood’, Indian culture and traditional garments such as the Sari and Salwar Kameez. "I wanted to celebrate Indian culture in this country. I was absolutely horrified by Brexit. It broke my heart. I just wanted to make a statement about it and celebrate this culture which is so beautiful and an integral part of life in this country,” said the designer on his show to Refinery29.
The collection was modelled by a very diverse cast, including Burberry face Neelam Gill. Their makeup, however, created by artist Isamaya French, seems to have drawn the most criticism. Inspired by Club Kid beauty, mixed with Indian influences, the colourful and bold looks were described as a “Bollywood Bloodbath,” and seemed to depict Hindu Goddess Kali and Lord Shiva. Hinduism remains one of the largest and oldest religions in the world, with over 1 billion followers.
FashionUnited reached out to the BFC and Ashish Gupta for commentary for this article, but they had yet to respond at the time of publication.
Photos: Ashish SS17, Catwalkingpictures.com