The Debate: Is Indian Craft Getting The Credit It Deserves?

India has always been a country that speaks through craft—colour, texture, embroidery, weaving, and the patience of hands that spend years perfecting a single technique. Examples include the mirror work of Rajasthan, the chikankari of Lucknow, and Kanjeevaram silks, as well as bandhani, zardozi, mukaish, and block prints. Indian craft is both broad and deeply embedded in daily life. However, for many years, much of this heritage went unrecognised by Indians themselves. Now, what was once "traditional" or "everyday" in India is increasingly sought after as a luxury in global fashion.

The recent controversy around Prada’s Kolhapuri-style sandals highlights this shift clearly. The brand has now partnered with LIDCOM and LIDKAR to launch Made In India X, inspired by the Kolhapuri chappal, ensuring credit is given where it is due. Over the years, several global luxury brands have borrowed Indian elements—such as a chai-inspired Prada fragrance, and traditional silhouettes like the sari and dupatta—without always acknowledging their origins. A recent example came at Paris Fashion Week 2025, where Dior showcased a striking menswear overcoat priced at around $200,000, featuring intricate mukaish embroidery—a traditional metal-thread craft from Lucknow— without acknowledging its origins.

Dior mukaish embroidered overcoat Paris Fashion Week

Prada Made In India Kolhapuri, Prada chai-inspired fragrance, Dior Mukaish Overcoat

However, to call this fascination with Indian craft "new" would be inaccurate, because history proves otherwise. Journalist, author and moderator Sujata Assomull explains that Indian textiles were once so popular in Europe that they were banned. She explains: "France banned Indian chintz between 1686 and 1759. England followed with a partial ban from 1700 and a total ban by 1721. They didn't ban it because it was irrelevant. They banned it because it was too good, too popular, and disruptive to their own industries." Creative Director, Brand and Communications Consultant, and Writer Varun Rana adds, "This isn't new. It is just more visible now."

Journalist, Author and Moderator, Sujata Assomull & Creative Director, Brand and Communications Consultant and Writer, Varun Rana

While these moments bring Indian aesthetics global attention, they also raise an important question: are global luxury brands truly celebrating Indian craft, or are they simply borrowing from it without giving enough credit? Jamal Shaikh, Luxury Lifestyle Editor, who has launched magazines such as Men's Health, Robb Report, Esquire and The Hollywood Reporter in India, believes the conversation needs balance. He says, "As an Indian, I am flattered that international luxury brands want to incorporate parts of our design into theirs. It's an appreciation all the way. Creativity is a symbiotic process." Shaikh also points out that India has borrowed from different cultures over time—whether it's the English language, potatoes in Indian cuisine, stitched trousers from China, or collared shirts from Europe.

Jamal Shaikh, Luxury Lifestyle Editor

In light of this, it's worth recognising how TOD'S and Rahul Mishra's 2024 footwear-and-bags collaboration, Christian Louboutin's La Vie en Inde (an ode to India's nine precious gemstones, the Navratna), and Bvlgari's Kada and Mangalsutra each reflect thoughtful cultural exchange with India. Similarly, Pharrell drew from the subcontinent for the Louis Vuitton Men's S/S 26 Paris show in July 2025, with a runway designed as a life-sized "Snakes and Ladders" by Indian architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai. Bags featured elephant and palm motifs, and A.R. Rahman co-produced a live performance of "Yaara Punjabi." The showcase was praised for collaborating with Indian artisans and offering a respectful homage.

At the 2025 Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony, global brand ambassador Alia Bhatt collaborated with Gucci to create a bespoke, "saree-inspired drape" bejewelled with Swarovski crystals and the GG monogram—Gucci's first-ever custom sari—demonstrating a meaningful way to pay homage to Indian heritage.

Alia Bhatt in Gucci's first-ever custom sari, Bvlgari Kada, TOD'S and Rahul Mishra's collaboration

A More Vocal India

While none of this is new, what has changed is visibility. Social media ensures people quickly notice and call out any familiar design. As Rana explains, social platforms make these similarities talking points. He adds, "Whether designs get panned or applauded, both scenarios work in favour of the brand; it's a kind of free publicity through outrage." Assomull agrees and notes that today's conversations are louder for two main reasons: consumers now demand to know the story—provenance, process, and people—behind what they wear, and Indians are finally voicing their opinions unapologetically.

Despite this increased attention, the bottom line remains that fashion has never existed in isolation. Cross-cultural exchange is the foundation of creativity. Designers travel, observe, reinterpret. They borrow, blend, and build something new. Hence, it is not a question of inspiration — the issue is appropriation. But where does inspiration end and appropriation begin?

Appropriation VS Inspiration

The line between inspiration and appropriation in fashion is increasingly blurred. As Varun Rana puts it, "It's not a question of being inspired. Fashion has always been about exchange. The issue is appropriation—when brands take the aesthetic value of Indian craftsmanship but strip it of its cultural background, its history, and the people behind it." The disparity becomes even more evident economically. A luxury brand may sell a garment featuring Indian craftsmanship for thousands of dollars, while artisans in India, whose skills are unmatched and authentic, often struggle to find access to global markets. Fashion houses' collections sell out quickly, and creative directors are appreciated, but the lifelong artisans who master these techniques remain unseen. Rana explains, "We shouldn't see commercial exercises like seasonal collections as adding value to craftsmanship. Instead, craftsmanship allows brands to charge high prices. It's important to know where each design comes from. Appreciation and appropriation go hand in hand in this context, but that doesn't make appropriation right."

Credit That Long Is Due

Indian design is a thousand-year-old art tradition, a local variety, and an unbelievable mastery passed down through generations. Each craft is also a living culture, complementing communities and conserving culture; they should be praised, honoured, and credited. "The essence lies in fair recognition — it is made by Indian in India — ensuring that Indian craftspeople receive due credit, fair payment, and acknowledgement," strongly says Rana.

To clarify, the issue is not homage, but appropriation. When a luxury brand takes Indian traditional techniques without credit, sells them at a high price and does not even bother to engage or pay the groups who have invented these crafts, that is not creative inspiration. It is cultural stealing in designer wrappings. "Design is meant to be fluid. Every artist is, and should be, free to use any kind of design and technique from anywhere in the world. The issue arises when something familiar to us as a country is suddenly fetishised by someone who hasn't grown up with it. That's where the discomfort comes from. It's not really about losing the essence; it's about acknowledgement and credits," believes Rana.

However, to paint the entire industry with the same brush would be quite a generalisation. Instead, as Assomull highlights, it is important to focus on key aspects—credit, compensation, and consultation. "A global brand must name the craft, the community, and the artisans and compensate them. The global spotlight can add value, but it can also dilute it. For instance, when a craft form becomes an exotic accessory in a luxury campaign shot for a Western gaze, the context is already lost. The craft may come under the spotlight, but the soul doesn't always. What preserves the essence? Having Indians involved from the very beginning—as consultants, collaborators, and creative partners. And, fair, transparent compensation for artisans—not just the brand." This lack of acknowledgement remains a pressing national issue. The discontinuity is glaring and points to a broader system that prioritises Western branding over Eastern art.

A Better Way Forward

Historically, many of these crafts were overlooked in India. As Rana argues, it was only after global designers reinterpreted them that their value gained recognition, even among Indians. For example, when John Galliano's iconic Spring/Summer 2003 Dior show featured sari-inspired designs and painted faces, it drew international attention to the saree. According to Rana, "what international designers are doing is bringing a different context to something that is considered normal, and often ignored, in India." This points to an issue of honouring our own heritage.

Often, Indian craft is placed on a pedestal, leading to undervaluation and preservation rather than innovation. Instead, what if we looked inward and developed new strategies and techniques to evolve these crafts? "The future of Indian crafts lies with Indians; we just have to stop being passive about them," noted Rana. Rather than focusing on foreign designers using Indian elements, the real question is what actions we, ourselves, take with our heritage. To conclude, Jamal Shaikh adds, "Asking for credit where it is due is justified. And a well-meaning luxury brand will always ensure its sources of inspiration grow with it. I hope international attention helps Indian craft take up quality and earn what it truly deserves. Let's make a case for that, instead of complaining about plagiarism."