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Gucci Accused Of Religious/Cultural Appropriation For $790 Sikhi Style Turbans
SMH. After all the blackface backlash, Gucci is getting groaned again — this time for selling $790 turbans that are similar in style to the dastaar (turban) worn by members of the Sikh faith.
According to Washington Post, the brand originally drew ire from the Sikh community when the luxury designer had a white model walking the runway in a bright blue turban last year:
It was styled nearly identically to the traditional headwear of Sikhs, who follow a faith with roots in South Asia, and outrage abounded. The Italian luxury brand was widely panned for not showing the look on “a brown model” and failing to grasp the turban’s significance.
“As a Sikh, I see this as a huge sign of disrespect and disregard toward Sikhism,” one person tweeted at the time.
Apparently that wasn’t enough to halt production because this week Gucci’s “Indy Full Turban” — described as a “gorgeously crafted turban” that is “ready to turn heads while keeping you in comfort as well as trademark style” — was being sold by Nordstrom for a reported price of $790.
As of Wednesday evening, the item was listed as sold out on Nordstrom’s website and the price no longer appeared. The department store and Gucci did not respond to requests for comment from the Washington Post.
Meanwhile there’s been a (well deserved, in our opinion) outcry from Sikhs and other critics over misappropriating an article of clothing that has religious significance and whose wearers have been attacked, discriminated against and even killed.
On Tuesday, the Sikh Coalition tweeted an image of the Nordstrom listing and criticized the treatment of the “sacred” headwear.
“The turban is not just an accessory to monetize,” the group wrote, adding in a separate tweet that it had contacted Nordstrom and Gucci. It wrote: “Many find this cultural appropriation inappropriate, since those wearing the turban just for fashion will not appreciate its deep religious significance.”
There’s much more to unpack with this particular item of clothing. Hit the flip for more tweets that explain why this was such a huge offense.