Did Ralph Lauren’s Fall 2026 Show Feature 'Indian Jhumkas' At Paris Fashion Week? Internet Fume Credit Debate

Recently, Luxury fashion giants such as Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Dior have faced criticism for openly using Indian culture and design in their collections. These designs include Kolhapuri-style sandals, auto-rickshaw bags, and Mukaish embroidery. Critics have also questioned their failure to acknowledge the origins of these designs while heavily glorifying Indian cultural elements in their collections. The debate has resurfaced yet again at Paris Fashion Week after Ralph Lauren unveiled its Fall 2026 women’s collection.

Sharply tailored jackets, equestrian-inspired boots, and polished eveningwear, but one accessory quietly caught the internet’s attention: long, bell-shaped silver earrings that closely resembled traditional South Asian jhumkas. As images from the show spread online, the similarity triggered a wider debate about whether global fashion houses should openly acknowledge the cultural origins of designs that strongly reflect traditional crafts.

On top of that, the brand’s posts about the collection did not mention their cultural background. Instead, captions shared with runway images described them as “authentic vintage accessories” used to style selected looks.

In some posts, Ralph Lauren also stated that certain pieces were created by Native American designers Neil Zarama, Jimmy Begay, and TÓPA through the brand’s Authentic Makers and Artist in Residence programmes. However, the brand did not mention Indian craftsmanship when referring to the earrings.

When photos from the runway show started spreading online, many viewers quickly noticed that the earrings looked way too similar to traditional jhumkas. Critics said that although fashion often draws inspiration from different cultures, it is becoming more important to recognise the original source of such designs in today’s global industry. One user wrote, “Before it becomes ‘Scandinavian Bell Earrings’, let me tell you... it's called a JHUMKA!" Another user commented, “Cultural appropriation yet again. Stealing jhumkas now. Don’t you guys have anything better to do? Got no creativity of your own?"

In 2025, Italian fashion house Prada also faced criticism after it introduced leather sandals that closely resembled traditional Kolhapuri chappals, handcrafted footwear from Maharashtra that carries a geographical indication (GI) tag in India. The brand later officially collaborated.

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