Bandhani row erupts as Ralph Lauren faces backlash over ₹44K skirt

Let's talk about something that has genuinely blown up online and this time it's not a film, it's not a celeb feud, it's fashion. But trust me, the drama here full Bollywood level. So here's what happened. Luxury fashion giant Ralph Lauren is currently facing massive backlash in India over a skirt. Yes, a skirt. But not just any skirt. A ₹44,800 skirt that people are saying looks suspiciously very similar to traditional Bandhani work from Gujarat. Now for context, Bandhani isn't just a print, it's a centuries old Indian craft. We are talking thousands of tiny hand tied knot done manually, taking 2 to 3 days for justice. One piece. It's detailed, it's skilled, and it's deeply rooted in culture. And here's where the controversy kicks in. This Ralph Lauren skirt is being described as inspired by Balthani techniques, but according to netizens, it's actually just machine printed on cotton with no real craftsmanship involved and more importantly, no proper credit given to the original artists. That's what people are angry about. The issue exploded after digital creator Radha Patel called it out on Instagram, and her point was simple but sharp. How can artists who spend days creating authentic bandhani barely earn a fraction of this price while a luxury brand sells a printed version for nearly ₹45,000, even without acknowledging the source? That hit a nerve. With an hour, social media went into full outrage mode. Suddenly, this wasn't just about one product, it became a much bigger conversation because people started connecting the dots. This is not the first time something like this has happened. In fact, just weeks ago, Ralph Lauren was already under fire for selling what they called vintage earrings, which look a lot like traditional Indian jumkas. Again, no clear credits. And it does not stop there. Big global brands have been called out before too. Prada faced backlash for showcasing sandals that looked identical to Kolhapuri chappals, something that artists in India have been making for generations. We have also seen Dior face backlash for a jaw dropping ₹1.6 crore over court, featuring intricate Mukesh work straight out of Lucknow, but with zero mention of the craft or the artist behind it. Then there's Gucci, which landed in controversy for selling a kaftan that looks almost identical to traditional Indian kurta, with many pointing out how it echoed Ajarak Prince from Kuch. Again, no credits, no context. Dolce and Gabbana also raised eyebrows with their Arda Moda 2025 collections, especially a 3 way fountain inspired bag that people said looked strikingly similar to craft wooden boxes from Kashmir and Saharanpur. And it did not stop there. At a pre Oscar dinner in March 20 26, Kendall Jenner styled a vintage Dor camisole with what was described as a Scandinavian scarf. But desi users were quick to point out it looked a lot like a dupatta. An original handcrafted Banhi piece might involve days of flavour. Skilled artist, mostly women, carefully tying thousands of knots, dying, drying, repeating the process and then you have a machine printed version being sold at a luxury price point with no mention of where the design comes from. That's where people feel the line is crossed. It's not about inspiration, it's about acknowledgement and also fairness. Because a lot of these artists communities are already struggling. Many of them saw massive losses during COVID and their craft are slowly getting overshadowed by mass produced version. So when a global brand steps in, uses the same aesthetic and profits massively without credit, it feels like the original creators are being erased from their own story. That's the emotional core of this backlash. Now what's also adding fuel to the fire is the silence. Ralph Lauren hasn't responded yet. And in situations like this, silence usually makes things worse because people start treating it as avoidance. At the same time, this has also sparked a more constructive conversation. People are not talking about supporting authentic Indian brands, buying directly from artists and giving credits whether it is due. Even examples being discussed where collaborations have worked well, where designers actually partner with artists, shared credits and with something together instead of just borrowing designs. And that's the difference because fashion can be global. Inspiration can travel, but respect has to travel with it. Right now, this entire conversation has turned into a bigger question for the industry. Is global fashion going to be inclusive or just selective about what it takes and what it ignores? Because audience today are far more aware they notice these things. And as we are seeing right now, they are not staying quiet about it. So yeah, this might have started with one skirt, but it's clearly not ending there. The.