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Fashion Brands’ Diwali Campaigns Attract Controversy in India

Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh in Sabyasachi at their wedding in Lake Como.
Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh in Sabyasachi at their Lake Como wedding in 2019. Photo: Errikos-Andreous (Errikos-Andreous)

Sabyasachi, one of India’s best known designer brands, helmed by Sabyasachi Mukherjee, was forced to pull advertisements for its mangalsutra jewellery collection earlier this week, ahead of Diwali. The festival of lights is celebrated today in India and is a major milestone in India’s retail calendar.

The campaign sparked controversy because the images — some of models in lingerie and others portraying same-sex couples — were seen by some to be inappropriate representations of mangalsutras, the ornaments in Hindu tradition that are traditionally worn by brides to symbolise their marital status. Prominent politicians and social media users were among the critics.

In response to the outcry, Sabyasachi apologised on Instagram saying in part that the campaign was “intended as a celebration and we are deeply saddened that it has instead offended a section of our society.”

Several brands have come under fire for similarly offending some Hindus in the country. Last month, fashion retailer Fabindia drew condemnation for using an Urdu term, “Jashn-e-Riwaaz” (“celebration of tradition”), to describe its latest collection for the festival of Diwali, which is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and others around the world.

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In India, financial newspaper Mint reported “strong demand” from consumers for electronics, traditional clothing and jewellery during the festival season, with some retailers reportedly matching 2019 sales during this year’s festive period.

Learn more:

Sabyasachi Mukherjee: King of India’s Bridal Market

The designer, whose bridal pieces are worn by India’s billionaire heiresses and Bollywood superstars, has built a luxury brand that’s set to generate $35 million in revenue in 2019. Now, he’s on a quest to tap the lucrative fine jewellery market and take his business global.

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