'One More Handloom, One More Headline': Edelweiss's Radhika Gupta Decodes Fashion Appropriation By Dior

Radhika Gupta, the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Edelweiss Asset Management recently took to Instagram to post about the appropriation by Dior.

What Did Radhika Gupta Say?

According to Radhika Gupta, "the world loves Indian craftsmanship but it rarely credits Indian craftspeople."

She added that the world also almost never shares the value because the value-added layer - branding, storytelling, pricing power - accrues elsewhere.

She was expressing her shock over the fact that a Dior overcoat, which was embellished with the 'exquisite Lucknowi mukaish that we drape on our sarees and dupattas - often without pausing to value the craft' sold for $200,000.

Additionally, she also noted that despite the high value sale, involving "12 Indian artisans" and "34 days of labour", there was no mention of their names and no credit to the history, the culture, or the hands.

Radhika Gupta believes that "the value-added layer - branding, storytelling, pricing power - accrues elsewhere."

Yet, "the hand that creates, remains invisible," she further wrote in her post.

She also urged, "India must move from being just a sourcing destination to a storytelling nation. A branding nation. Culture is soft power. Japan did it with design, Korea did it with pop culture. It's time India does it with craft."

"We don't just need to protect our GI tags. We need to build brands that command premiums, that shape narratives, that stand tall globally - with pride, not invisibility," she said.

Further, she added that the lion has to come out and roar.

The picture was also captioned, "One more handloom, one more headline. The lion refused to speak and the hunter took the catch. A few thoughts."

Prada Kolhapuris Controversy

Previously Radhika Gupta has also called out the luxury fashion brand Prada for showcasing scandals that resemble closely with India's traditional Kolhapuri chappals.

The reason for criticising Prada was also the fact that the brand had not given credit to the original artisans.

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